PDFs have come a long way in the last decade or so. Those of you who were in the office world 10 or 15 years ago might remember (with horror) that things weren’t always so easy—PDFs were prone to errors and a bit more difficult to create than they are nowadays.
Having said that… well, sometimes PDFs still like to cause problems, and there’s nothing more frustrating than when that problem crops up when you’re trying to print.
In today’s post, we’re going to examine a few ways to resolve PDF printing errors on your Xerox device. Along the way, we’ll also touch on a few other useful troubleshooting tips.
Let’s get started by identifying some of the most common problems and how to resolve them. Next we’ll discuss the most likely underlying causes for these problems and how to avoid them in the future.
Common PDF Printing Problems & a Quick Fix
Aside from flat out refusing to print anything at all, PDF printer errors come in a rather wide variety. For example, you might have encountered PDFs that…
- Look blurry
- Appear incomplete, with sections missing (e.g., graphics or text)
- Have images only missing
- Won’t collate properly
- Produce only “gibberish” printouts
In these cases, the quickest solution is to instruct your PDF reader software (most likely Adobe Acrobat Reader) to Print as Image in the print settings. For some versions of Acrobat Reader you may have to click “Advanced Print Setup” to find this option.
Instead of trying to print the PDF file as-is, this option instructs your computer or mobile device to send the PDF as a series of images to the printer—which it should have no trouble reading. You can find more information and detailed instructions in this article from Adobe.
In a pinch, you can use this method to get a PDF printed so that you have it for a meeting or important report. However, it doesn’t resolve the underlying cause, so let’s examine that next.
Why PDFs Sometimes Print Incorrectly
The good news is that the problem is highly unlikely to be caused by your Xerox printer. You can easily determine this by trying to print another file format or PDF from a different source—if it prints out properly, you know the issue is being caused by a problematic or misconfigured PDF file. In the event that your printer is having difficulty printing all different kinds of documents, please visit Xerox Support.
Once you’ve ruled out the possibility that your Xerox printer or MFP is responsible for the error, you know the problem is being caused by the PDF file itself. Something about the file makes it difficult for the printer to interpret. This might be because an image file in the PDF is corrupted, additional data added to the PDF is corrupt, or—and this is the most common reason—you’re using a (much) older version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Consider upgrading to the latest version.
You may also wish to try exporting the PDF again from the software you used to create it (e.g., Microsoft Word).
Contact Us For More Easy Solutions and Xerox Product Information
If your office is overdue for an upgrade to the Xerox experience, our staff at Smart Document Solutions would love to start a conversation with you.
We have three convenient locations in Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Lake Havasu, and we encourage you to stop by. You can also call us or contact us online. If you already know what you’re looking for, you’re invited to request a free online quote. We look forward to serving you!
