If you have a question to ask or an idea to share, come and participate in the Adobe Illustrator Community. We would love to hear from you and see your creations.
Last updated on
May 24, 2023
Learn how to fix issues with printing Illustrator documents on non-PostScript printers.
Some of the non-PostScript printing issues that you may face are:
- Text or other objects are partially or completely missing from the page.
- A system error or freeze occurs.
If you are using a non-PostScript printer, in Print > Output, many options are grayed out.
The troubleshooting steps given may help you to fix the issue. In some cases, such as when older printers' drivers are no longer being updated, the troubleshooting steps may not solve the issue, and you may have to use a workaround.
Troubleshooting
Before you begin the troubleshooting steps, make sure that a damaged Illustrator file is not the cause of the issue by opening a new file and trying to re-create the issue. If the issue does not occur in a new file, it is likely that you have a damaged Illustrator file. Also, you can try moving the artwork to a new file and printing the original blank file. If the blank file prints fine, there is a chance that some graphics could be corrupted.
Always restart your computer after a system error occurs to refresh your computer's memory.
Update or reinstall the printer driver
Contact your printer manufacturer to install the latest version of the printer driver for your printer. If you are using the latest version of your printer driver and the issue persists, reinstall the driver.
Change the Bitmap printing option in Illustrator (Windows)
If you use Illustrator on Windows, then change the Print as Bitmap setting in the Print dialog box. That is, if it's selected, then deselect it; if it's deselected, then select it.
To change the bitmap printing option, choose File > Print > Advanced and select or deselect Print as Bitmap.
Note:
If you disable Print as Bitmap in the Print dialog box, 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.
Connect the printer to the computer directly
If your computer is connected to the printer over a network, then connect the printer directly to the computer. If the file prints correctly, then network-related issues maybe the cause. Contact your network administrator for assistance.
Workarounds
If you cannot print to your non-PostScript printer even after performing the troubleshooting steps, the following workarounds may help you to print your Illustrator document.
Save the file as a PDF file
Select File > Save As and save the file as a PDF file. Then, open and print the PDF file from Adobe Reader.
Print from another application
Print the Illustrator file from another application such as Photoshop or InDesign.
Other applications may have issues printing to non-PostScript printers as well. You may need to save or export the Illustrator file in another format (for example, TIFF or EPS) or try different applications until the artwork prints as expected.
Print to a different printer
Print to a PostScript printer or another non-PostScript printer.
Manufacturers of some non-PostScript printers (for example, Hewlett-Packard or Epson) offer PostScript hardware or software for their printers. To know the availability of PostScript hardware or software for your printer, contact the manufacturer.
Related resources
Talk to us
Adobe MAX
The Creativity Conference
Oct 14–16 Miami Beach and online
Adobe MAX
The Creativity Conference
Oct 14–16 Miami Beach and online