PDF cannot be printed - what to do?

Do you have a PDF file that cannot be printed? We'll show you how to still put the contents of the file on paper.

If the PDF cannot be printed - general solutions

If a PDF file cannot be printed, this is mostly due to simple problems. We show them here:

• Check to see if other PDF files print easily to avoid a problem with your printer. Also read our tips on installing printers.
• Password-protected documents are usually restricted and cannot be edited or printed, even if you know the file's password.
• If you're lucky, you can still copy the text . Select it, copy it to the clipboard and paste it into any word processing program (e.g. Word or OpenOffice).
• If you know the author of the document, you can ask him for an unprotected version of the PDF file .
• Some users have problems printing PDF files with Adobe Reader. You can install an alternative program, such as the PDF X-Change Viewer or the Foxit Reader, and try whether the document can be printed with it.
• If there are only a few pages that you would like to print out, you can easily take screenshots of the pages and then print them out as pictures.

Switch off protected mode (quick guide)

By default, Acrobat Reader displays documents in so-called protected mode . While this increases security when handling PDF files, it can also prevent printing. To switch it off, proceed as follows:

1. Click Edit, and then click Settings .
2. Click Security (Advanced) .
3. Remove the check mark to enable protected mode at startup .
4. Confirm the security question.
5. Restart Acrobat Reader and protected mode is deactivated.
6. Now try to print the document again.
7. Then don't forget to reactivate the protected mode .

1. Open Settings

Click Edit in the Adobe Reader menu bar and then click Settings .

2. Select security settings

Click Security (Advanced) .

3. Switch off protected mode

Uncheck Enable Protected Mode at startup .

4. Confirm the change

Confirm the security question with Yes, then click on OK to close the window.

5. Print the document

Restart Acrobat Reader and try printing the document again.

6. Reactivate protected mode

Important: You should then activate the protected mode again.

Convert PDF to Printable XPS Document (Quick Guide)

If you can open the print dialog in Adobe Reader, you can first save a locked document as an XPS document and then print it out. The XPS viewer is part of the .NET Framework 3.0 and is preinstalled from Windows Vista. For older versions of Windows, you must first download and install the .NET Framework 3.5.

1. Click File, and then click Print .
2. Select Microsoft XPS Document Writer as the printer and save the document.
3. Open the new document with the XPS viewer.
4. Then print the document.

1. Convert document

Click on File in the menu bar and then on Print .

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2. Save in the new format

Select the Microsoft XPS Document Writer printer and click Print . Enter a file path and name. Then click on Save .

3. Open a new document

Open the newly created document with the XPS Viewer by clicking on it. Select File from the menu bar and then Print .

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4. Print the document

Select the printer you want. Then click on Print .