How to Stop the OneNote Sign-In Message When Printing PDF in Acrobat
Question details
The user needs to prevent Adobe Acrobat from prompting them to sign in to Microsoft OneNote when trying to print a PDF document.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Printing a PDF document to a physical printer or a standard PDF printer.
- Observed behavior
- Acrobat displays a sign-in prompt for Microsoft OneNote instead of printing, because Windows has automatically set OneNote as the default system printer.
Ensure your physical printer is powered on, properly connected to your Windows PC, and has the correct drivers installed before adjusting your default printer settings.
Change the Default Printer in Windows Settings
Set your physical printer or a standard PDF printer as the system default to stop Windows from routing print jobs to OneNote.
When Microsoft Office is installed, Windows may automatically configure 'Send to OneNote' as the default virtual printer. Changing this back to your actual printer will immediately stop the OneNote sign-in prompt in Acrobat and other applications.
Click the Start menu and select the gear icon to open Settings, then click on 'Devices' or 'Bluetooth & devices'.
Select 'Printers & scanners' from the left-hand menu. Scroll down and uncheck the option that says 'Let Windows manage my default printer'.
Locate your physical printer (e.g., HP, Brother, Canon) or your preferred PDF printer in the list. Click on it, select 'Manage', and then click the 'Set as default' button.
Remove or Disable the OneNote Virtual Printer
If you do not use the 'Send to OneNote' printing feature, removing it will prevent it from ever being accidentally selected.
Print PDFs Seamlessly with WPS Office
If you are encountering errors with obsolete software like Acrobat 9, upgrading to WPS Office provides a modern, built-in PDF reader that interfaces flawlessly with Windows printers—without unexpected virtual printer interruptions.
- 1. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document using the built-in PDF reader.
- 2. Access the Print Menu: Click the 'Print' icon in the top toolbar or press Ctrl + P on your keyboard.
- 3. Select and Print: Choose your preferred physical printer from the 'Name' drop-down menu and click 'Print' to securely output your document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Windows suddenly set OneNote as my default printer?
Installing or updating Microsoft Office often adds the 'Send to OneNote' virtual printer to your system. If the 'Let Windows manage my default printer' setting is enabled, Windows may automatically switch to OneNote because it was the most recently installed or used printer.
Can I still print to OneNote if I change my default printer?
Yes. Changing your default printer simply prevents OneNote from being selected automatically. You can still manually choose 'Send to OneNote' from the printer drop-down menu in any application whenever you need to save a document to your OneNote notebook.
Does this printing issue only happen in Adobe Acrobat 9?
While highly common in older, unsupported software like Acrobat 9, this default printer routing can happen in any application if OneNote takes over the system's default printer slot. Keeping your PDF software updated or using modern alternatives helps mitigate software-specific bugs.
