Adobe PDF Printer Error Windows 10

[mjb849]

When converting web pages and MS Office documents to PDFs by going to the print menu and choosing Adobe PDF results in a PDF being created but gives a "Error - Printing" message and leaves a document in the queue which prevents the computre from going to sleep.  In a browser or MS Office app if I click on the Adobe menu and select convert document or web page to PDF the operation is normal.  If I go to print and select Microsoft Print to PDF it creates a PDF without issue.  The issue only occurs when selecting Adobe PDF from the print menu.  I am looking for a fix or a work around.  Thanks in advance.

[Amal.]

Hi Mjb

We are sorry for the trouble. As described above you are getting "Error - Printing" message when creating PDF from the print menu.

What is the version of the Adobe Acrobat DC installed? To check the version of the application please use the help article  - https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/identify-product-version.html

A new version of the Adobe Acrobat / Reader DC is now available. version 19.21.20058make sure you have the new version go to Help > Check for Updates.

For more information about the new patch please use the link  - https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotesDC/index.html

Also, try to reset the preferences to default as described in the article here (https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-default/td-p/4792...) 

Let us know how it goes

Regards

Amal

[mjb849]

I have the latest version of  Acrobat.  I reset the preferences to default as described and installed the patch.  The issue still exists. 

[Amal.]

Hi there 

We are sorry to hear that the issue still exists. We need some more details for a better understanding.

• Would you mind sharing the exact workflow or steps you are doing that leads you to this error? 
• Do you have Adobe Acrobat DC or Adobe Reader installed? Also, please share the screenshot of the issue or error message you are experiencing.

A new version of Adobe Acrobat /Reader is now available. version 19.21.20061. Please update the application to the new version. You may also, manually download the patch using the link here: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotesDC/index.html

Let us know how it goes

Regards

Amal

[mjb849]

Acrobat is up to date. Acrobat installed, print document with “CTRL P” or “File – Print” and select printer Adobe PDF.  Acrobat will create a PDF but there is an error message “Error printing on Adobe PDF. Could not print (document name).” Documents are left in the print queue that must be manually canceled.

If I create a PDF with the program plug-in the PDF is created without printer error.

[Amal.]

Hi there,

We are sorry to hear that the issue still persists. Please make sure that the printer driver and firmware is up to date. Also, please try to remove and reinstall the printer driver an check.

You may also try the troubleshooting steps provided in the link here: https://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/333236.html

Let us know how it goes.

Regards

Amal

[mjb849]

Please reread my post. The problem is not with a printer it is how Acrobat handles print to pdf.

Sent from my iPad

[Amal.]

Hi there 

We are sorry for the confusion. 

Please try the troubleshooting steps provided in the link here: https://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/333236.html

Let us know how it goes.

Regards

Amal

[andrewh35865418 · Accepted solution]

There's a real simple fix for this. It's an issue with Acrobat or Windows identifying/assigning an incorrect port to the printer. I had the exact same problem and corrected it just a moment ago.

Go to Settings - Printers & scanners and click on Adobe PDF, then click Manage. Next, click Printer properties. This will open the Adobe PDF Properties window. Click the Ports tab and clear the box for port "COM1." Next, scroll down and select "Documents\*.pdf" (the description will show "Adobe PDF"). Click OK and try printing a file.

[Amal.]

Hi Andrewh,

Thanks for sharing your observation around this issue. It will certainly help the other users experiencing a similar issue.  

@ mjb Please try the suggestion provided and see if that works for you.

Keep us posted with your results.

Regards

Amal

[mjb849]

Thanks andrewh,

That is the fix!

[andrewh35865418]

I am so happy it worked! Yay!

[Amal.]

Hi there 

We are glad that the issue got fixed 

Feel free to contact us for any further assistance required in the future.

Regards

Amal

[msturner]

andrewh,

That worked!  This has been a perpetual thorn in my side, but I finally have the solution, thanks to you!  One small detail though:  I was not able to clear (uncheck) the COM1 port first, but checking the Documents\*.pdf first did the trick.

Thanks again!

[MartinjfNC]

Thanks Andrew for the tip.

[default2b9o3tam0hpu]

Hi there, Ive been having the same problem. Unfortunately, I don't see the "Documents\*.pdf" option in the ports tab. Do you know how I can't rectify this to apply this fix? Thanks

[andrewh35865418]

Hi,

See if this might help first: Click the Ports tab and clear the box for port "COM1. Then, try a test print and let's see if that corrects things. If not, and you've scroll down through the list of ports and don't see "Documents\*pdf" (it might be the very last port in the list) then I'd suggest reinstalling Acrobat and see if that adds the port.

[RazQuaker]

Hi Andrewh,

Thank you so much for letting me know how to fix this PDF Printer issue in Acrobat Pro 2020! This is extremely important to us because we use the printer for our daily work in CAD software.

Indeed, the actual Acrobat Pro 2020 installer faultily sets the printer port to "COM1" instead of "Documents\*.pdf". So you have to access the Windows Print Management console to manually add the correct port via "Ports -> Add Port -> New Port Type" and select the "AdobePDF.inf" file from the driver. This would be unpardonable alone, but there's more: it seems "AdobePDF.inf" file from the original Acrobat Pro 2020 installer doesn't work! We had to unpack the files from our old Acrobat Pro 2017 installer and use that *.INF file for the path to have the port work.

This goes without mentioning that Windows Home edition owners can't even apply this fix because Home editions don't have the Print Management console integrated. I haven't found a way to add/ access the console to this day on Windows Home machines.

I really wish Adobe would pay more attention to user's problems.

[Robert_BFISV]

I just encountered this problem, and the port change fixed it. I hadn't created a pdf in a few weeks, but my default printer had been reset to another printer on my system. This had to have been caused by a Windows 10 patch.

[mjb849]

My Adobe PDF printer port settings were reset as well.  As you say, most likley a Windows or Adobe update and knowing what I know now it is easy to reset.  What I have discovered if I want to create a PDF using "Ctrl P"  "Microsoft Print To PDF" does a much better job than "Adobe PDF".

[danielw13127865]

Adobe Acrobat DC pro, the latest version, running on a brand new machine with the latest version of Win 10 as of March 21, is total junk!  Buggy as hell.  Crashes during printing.  OCR doesn't work.  Constantly on chat with tech support who are completely incompetent and slow as molasses.  I think the time for Adobe has come to an end!  I will be looking for a competitor!  

[watt5C55]

I've discovered that the further you go down the rabbit hole, the more isolated you become. Obviously, updating to a supported version of Adobe Acrobat during this decade isn't a choice, otherwise you would have done so. Acrobat 9 is a vulnerable pos, and it should be removed. Wishing you luck!

Remove all printers as well. Is it possible to print to an Adobe PDF printer? That's fantastic. Reinstall the printers one at a time, testing each one until you find the culprit. Then try every driver for that printer available until you find one that works.

[Printer22121292qk81]

I just encountered this problem, and the port change fixed it. Thank you everyone. Very helpful printing guides and comments here.

[reginamcneely2009]

nothing is working

still wont print

[RazQuaker]

What version of Windows are you on? Since I switched to Windows 11, the PDF Printer is working.

Indeed, on Windows 10 and older, the Acrobat Pro 2020 installer faultily sets the printer port to "COM1" instead of "Documents\*.pdf". So you have to access the Windows Print Management console to manually add the correct port via "Ports -> Add Port -> New Port Type" and select the "AdobePDF.inf" file from the driver.