Use Microsoft Print to PDF in Windows 10
A built-in PDF printer is included in Windows 10 called Microsoft Print to PDF that works regardless of the program you’re using. Go through the regular printing process but choose the PDF option instead of a physical printer, after which you’ll be asked where you want to save the new PDF file. If you don’t see the “print to PDF” printer listed in Windows 10, you can install it in a few simple steps.
Use Print to File in Linux
Some versions of Linux have a similar option as Windows 10 when printing a document. To print to PDF on Linux, choose Print to File instead of a regular printer. If you’re given the option, select PDF as the output format, otherwise it will default to the PDF format. Use the folder picker to choose where to save it and what to name it, and then use the Print button to finish. If your Linux operating system doesn’t support PDF printing by default, you can install a third-party tool. There’s more on that below.
Use the Print Function in Google Chrome
You can also print to PDF in Google Chrome:
Export or Use the Print Function For Safari on macOS
There are two ways to print to PDF from Safari: via File > Export as PDF or through the regular print function.
Use Apple Books App For iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
Apple’s iOS and iPadOS devices have a PDF printer available, too, and you don’t need to install any strange apps or pay for anything. This method uses the Apple Books app, so you need to get that if you don’t already have it. Other options are available here, too, like to save to iCloud Drive or send it as an email. From the web page you want to have in the PDF format, use the share option in Safari to open a new menu. From there, select Books like you see below, and the PDF will be created and automatically inserted into your library. Another way to save a web page to PDF from your iPhone or iPad is to use Safari’s built-in PDF creator. This lets you draw on the PDF and save it to iCloud Drive or send it through email or another messaging app. From the page you want to print, open the share menu and tap Options just below the page’s title and above the listed apps. Select PDF and then Back. Now to you can share it through one of your apps, tap Markup to draw on it, save it to Files, etc.
Use the Chrome App For Android
The easiest way to print to PDF on Android is to use the Chrome app since, much like the desktop version, it includes the option by default.
Use the Download Function For Google Docs
Google Docs isn’t an operating system, but considering how widely used this word processing tool is, we’d be remiss not to mention its PDF printing abilities. There are a few ways to convert a Google doc to PDF, but we’ll go over the one that saves the file to your computer. It’s simple: open the document and go to File > Download > PDF Document (.pdf).
Install a Free PDF Printer
If you’re not running an OS or software program that supports PDF printing by default, you can install a third-party printer tool. There are numerous programs that can be installed to create a virtual printer for the sole purpose of printing anything to a PDF. Once installed, the virtual printer is listed next to any other printer and can be selected just as easily as a standard, physical one. Different PDF printers have different options though, so some of them might immediately save the document to PDF but others might invoke the printing software and ask how you want to save it (e.g., compression options, where to store it, etc.). Some examples include CutePDF Writer, PDF24 Creator, PDFlite, Pdf995, PDFCreator, Ashampoo PDF Free, TinyPDF, and doPDF.
Use a Conversion Tool Instead
If you just want to print a web page to PDF, you don’t have to worry about installing anything. While it’s true that the methods above do let you convert web pages to PDF, they’re unnecessary since there are online PDF printers that can do that. With an online PDF printer, you just have to plug the page’s URL into the converter. For example, with PDFmyURL.com or Web2PDF, paste the page’s URL into the textbox and then hit the save or convert button to make the PDF, and follow any other directions to download it. This doesn’t count as a no-install PDF printer, but the Print Friendly & PDF add-on can be installed to Firefox to print web pages to PDF without having to install a system-wide PDF printer that applies to all of your programs. If you’re on a mobile device, you might have better luck with a dedicated converter instead of trying to upload the PDF through a website. UrlToPDF is one example of a method for Android. Keep in mind that there are also PDF converter programs that can convert files to the PDF format. For example, Doxillion and Zamzar can save MS Word formats like DOCX to PDF. However, in this example, instead of using a PDF printer that requires you to open the DOCX file in Word first before you “print” it, a file converter program can save the file to PDF without it being open in a DOCX viewer.
What Does Printing to PDF Mean?
To “print” a PDF just means to save something to a PDF file instead of to a physical piece of paper. Printing to a PDF is usually much faster than using a PDF converter tool, and is helpful not only for saving a web page offline but also so that you can share things in the very popular and widely acceptable PDF file format. What separates a PDF printer from a converter is that the printer actually appears as a printer and is listed next to any other installed printer. When it’s time to print, just choose the PDF option instead of a regular printer, and a new PDF will be created that’s a replica of whatever it is you’re printing.
