7 Best Free PDF Printers for Windows and Mac (2026)

How to Use a Free PDF Printer: Step-by-Step Guide

Printing to PDF is a quick way to save documents, web pages, images, and more in a fixed, shareable format. A “PDF printer” installs like a virtual printer and lets you convert almost any printable file to PDF. This guide walks you through using a free PDF printer on Windows and macOS, plus tips for options, settings, and troubleshooting.

What you’ll need

• A Windows PC (Windows ⁄₁₁) or a Mac (macOS 10.14+).
• A free PDF printer installed (many modern OSes include one built-in; third-party free options also exist).

Step 1 — Choose and install a free PDF printer

• Windows ⁄₁₁: The built-in “Microsoft Print to PDF” often suffices—no install needed. For extra features (merging, password protection), consider free tools like PDFCreator or doPDF.
• macOS: The Print-to-PDF feature is built into the OS (no install required). For more features, third-party apps are available.

Install third-party software by downloading from the vendor’s site and following the installer prompts. Choose a reputable source to avoid bundled software.

Step 2 — Open the file you want to convert

• Documents: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, text files.
• Web pages: Open in your browser.
• Images: Open in an image viewer or editor.

Step 3 — Open the Print dialog

• Windows: Press Ctrl+P or choose File → Print.
• macOS: Press Command+P or choose File → Print.

Step 4 — Select the PDF printer

• From the Printer dropdown, choose the PDF printer:
  • Windows built-in: Microsoft Print to PDF
  • macOS built-in: Choose Save as PDF from the PDF menu in the Print dialog
  • Third-party: Select the installed virtual printer (e.g., PDFCreator, doPDF).

Step 5 — Configure print settings

• Pages: Select all pages or a page range.
• Orientation: Portrait or landscape.
• Paper size: Normally A4 or Letter.
• Scale or Fit: Choose “Fit to page” if content is being cut off.
• Color: Choose color or grayscale.
• Quality: Higher DPI for images; lower for smaller file size.
• For third-party printers, check extra options (merge into one PDF, add metadata, enable passwords, choose PDF/A).

Step 6 — Print (save) to PDF

• Click Print (or Save).
• Choose a filename and location.
• Confirm and save. The virtual printer will generate a PDF file at that location.

Step 7 — Verify and adjust

• Open the saved PDF to confirm layout, fonts, and images look correct.
• If the output looks wrong:
  • Try a different PDF printer driver (built-in vs third-party).
  • Check page size and margins in the original app.
  • Use “Print Preview” to catch issues before saving.

Advanced tips

• Combine multiple files: Some PDF printers (or PDF readers) let you merge multiple prints into one PDF—print files to the same virtual printer and select the “append” or “merge” option.
• Add security: Use a printer with password-protect or use a PDF tool afterward to encrypt.
• Optimize size: Print at lower DPI or use tools to compress PDFs.
• Preserve hyperlinks: To keep clickable links from web pages or documents, choose a printer or export option that preserves links (some virtual printers may not).

Troubleshooting

• PDF printer missing: On Windows enable “Microsoft Print to PDF” from Windows Features or reinstall the third-party driver.
• Blank pages or missing images: Update the application or printer driver; try printing