How to Use Adobe Acrobat PDF Writer

Did you just sign up for and install Adobe Acrobat DC? Learn how to use this writer/printer/PDF creator by following the instructions in this article to create a PDF document.

Method 1
Method 1 of 6:

Creating a PDF from Acrobat DC

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    Open the Acrobat DC program.
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    Click Tools and then select "Create PDF."
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    Click what kind of file you're looking to create a PDF from. For example, if your aim is to convert a Word document, select "Single File". If you want to convert a web page to PDF, select "Web Page." If you want to convert a scanned document to PDF, pick "Scanner."
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    Provide the details requested. This section depends on what kind of page you're creating a PDF from, but if it's a Single File, it's straight-forward: Click "Select a File" and locate the right file on your computer. Then double click the file.
    • For a web page, paste the desired URL into the box.
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    Click the "Create" button. Adobe will open the PDF for you once it's done being created.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 6:

Printing a Document to a PDF (Windows)[1]

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    Open a document in any program that has a printing option. For example, you might have a page in your browser you want to turn into a PDF, or a text-editor that can print documents.
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    Click the "Print" button.
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    Choose "Adobe PDF". Don't get confused if you have Windows 10; With Windows 10, you'll get another freebie that can do the same as this but calls itself "Microsoft Print to PDF" instead.
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    Adjust any settings as desired. Remember to click "Apply" to print a document from any place that offers a printing option for printouts.
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    Click the "Ok" or "Print" button to send the document to the PDF (creation) printer.
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    Type the name of your file name you'd like to create the document as.
    • If the document comes from a preexisting document, it'll use the preexisting document's name and will apply the new PDF extension to it as a separate file.
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    Click the "Save" button to save your document.
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    Wait for the new PDF to load.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 6:

Printing a Document to a PDF (Mac)

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    Open the document in any program with a printing option. For example, it might be in your browser.
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    Click the print button. This is often under File > Print.
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    Find the PDF drop-down menu. On a Mac, it's usually at the bottom lefthand side of the printing options screen.
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    Select "Save as Adobe PDF".
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    Adjust your settings. You'll be given a choice of Adobe settings for printing, as well as the option to open Adobe Acrobat after the PDF is created. If in doubt, stick to "Standard" for your settings and "Adobe Acrobat" for what you want to launch.
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    Click "Continue".
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    Give your document a name and select your file location. This is under "Where" and sets the folder the PDF will be saved in. If you want to add tags, you can do so here, too.
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    Select "Save". After this step, Acrobat will create your PDF. If you opted to have Acrobat launch after creation, the program will open up with your new PDF in it.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 6:

Converting Office Documents to PDF (Windows)[2]

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    Open a document in Microsoft Office. You can use Word, Excel, or PowerPoint for this option.
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    Click the Acrobat tab.
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    Select "Create PDF."
    • If you're using Excel, at this point the program will ask you to pick how much of the workbook you want to appear in your PDF, and how big you want the pages to be.
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    Click "Convert to PDF".
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    Select a file name and location. Here, you can select the folder you want the file to save to, and give it a name. If you want Adobe to open after creation, select the "View Result" checkbox as well. You can also click "Options" to specify any more advanced settings, if desired.
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    Click "Save". If you selected "View Result," your PDF will open in Acrobat right away.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 6:

Using the "Convert to PDF" button in the PDFMaker Toolbar (Windows)

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    Save your file in your eligible program. This toolbar is an option for Windows user in select programs like Microsoft Office, Lotus Notes, and AutoCad.[3] You'll need to be using an eligible program if you want to use the toolbar.
    • If you don't see the toolbar right away, you may need to show or activate it. Adobe offers details for how to do that in each of the programs where it's available.[4]
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    Click the "Convert to PDF" button from the "Adobe PDF Maker" toolbar in your program.
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    Type your desired name into the "File name" box. There'll be a default option you can use there, if you prefer.
    • Select the "View Result" checkbox if you want to open the resulting PDF in Acrobat right away.
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    Click the "Save" button.
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    Wait for the file to initialize. After a short period of time, your PDF should load in Adobe Acrobat itself, if you selected "View Result".
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Method 6
Method 6 of 6:

Using the "Convert to PDF and Send for Review" Button in the PDFMaker Toolbar (Windows)

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    Save your file in your eligible program. This toolbar is an option for a Windows user in select programs (like Microsoft Office, Lotus Notes, and AutoCAD).[5] You'll need to be using an eligible program if you want to use the toolbar.
    • If you don't see the toolbar right away, you may need to show or activate it. Adobe offers details for how to do that in each of the programs where it's available.[6]
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    Click the "Convert to PDF and Send for Review" button from the "Adobe PDF Maker" toolbar.
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    Ensure the file name specified in the "Specify a PDF File to Send by Email for Review" is the file you'd like to send.
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    Click the "Next" button.
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    Type your recipient's email addresses into the box.
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    Click the "Next" button once again.
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    Click the "Send Invitation" button. Your email program should load, and you should be able to send your email with whatever way your program needs to send the file.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    How do I print an e-mail document?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Try pressing command-P. Also, many computers will have a menu on the top bar. If you see "File," chances are that there's a print button hidden in that drop-down menu.
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Things You'll Need

  • Adobe Acrobat program (Not just the free Adobe Acrobat Reader)

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References

  1. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/how-to/print-to-pdf.html
  2. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/how-to/create-pdf-files-word-excel-website.html?set=acrobat--fundamentals--create-pdf
  3. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/compatible-web-browsers-pdfmaker-applications.html#main_PDFMaker_compatible_applications
  4. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/creating-pdfs-pdfmaker-windows.html
  5. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/compatible-web-browsers-pdfmaker-applications.html#main_PDFMaker_compatible_applications
  6. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/creating-pdfs-pdfmaker-windows.html

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 62,698 times.
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Co-authors: 12
Updated: February 7, 2022
Views: 62,698
Categories: Adobe Software
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