How to Print PDFs with Mixed Paper Sizes in Adobe Acrobat
Question details
Users are unable to successfully print PDF documents that contain multiple different paper sizes.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to send a PDF with varying page dimensions to a physical printer with multiple paper trays.
- Observed behavior
- The print job fails to process or outputs incorrectly, even when both the operating system and printer settings appear to be configured properly.
Ensure your printer is equipped with multiple trays loaded with the correct paper sizes, and verify that your printer's firmware and drivers are fully up to date.
Update Acrobat and Enable Auto Tray Selection
Updating your software and explicitly telling Acrobat to match the document's page sizes with the printer's paper trays is the most reliable fix.
Software bugs related to print spooling are frequently patched in Acrobat updates. Additionally, you must explicitly configure Acrobat's print dialog to let the PDF document dictate the paper source, rather than relying on the default printer driver settings.
Launch Adobe Acrobat, click on 'Help' in the top menu bar, and select 'Check for Updates'. Install any available patches and restart the application.
Open the mixed-size PDF document you wish to print and go to 'File' > 'Print', or press Ctrl+P (Windows) / Cmd+P (Mac).
In the Print dialog box, locate the 'Page Sizing & Handling' section and check the box labeled 'Choose paper source by PDF page size'.
Ensure the correct printer is selected at the top of the dialog and click the 'Print' button.
Configure Printer Preferences to Auto Select
Adjust the system-level driver settings to ensure the printer does not force a specific tray, which is a common issue with Brother printers.
Print Mixed-Size PDFs Seamlessly with WPS Office
Bypass complicated driver conflicts and Adobe printing errors. WPS Office includes a powerful, built-in PDF reader that intelligently matches your document's varied page sizes with your printer's trays in just a few clicks.
- 1. Open your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF file that contains mixed page sizes.
- 2. Access Print settings: Click on the 'Print' icon on the toolbar, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + P.
- 3. Enable automatic paper sourcing: In the print dialog, tick the checkbox for 'Use PDF page size to select paper source'.
- 4. Print the document: Select your multi-tray printer and click 'Print' to output the pages on their respective paper sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my PDF printing entirely on letter-size paper instead of mixed sizes?
This happens when the print dialog is set to shrink or fit pages to the default paper size. You must actively check the option 'Choose paper source by PDF page size' in your print settings to tell the printer to pull from different trays.
Is the mixed paper size printing issue exclusive to Brother printers?
No, while frequently reported with Brother models due to specific driver defaults, this issue can occur on any printer brand if the device's driver tray selection conflicts with Acrobat's application settings.
How do I force a mixed-size PDF to print on a single uniform paper size?
To print everything uniformly, uncheck 'Choose paper source by PDF page size' in your print dialog. Then, under the Page Sizing & Handling section, select 'Fit' or 'Shrink oversized pages' to scale all pages onto your default paper.
How can I check the actual page sizes inside my PDF document?
You can view the dimensions of any specific page by hovering your cursor over the lower-left corner of the document window in Acrobat, or by going to File > Properties and looking at the 'Page Size' under the Description tab.
