How to Fix PDF Text and Strikethrough Annotations Not Printing
Question details
The user is unable to print text and strikethrough annotations that are clearly visible on the screen.
- Product
- PDF Printer/Editor
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to print a PDF document that has been marked up with text boxes and strikethroughs.
- Observed behavior
- The main document text prints successfully, but all text annotations, markups, and strikethroughs are missing from the printed pages.
Ensure your printer is properly connected and check the print preview screen to verify if the annotations are visible before you send the document to print.
Enable Comments and Markups in Print Settings
Most PDF readers require you to explicitly choose to print annotations; otherwise, only the base document content is printed.
PDF documents consist of multiple layers. Annotations, such as strikethroughs, highlights, and text boxes, exist on a separate layer from the main text. By default, print dialogues often isolate the main text layer to save ink.
Open your PDF document and press 'Ctrl + P' (or 'Cmd + P' on a Mac) to launch the Print settings window.
Look for a section named 'Print What', 'Comments & Forms', or 'Print Content' within the print properties menu.
Click the dropdown menu and change the selection from 'Document' to 'Document and Markups' (or 'Document and Annotations').
Check the print preview pane to ensure your strikethroughs and text annotations are now visible, then click the 'Print' button.
Flatten the PDF Document Before Printing
If adjusting print settings does not work due to printer driver limitations, flattening the PDF will permanently merge the annotations into the base document layer.
Print PDFs with All Annotations Using WPS Office
WPS Office features a robust PDF editor that makes it incredibly simple to view, markup, and print PDFs exactly as they appear on your screen, preventing missing strikethroughs or annotations.
- 1. Open the Annotated PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF file containing the text and strikethrough markups.
- 2. Access the Print Menu: Click on 'Menu' in the top-left corner and select 'Print', or use the 'Ctrl + P' shortcut.
- 3. Adjust Print Content: In the Print dialog box, locate the 'Print Content' option and ensure it is set to 'Document and Annotations'.
- 4. Print the Document: Confirm your annotations are visible in the preview window, then click 'Print'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my PDF strikethroughs visible on the screen but missing on paper?
Many PDF viewers default to printing only the main document text to prevent wasting ink on comments. You must manually adjust your print settings to include 'Document and Markups' or 'Annotations' so the printer processes that specific layer.
Will flattening a PDF reduce the text quality when printing?
Generally, flattening a PDF using a dedicated PDF editor merges the layers without reducing resolution. However, if you convert the PDF to an image format (like JPEG) instead of just flattening it, text quality may degrade.
Does using the 'Print as Image' setting help fix missing annotations?
Yes. If your printer firmware struggles to process complex PDF layers, selecting 'Print as Image' in your advanced print settings forces the software to send a flattened graphic of the page to the printer, bypassing layer-related issues.
