Okay! You’ve found the perfect editable file online, you’ve edited it, and it looks great! But now you’re having trouble printing! Smoke is coming out of your ears and maybe a few swear words! I get it. Ever since I took my party decorations business completely digital, people sometimes run into issues printing their editable file. So let’s figure it out! Here’s How to Fix An Editable PDF That’s Not Printing Correctly.
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How to Fix An Editable PDF That’s Not Printing Correctly
If you’ve already purchased an editable PDF file from somewhere like my Etsy shop, and then downloaded and edited your PDF in the correct way, then you’re to the final step -Printing! Easy, right?
One would THINK! But sometimes you run into issues. So here’s the right way.
First, go into your file in Adobe Reader (NOT FROM A BROWSER!). Then Select: File (top left) > Print.
From here, it will likely show you a preview of what it will look like. (Below is a screenshot of an example of a printable party banner that I sell for my Girly Oktoberfest party).
If you’re printing, for instance, something that is not a full size sheet of paper, like a 5 x 7 or 8 x 10, read about printing editable invitations for specifics and troubleshooting.
In most cases your printing settings should reflect the below:
- Under Page Size & Handling, check the box that says “Choose Paper Source by PDF Page size“. Then use the radio button to select and select “Actual Size“.
- Having problems with it printing the original content and not the content that you edited? You may need to click on the “Advanced” button and select “Print as Image“.
- If it’s not looking quite right or is getting cut off, you may also need to go into the “Properties” button and select “Borderless Printing“. (If you are printing pintables that are 8.5 x 11, this shouldn’t be a problem.
What To Do If You’re Editable PDF is Printing Blank
If you’re pulling out your hair because your editable PDF file is printing blank, this unfortunately happens sometimes! This is typically caused when the PDF is filled using something other than Acrobat (i.e., a web browser or other PDF editing software).
So, if that’s something that you’re experiencing, the PDF will need to be printed to a new PDF to resolve the issue. How do you do that? Go to print, and in the area that shows your printer, use the pulldown menu to select Adobe PDF (marked in yellow below).
Then reopen your new PDF and try to print normally and try printing again.
What To Do if Your Editable PDF Doesn’t Look like Right When Printed
Next, a very common issue I see is that people sometimes report that the color or font is totally different than what they were promised when purchasing an editable PDF on Etsy or elsewhere. The problem? You’re likely not editing the PDF in Adobe Reader/Acrobat. You are probably using your browser to edit it or using Preview from a Mac.
To fix this, make sure you have Adobe Reader/Acrobat downloaded to your computer. (Do not attempt to do this with a mobile device). Then, save your PDF file somewhere on your computer BEFORE you open it. Locate the file on your computer and RIGHT CLICK, and select Open With Adobe Reader/Acrobat. This will open it in Adobe and not in a browser.
Alternately, if you’ve done all that and the colors just look dull, then it’s likely your paper. The secret to getting vibrant prints really isn’t about your printer at all. You can read about the best paper I recommend here. However, I do have a printer recommendation if you’re in the market for a printer. You can read about my favorite printer here.
Related Articles
You might also be interested in the following articles:
The Best Ways to Make Passive Income on Etsy
The Best Paper to Print Digital Party Decorations
Lastly, thank you so much for taking the time to read about How to Fix An Editable PDF File That’s Not Printing Correctly. I hope this gives you some ideas about personalizing and printing PDFs you find on Etsy and elsewhere! I love to help you celebrate life through party decorations and personal development! But above all, I’d love to connect with you. Reach out to me on Instagram and let’s chat.
xox
Lindsay
