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gooder2390's avatar
gooder2390
Copper Contributor
Sep 25, 2023

Microsoft Print to PDF prints blank documents

Hello,

 

I scan many documents as pdf files, and then use Microsoft Print to PDF to reprint them to pdf removing the blank and superfluous pages I do not need. The scan shows up fine in my folder as a pdf of 8,564kb, but recently when I print that to pdf the end result is a blank document of 3kb. This used to work perfectly until a few months ago.

 

I do not have a printer connected, and only scan documents. I have already tried all the "solutions" I could find online which include: unclick Microsoft Print to PDF in the Turn Windows on or off in Windows Features, and reclick on it after restarting, setting the Microsoft Print to PDF to default, confirming the driver is up to date, the default name used by the scanner to save the file does not use any characters not allowed, and unistalled and reinstalled the application. I can't find any other possible solutions online.

 

Thanks for any help

Application Management

4 Replies

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  • shivinshrivastava's avatar
    shivinshrivastava
    Copper Contributor
    Mar 23, 2025

    I tried some steps in Windows 11, and it starts printing PDFs again-

    1. Go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Microsoft Print to PDF. 
    2. Open 'Printer properties'. A 'Microsoft Print to PDF Properties' window will appear. 
    3. Click on 'Change Properties' button to get elevated access. 
    4. Now navigate to 'Advanced' tab at the top. 
    5. Tick the 'Keep printed documents' checkbox. 
    6. Click 'Apply' button and finally click on 'OK' button at the bottom. 

    Voila, all Done!

     

  • thomasjohn123's avatar
    thomasjohn123
    Copper Contributor
    Nov 07, 2024

    The issue might be due to a recent update affecting Microsoft Print to PDF. Here’s a quick workaround:

    1. Try a Different PDF Printer: Use a third-party PDF printer like CutePDF or Adobe PDF to see if it resolves the blank output.
    2. Run Windows Troubleshooter: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot and run the Printer Troubleshooter.
    3. Use a PDF Editor: Instead of reprinting, consider a PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat or PDFsam to remove blank pages directly.

    If the problem persists, it might be due to an OS or application update, so keep an eye on future patches.

     

  • concrete_doc's avatar
    concrete_doc
    Copper Contributor
    Nov 03, 2024
    Thanks, Leon,
    I had a simlar problem - printing from Excel using MS print-to-pdf. Today it just printed blank pages. Restarted Excel - same problem. Checked driver didn't need an update. Repaired MS 365, same problem.
    And when all else fails - just turn it off and re-boot the PC ... problem solved. Why didn't I try that first.
    Peter
  • LeonPavesic's avatar
    LeonPavesic
    Silver Contributor
    Sep 26, 2023

    Hi gooder2390,

    Here are some possible solutions to your problem, excluding the ones you have already tried:

    1. Try using a different PDF printer. There are many free and paid PDF printer options available, such as doPDF, PrimoPDF, and Nitro PDF Creator. Try using one of these PDF printers instead of Microsoft Print to PDF and see if that solves the problem.

    2. Try troubleshooting your scanner. It is possible that there is a problem with your scanner that is causing the blank PDF files. Try the following:

    • Clean the scanner heads.
    • Make sure that the scanner is properly calibrated.
    • Try scanning a document from a different source, such as a flatbed scanner or a document feeder.
    • Try scanning a document using a different scan resolution.

    3. Try repairing your Office installation. It is possible that there is a problem with your Office installation that is causing the blank PDF files. To repair your Office installation, follow these steps:

    1. Open the Control Panel.
    2. Click on Programs and Features.
    3. Find Microsoft Office in the list of programs and click on it.
    4. Click on Change.
    5. Select the Repair option and click on Continue.

    4. Try updating your graphics card drivers. It is possible that there is a problem with your graphics card drivers that is causing the blank PDF files. To update your graphics card drivers, visit the website of your graphics card manufacturer and download the latest drivers for your graphics card.

    5. Try running Windows in Safe Mode. If you are still having problems, try running Windows in Safe Mode. To run Windows in Safe Mode, follow these steps:

    1. Restart your computer.
    2. Press the F8 key repeatedly before the Windows logo appears.
    3. On the Advanced Boot Options menu, select Safe Mode with Networking.
    4. Press Enter.

    Once you are in Safe Mode, try using Microsoft Print to PDF to print your scanned document to PDF. If the PDF file prints correctly in Safe Mode, then it is likely that there is a software conflict on your computer that is causing the problem. 

    Please click Mark as Best Response & Like if my post helped you to solve your issue.
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    Kindest regards,


    Leon Pavesic

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