Illustrator not printing properly [Fix]

If Adobe Illustrator is not printing the correct size, in color, all the layers, or just not printing properly, then this post will help you troubleshoot the issue. Printing problems between Illustrator and the printer can develop when printing from Illustrator to a non-postscript printer.

Illustrator is optimized for Postscript printing, so more advanced users may want to use this feature to get better-quality prints. Persons may also want to print from Illustrator in cases where they just want to print artwork without having to convert it to another file format. You may want to print to a non-postscript printer and may have problems doing so. Some of the problems that you will face when printing to a non-postscript printer may include; text or other objects missing from the page or system error or freeze occurs.

Fix Illustrator not printing properly

If Illustrator is not printing the correct size, in color, all the layers, or just not printing properly, here’s how you can troubleshoot the issue.

Basic Troubleshooting
Update or reinstall the printer driver
Change the Bitmap printing option in Illustrator
Connect the printer directly to the computer
Workarounds.

1] Basic Troubleshooting

Make sure that a damaged Illustrator file is not the cause of the problem. To determine if the problem is caused by damage, repeat the actions with a different Illustrator file. If the problem does not reoccur with a new Illustrator file then you will know that the first Illustrator file may be damaged or become corrupted somehow.

You can also test to see if the problem is caused by damaged artwork. To see if the artwork is the problem, move the artwork to a new file and then try printing the blank file. If the blank file prints then you know that the artwork is damaged and is the cause of the printing problem.

Whenever an error occurs it is good to close the file and restart then try again and see if the problem goes away.

2] Update or reinstall the printer driver

An outdated printer driver can cause many problems when printing. Remember that the printer driver allows for communication between the computer and the printer. Visit the manufacturer’s website and look for the latest update to your Printer driver. If the latest driver is installed then you may have to uninstall and reinstall the driver.

3] Change the Bitmap printing option in Illustrator

The next thing to try is to change the Bitmap option in the print dialogue box. This means that whatever the Print as bitmap option is, change it to the opposite. If Print as bitmap is checked then uncheck it and if the Print as bitmap option is unchecked then check it.

The access the Print as bitmap option go to the top option and click File then Print or press Ctrl + P.

The Print dialogue box will appear, click Advance then check the Print as bitmap option if it is not checked or uncheck it if it is checked.

If you disable Print as bitmap, Illustrator uses Graphic Display Interface (GDI) information and the printer driver to create vector-based print data, which prints more quickly but may result in inconsistent printing to some devices.

4] Connect the printer directly to the computer

If the printer is connected to the computer over a network or even wirelessly, you should try connecting the printer to the computer directly. When the printer is connected to the computer directly, restart the computer and then try to print the Illustrator document again. If the Illustrator file prints then the printer problem was network related.

5] Workarounds

If you have tried all the above troubleshoots listed above and you still cannot print your Illustrator document, there are a few workarounds that you can try.

Save the document as PDF

Saving the file as PDF can help you to get the file printed. Saving the file as PDF will preserve the quality of the vector document.

To save the file as PDF go to the top menu bar and press File then Save as.

When the Save as dialogue box appears give the file a name and then go to Format and choose Adobe PDF (*.PDF). Note that you should first save a version of the file that is editable by first saving it as Adobe Illustrator (*.AI).

Print from another software

Adobe allows artworks to be opened across applications. There may be some limitations but you can try to open the Illustrator file in Photoshop or InDesign. However, you may have the same problem printing to the non-postscript printer from these software. It will not hurt to try though.

You can also try exporting the file from Illustrator to formats such as EPS or TIFF. You can also try to open the artwork into other applications and then try to print. Opening the Illustrator file with other applications will require that you save the file in formats that these other applications can open.

Print to another printer

If the document still refuses to print on one printer you can try printing on another printer. You may need to try postscript or non-postscript printers. Some printer manufacturers offer postscript hardware and software for their non-postscript printers. You will need to check the manufacturers to see if they have the postscript software or hardware for your printer.

How to fix Illustrator crashes when printing?

There are times when Illustrator will crash because of issues with the printer. You can prevent Illustrator from crashing because of printer issues by:

Ensure that your printer is not running out of ink
Ensure that there are no errors within the network printer queue
Set Adobe PDF as your default printer if your printer driver is faulty

How to set Adobe PDF as the default printer?

To set Adobe PDF as the default printer go to Start then Settings then Bluetooth & devices.
Turn off Let Windows manage my default printer.
Then choose Adobe PDF but if it is not there choose Microsoft XPS document writer or One Note.
Whatever option you choose for the PDF printer, click it then click Set as default.

Read: Illustrator can’t finish previewing, There isn’t enough memory

Why should I set the default printer as Adobe PDF or another PDF printer?

The reason you set the default printer as Adobe PDF or another PDF printer is to have the ability to save any document as a PDF. This will allow you to be able to save your Illustrator file as a PDF on your computer and share it, upload it, or even print it from other devices. This is helpful if you need to save the document in high quality. PDF is great for saving vector files in high quality that JPEG cannot preserve.

How do I fix problems that develop when I am printing from Illustrator to a non-post script printer?

Update or reinstall the printer driver
Change the Bitmap printing option in Illustrator
Connect the printer to the computer directly
Save the file as a PDF file
Print from another application
Print from another printer

What is Postscript?

Postscript is a programming language developed by Adobe and it describes the appearance of a printed page. Postscript is used for electronic a printed publications. Postscript is very important in the printing of accurate representations of whatever is displayed on your screen, especially vector documents. The postscript program is inside the printer rather than on the computer. Postscript printers are usually larger and mostly made for printing large document formats. Smaller printers such as your Deskjet printers used for home or small offices are usually non-postscript printers. These usually depend on the processing power of the computer to render the print job before printing it on paper.