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A
Alastair Mac
Participant
October 30, 2017
Answered

Getting 'Letter' size printed PDF document even though all settings A4

  • October 30, 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 6827 views

Hi,

Something totally weird while doing something unbelievably basic, hoping someone can help.

I am trying to print one sheet from an Excel file to the Adobe virtual printer. As follows:

- In Excel itself, the print dialogue is set to A4 and the printer is set to Adobe PDF

- Entering "Printer Properties" (for the Adobe PDF printer) the Adobe PDF page size is set to A4

- However when I print, I get a PDF document generated at 8.5" x 11" size which is US Letter, not A4

Semi-related but if I open the Letter file and then re-print a PDF from Acrobat to a NEW PDF using the scaling ability of Acrobat, I can get an A4 file because it shrinks the pages to make them fit. But this is silly, means I am getting a reduced-size Letter page downscaled to fit onto an A4 page.. what I want is to produce the A4 page in the first place!

It is clearly something wrong on my laptop, because going through the exact same steps with the exact same file on my desktop correctly produces an A4 file.

Any ideas?

Thanks all,

Alastair

Correct answer GlenHewitt

Resurrecting a dead thread for future searchers - 

In Microsoft Word - File > Options > Advanced > Print > Untick Scale Content for A4 or 8.5 x 11" paper sizes

3 replies

G
GlenHewittCorrect answer
Participant
September 11, 2025

Resurrecting a dead thread for future searchers - 

In Microsoft Word - File > Options > Advanced > Print > Untick Scale Content for A4 or 8.5 x 11" paper sizes

    C
    charlesw67665203
    Participant
    December 7, 2021

    This worked for me:

    On your computer (Windows 7, in this example)

    Start Menu > Devices and Printers > Adobe PDF

    1. (Right Click) > Printing preferences > Adobe PDF page size (A4)

    OK (ENTER)

    2. (Right Click) > Printer Properties > Device Settings > (A4)

    OK (ENTER)

     

    With Kind Regards,

    Charles

      W
      WorldCitizenJeff
      Participant
      October 28, 2022

      @charlesw67665203 

      Many thanks! I had the same problem as Alastair and no one else was able to resolve it!

      Abambo
      Community Expert
      AbamboCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 30, 2017

      Please state all the version numbers of all the programs involved, including the OS.

      As a general answer, I would first investigate Excel, as I know from my experience, that Excel (Office products) can be very sticky on what it thinks the page size should be.

      ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer
      A
      Alastair MacAuthor
      Participant
      October 30, 2017

      Thanks. As below:

      Windows 10, version 10.0.15063 (Build 15063)

      Excel, Office 365, Version 1709 (Build 8528.2147 Click-to-Run)

      Acrobat Pro DC, 2015 Release (Classic) ¦ Version 2015.006.30355

      (although I don't know whether this is the software component which provides the Adobe virtual printer)

      Hope this gives the info requested. Interesting thought about Excel but, as with all such situations.. how would I know..?

      Alastair

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