How to Remove the Unlicensed Printer Message in Adobe Reader
Question details
The user needs to remove an 'Unlicensed printer. License is needed' message that appears when interacting with PDF documents in Adobe Reader.
- Product
- Adobe Reader
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Viewing or printing a PDF document.
- Observed behavior
- An error message or watermark stating 'Unlicensed printer' appears either embedded inside the PDF document on the screen or on the physical paper after printing.
Check whether the 'Unlicensed printer' message appears on your screen while viewing the PDF or only on the physical paper after printing, as this dictates the troubleshooting steps.
Identify and Replace the PDF Generator Software
Apply this solution if the message is visible on the screen when you open the PDF, which means the text was embedded during the document's creation.
Adobe Reader itself does not generate this message. When trial or unlicensed PDF creation software (like an expired Acrobat Pro trial or third-party virtual printer) is used to save a document, it often embeds an unlicensed warning directly into the file. Adobe Reader simply displays what is already embedded in the file.
Open the affected PDF in Adobe Reader and press 'Ctrl + D' (Windows) or 'Cmd + D' (Mac) to open the Document Properties window.
Look at the 'PDF Producer' or 'Application' fields to identify the specific software that was used to create the document.
Navigate to your system's application settings and uninstall the identified unlicensed software or expired trial.
Recreate the PDF from the original source file (e.g., Word or Excel) using a fully licensed or free PDF generator.
Check Physical Printer Drivers and Software
Apply this solution if the PDF looks fine on the screen but prints out with the unlicensed message on the paper.
Create and Print PDFs Without Watermarks Using WPS Office
WPS Office provides a built-in, free-to-use PDF generator that allows you to create, read, and print documents seamlessly without inserting any unlicensed printer messages or unwanted watermarks.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Install WPS Office on your device and launch the application.
- 2. Open Source Document: Open your original source document (such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) using WPS Office.
- 3. Export to PDF: Go to the 'Menu', select 'Export to PDF', and save your file to generate a clean, watermark-free document.
- 4. Print the Document: Open the newly generated PDF and use the built-in print function to print it directly to your physical printer without errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Adobe Reader asking me to buy a license to print?
No, Adobe Acrobat Reader is a completely free application for viewing and printing. The 'unlicensed printer' message is typically inserted by a different trial software, PDF generator, or third-party printer driver that handled the document.
How do I remove the message from a PDF I received from someone else?
You cannot easily remove the text if it was embedded into the PDF by the creator. You will need to ask the original author to regenerate the PDF using fully licensed software and send it to you again.
Can uninstalling Adobe Acrobat DC fix the issue?
Yes, if an expired trial of Adobe Acrobat DC was used as a virtual printer on your system to generate the PDF, uninstalling it and using a different PDF creator will prevent the message from appearing on newly created documents.
