How to Fix PDF Printing All Pages Using the First Page Size
Question details
Users are experiencing an issue where printing a PDF with mixed paper sizes (e.g., Letter and Legal) results in all pages being printed using the dimensions of the first page.
- Product
- PDF Reader / Printer
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Printing a PDF document that contains multiple different page sizes.
- Observed behavior
- The printer ignores the individual page dimensions and forces every page to print using the paper size of the very first page in the document.
Ensure your printer is loaded with the different paper sizes required by your document (e.g., both Letter and Legal) and that the printer drivers are updated to the latest version.
Enable Automatic Paper Source by PDF Page Size
Adjusting the print dialog settings to recognize individual page sizes prevents the printer from defaulting to the first page's dimensions.
By default, some PDF readers try to scale all pages to fit the default printer paper size. You must explicitly tell the software to pull paper based on the dimensions specified in the document itself.
Open your PDF document and press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to access the Print menu.
In the print dialog box, look for the 'Page Sizing & Handling' or 'Paper/Quality' section.
Check the box that says 'Choose paper source by PDF page size' or 'Use PDF page size to select paper source'.
Click 'Print' to send the document to the printer. The printer will now pull paper from the appropriate trays based on each page's size.
Verify Printer Driver Preferences
Sometimes the printer driver itself overrides the PDF software settings. Checking the system printer preferences ensures mixed-size printing is allowed.
Print Mixed-Size PDFs Seamlessly with WPS Office
WPS Office includes a robust built-in PDF reader that accurately detects mixed page sizes, ensuring your Letter, Legal, and custom pages print exactly as intended without complex configurations.
- 1. Open PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your mixed-size PDF document.
- 2. Access Print Settings: Click the Print icon or press Ctrl+P to open the comprehensive print dialog.
- 3. Select Auto Paper Source: Check the option to automatically choose the paper source based on the PDF page size, then click Print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF ignore the Legal size pages and print everything on Letter size?
This happens when the print software is set to 'Fit' or 'Shrink' oversized pages to the default paper size, or if the 'Choose paper source by PDF page size' option is unchecked.
Do I need a special printer to print PDFs with mixed paper sizes?
Yes, your printer must have multiple paper trays loaded with the respective paper sizes (e.g., Tray 1 for Letter, Tray 2 for Legal) and the printer driver must support automatic tray selection.
How do I split a mixed-size PDF to print the pages separately?
If your printer doesn't support mixed sizes, you can organize your PDF pages by size using the 'Organize Pages' or 'Extract' feature in your PDF editor, save them as separate files, and print them individually.
Can a printer driver update fix paper size recognition issues?
Absolutely. Outdated printer drivers can cause communication errors with PDF software. Updating to the latest driver from the manufacturer's website often resolves page scaling and tray selection problems.
