Some PFDs are printing with a black background

[Jennie Bayliss]

Hello

I hope you can help me. Some of my PDFs, when printed via Acrobat Reader, now print with a black background - see image below. It doesn't happen on all PDFs - but enough times for it to be frustrating. PDFs that are attached to an email, like an invoice, seem more likely to print in this way. I'm not sure when exactly this started - but possibly when I upgraded to OS Sonoma last month.

I'm on a MacBook Pro, OS Sonoma 14.1.2. Attempts to fix this, include reinstalling Acrobat Reader. I also deleted then reinstalled the latest printer driver (Brother HL-L3270CDW).

Is anyone else experiencing this? Any ideas how to fix this?

[Umesh36845765ca6l]

Yes thanks it has helpful!

[Beth36968679w513]

Yes! Thank you so much. This worked for me.

[Jennie Bayliss · Accepted solution]

Thank you everyone. It seems a lot of us have had the same issue.

For those with a paid-for application, changing the settings in the Advance Print Set-up, as described by Kathryn below, appears to work. This option is not available for people using the free version, but the work-around of unchecking the "Print in GreyScale" tick box, appears to work for most people. Hope that helps.

[Andrew36975023hghn]

I don't really see a paid solution as a fix for for something has worked historically. Does Adobe have an answer to the issue.

[Andrew36975023hghn]

Unchecking Print in GreyScale 'works' as mentioned above  except I, like many, prefer only to print in colour only when necessary. I don't see this as one of those cases. Adobe should fix the issue. I appreciate that things like OS updates (Sonoma) can cause issues,, but an update should be issued to fix the issue.

[Billy38305193g8aw]

Bypass Adobe altogether. After creating the document in Adobe, select pdf document from the finder folder on a Mac and open with preview and print from there. no more black border!

[zaxenon]

Hi all, it is 17 Sept, and I too have this problem. Adobe is not the fasted kid on the block!! 
Yes, I will try the unticking of "Print in grayscale", but it's disgraceful that Adobe has not yet fixed this bug. 

[Jennie Bayliss]

Even though the "print in Greyscale" usually works, I STILL sometimes end up with a black sheet. It is so frustrating. I too wish heartfully that Adobe would fix this bug.

[zaxenon]

Oh no.. 😞 
Cannot afford ink at the costly prices they go for so Adobe will be out the window VERY soon!! 

[Michele S 4567]

I'm having the same problem - randomly printing out pdfs completely black background and white letters.  Plowing through my ink cartridges.  I have mac OS Sonoma 14.6.1 and I think you're right, it's only happened since my upgrade.  Also my Epson scanner isn't working which maybe that is an issue too.  I don't have the paid Adobe so this is disturbing - no way to tell it's going to do it until it's too late and I've gone through a ton of ink!

[debi_2318]

Just printed out 3 pages of solid black myself...yikes!  Fixed it by Right-clicking the document, choosing Open With and choosing Preview.  Had no problem printing the Previewed document.  (I'm on Mac with Free Version...and never could find a "Print in Grayscale" box to 'tick').

[caroline_2934]

I simply unticked the 'print in grayscale (black and white)' and it printed with the correct (white) background. Hope this helps others. I did not need to go into advanced set up or re-install drivers - i am on a mac book air:

[Jennie Bayliss]

Hello Caroline

Thank you for your share. I tested a problematic invoice that always printed black, for which I have been screen-shoting then printing. And yes, now it will print in colour or grayscale without a whole sheet of wasted black toner. I suspect the boffins have done a fix in the background - but no matter what or why, I'm grateful that it is now working correctly again. 

[Jennie Bayliss]

Hmm - I spoke too soon 🙁 I have just printed a multiple page pdf with 'greyscale' checked. The first page printed correctly. But the other pages again were blacked out - see below. I printed it again in colour and that worked, but fir internal documents, it would be more economical to print in b/w.  It is frustrating that Adobe havent yet fixed this glitch. 

[Ellen38189059lq39]

The solution seems to be to adjust advanced settings when printing, but I am unable to adjust the advanced settings. They are all "grayed out" with no option to adjust them.  I still am getting some (not all) PDFs printing on a black background, and it's causing issues. Suggestions?

[Bijjoy_Sarkar9782]

Bijoy