How to Stop Acrobat from Printing During PDF Conversion
Question details
Adobe Acrobat unintentionally sends files to the printer or freezes on a reading screen when users try to convert or combine Word documents into a PDF.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting or combining multiple Word files into a single PDF document.
- Observed behavior
- The application sends the document to the printer unexpectedly or gets stuck displaying a 'Please wait, reading Adobe PDF' error message.
Ensure you have saved any open documents and close background tasks in Adobe Acrobat, as modifying accessibility and reading preferences will affect how the software loads PDF files.
Adjust Screen Reader Preferences in Acrobat
Modify the application's background reading settings to only process currently visible pages, preventing the system from freezing or triggering unintended print jobs.
By default, Adobe Acrobat may attempt to read and prepare the entire document for screen readers before displaying it. When combining or converting large Word files, this background process can overload the application, causing it to stall on the 'reading Adobe PDF' prompt or incorrectly send the data to a printer port.
Launch Adobe Acrobat, click on the 'Edit' menu at the top of the window, and select 'Preferences' from the drop-down list.
In the left-hand panel of the Preferences dialog box, scroll down to the 'Categories' section and click on 'Reading'.
Locate the 'Screen Reader Options' section. Open the drop-down menu and select 'Only read the currently visible pages'.
Click the 'OK' button at the bottom of the window to apply the new settings. Restart Acrobat and attempt to convert or combine your files again.
Use WPS Office for Hassle-Free PDF Conversion
Avoid frustrating printing glitches and loading screens by using the built-in PDF tools in WPS Office. You can quickly convert, merge, and edit documents directly without background reading errors.
- 1. Open the Document in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open the Word document you want to convert to PDF.
- 2. Export to PDF: Click on the 'Menu' button in the top-left corner and select 'Export to PDF' from the list of options.
- 3. Combine Multiple PDFs: To combine multiple files, open the 'PDF' tab, click on 'Merge PDF', add your desired documents, and click 'Merge' to create a single file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Acrobat say 'Please wait, reading Adobe PDF'?
This message appears because Acrobat's accessibility feature is trying to read and prepare the entire document's text for screen readers before fully loading it. Changing the setting to read only visible pages speeds up the process.
Will changing the reading preferences alter my document's formatting?
No, adjusting the Screen Reader options only changes how the software loads the document's content in the background for accessibility tools. It does not alter the actual text, images, or layout of your PDF.
How can I merge multiple Word documents without freezing?
If Acrobat continues to freeze, you can use alternative software like WPS Office. It includes a built-in PDF toolkit that allows you to seamlessly convert and merge Word documents into a single PDF without background loading issues.
