Outlook Print to PDF Not Working: Troubleshooting and Solutions for a Smooth Printing Experience

If you’re an Outlook user, you may have faced an issue where print to PDF doesn’t work as expected. Whether you’re trying to save an email as a PDF or print a calendar, this problem can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are several reasons why Outlook print to PDF is not working and ways to resolve it. In this blog, we’ll dive into common causes and provide step-by-step solutions to fix the issue so that you can get back to printing your emails and documents without hassle.

Why is Outlook Print to PDF Not Working?

Several factors could be causing the Outlook print to PDF not working issue. Understanding these common causes will help you pinpoint the problem and find a solution faster. Let’s explore the main reasons why Outlook print to PDF may not be functioning correctly:

Cause	Explanation
Outdated Outlook Version	An outdated version of Outlook can cause various issues, including problems with printing to PDF.
Corrupt Printer Drivers	Corrupt or outdated printer drivers may cause issues with PDF printing functionality.
Incorrect PDF Printer Setup	If the PDF printer isn’t set up correctly, Outlook print to PDF won’t work as expected.
Compatibility Issues	Some versions of Outlook might have compatibility issues with the PDF printer or its settings.
Conflicting Add-ins or Software	Add-ins or other software may interfere with Outlook’s ability to print to PDF.
Broken PDF Reader	An issue with your PDF reader software (like Adobe Acrobat) can prevent Outlook print to PDF from working.

How to Fix Outlook Print to PDF Not Working

Now that we know what could be causing the issue, let’s dive into some troubleshooting steps to get your Outlook print to PDF feature working properly. These methods are easy to follow and will help you resolve the issue quickly.

1. Update Outlook to the Latest Version

The first thing you should do when experiencing any issues with Outlook is check for updates. An outdated version of Outlook could be the cause of the printing issue. Here’s how to check for updates:

1. Open Outlook and click on File in the upper-left corner.
2. From the menu, select Office Account.
3. Under the Product Information section, click on Update Options.
4. Choose Update Now from the dropdown menu to install any available updates.
5. Once the update is complete, restart Outlook and check if print to PDF is working.

2. Install or Update PDF Printer Drivers

If you’re using a PDF printer like Adobe PDF or Microsoft Print to PDF, you may need to install or update the printer drivers to fix the issue. Here’s how to do it:

Install or Update Microsoft Print to PDF:

1. Open Control Panel and click on Devices and Printers.
2. Right-click on Microsoft Print to PDF and select Remove device.
3. Click on Add a printer at the top of the page.
4. Select Microsoft Print to PDF from the list of available printers.
5. Click Next to add the printer and finish the setup.

Install or Update Adobe PDF Printer:

1. Open the Adobe Acrobat software.
2. Go to the Help menu and click on Check for Updates.
3. Follow the prompts to update Adobe Acrobat and the PDF printer drivers.
4. Restart Outlook and try printing to PDF again.

3. Set the Default Printer to Microsoft Print to PDF

If you have multiple printers installed, it’s possible that Outlook is trying to print to a different printer. To ensure Microsoft Print to PDF is used, you should set it as the default printer:

1. Open Control Panel and go to Devices and Printers.
2. Find Microsoft Print to PDF in the list of printers.
3. Right-click on it and select Set as default printer.
4. Close the window and open Outlook to see if print to PDF works.

4. Disable Conflicting Add-ins in Outlook

Certain Outlook add-ins can interfere with the print to PDF feature. Disabling unnecessary or conflicting add-ins might resolve the issue. Here’s how to disable them:

1. Open Outlook and click on File in the menu.
2. Select Options to open the Outlook Options window.
3. Go to the Add-ins section.
4. Under Manage, select COM Add-ins and click Go.
5. Uncheck any add-ins that you suspect might be causing issues, then click OK.
6. Restart Outlook and check if the print to PDF function works.

5. Repair the Outlook Profile

If none of the above steps work, it could be that your Outlook profile is corrupted. Repairing your profile might resolve the issue. Here’s how to do it:

1. Close Outlook and go to the Control Panel.
2. Click on Mail and select Show Profiles.
3. Click Add to create a new profile and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Set the new profile as the default by selecting it and clicking Set as Default.
5. Open Outlook with the new profile and check if print to PDF works.

6. Reinstall or Repair Adobe Acrobat (or PDF Reader)

If you’re using Adobe Acrobat or another PDF reader to print to PDF, a problem with the software could be causing the issue. Here’s how to reinstall or repair it:

Repair Adobe Acrobat:

1. Open Adobe Acrobat and go to Help.
2. Click on Repair Installation and follow the prompts.
3. After repairing, restart your computer and try printing to PDF again.

Reinstall Adobe Acrobat:

1. Go to Control Panel and click Uninstall a Program.
2. Find Adobe Acrobat in the list and click Uninstall.
3. Once uninstalled, visit the Adobe website to download and install the latest version.
4. Restart your computer and test Outlook print to PDF.

7. Check for Compatibility Issues

Compatibility issues may occur between different versions of Outlook and the PDF printer. If you suspect compatibility is the issue, try the following:

1. Right-click on the Outlook shortcut and select Properties.
2. Go to the Compatibility tab.
3. Check the box labeled Run this program in compatibility mode for and select a previous version of Windows (e.g., Windows 7).
4. Click OK to save the settings and try printing to PDF again.

Conclusion

When Outlook print to PDF not working becomes a problem, it’s important to troubleshoot the issue systematically. Whether it’s caused by outdated drivers, corrupted profiles, or conflicting add-ins, there are various methods to fix the issue and get your Outlook printing correctly again.

By following the troubleshooting steps outlined above, you can easily solve the issue and continue saving and printing emails and documents as PDFs without any hassle. Remember, keeping Outlook and your PDF printer drivers up-to-date, checking your printer settings, and disabling conflicting add-ins are the key steps to solving this problem.

If the issue persists, don’t hesitate to contact Microsoft Support or your PDF software provider for additional help. With these solutions in hand, you’ll be able to print to PDF in no time!

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