Slow non-PostScript printing if a PDF file has a non-system font embedded

Report · Sep 10, 2023

Slow non-PostScript printing if a PDF file has a non-system font embedded

Slow non-PostScript printing

Slow non-PostScript printing can occur in a PDF file with a non-system font embedded (since the Jan 2016 release of Acrobat).

Print job files (PRN, XPS) created during non-PostScript printing have fonts embedded as vectors instead of glyphs, resulting in a substantial increase in the file size, which causes performance degradation.

Solution: Edit the registry as a workaround

Adobe is working with Microsoft to resolve the problem. Meanwhile, you can manually tweak the registry as a workaround, which switches to the old API used by previous versions of Acrobat or Reader.

Open the registry by going to Run (Windows menu + R), typing regedit.exe, and then clicking OK.

Do the following:

Based on your installed version of the product and release, navigate to the location and create a corresponding key of type DWORD (Wow6432Node only if your machine is 64-bit).
Create the key FeatureState at the location listed below; the key is not present by default.

For Acrobat (Continuous):

Key: 4033257
Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\(Wow6432Node)\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureState

For Acrobat Reader (Continuous):

Key: 4033257
Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\(Wow6432Node)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureState

For Acrobat (Classic - Acrobat 2017):

Key: 4033257
Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\(Wow6432Node)\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\2017\FeatureState

For Acrobat Reader (Classic - Acrobat 2017):

Key: 4033257
Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\(Wow6432Node)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\2017\FeatureState

For Acrobat (Classic - Acrobat 2015):

Key: 4033260
Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\(Wow6432Node)\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\2015\FeatureState

For Acrobat Reader (Classic - Acrobat 2015):

Key: 4033260
Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\(Wow6432Node)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\2015\FeatureState

For Acrobat XI:

Key: 3919626
Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\(Wow6432Node)\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\11.0\FeatureState.

Change the value to "0".
Restart Acrobat or Reader.

Important Note: When you apply this workaround, a temporary file is created for each PDF you print, and it's locked until you restart your computer. This temporary file will be named something like "Z@xxx.tmp." You won't be able to delete it until after a system restart.

Have you found this answer helpful?
If so, Join the conversation with us and share your thoughts. Your feedback is valuable to us, and we are always listening.