Online Printing Services

Printing from PDF Files

  • Most commercial printers require a PDF file for printing.
  • Learn about PDF files, how to create one and how to order high-quality printing online, printed from your PDF.
Print from a PDF

It's nearly impossible to avoid PDF files in the printing and design world, and for good reason:
PDF files give you the highest-possible assurance that your print will match your design, and gives your printer the most control and flexibility in delivering the highest-quality product every time.

PDFs can be created for free. We've included instructions on how to do this with select programs at the bottom of this page. But since the process can change slightly from one version's release to the next, you may find the most up-to-date answer quicker by searching the web with the following query:

“How to save [program] files as PDF”

Replace "[program]" with the software or web app you're using, e.g. Google Docs, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Word, etc.

What is a PDF?

PDF stands for Portable Document Format. This is a standardized, cross-platform file type created by Adobe. It is intended to reduce or eliminate common discrepancies that can occur when transferring and accessing documents between different computers and hardware, such as missing fonts, shifting page breaks, and transparency issues. However, no technology is perfect, so it is imperative that you review your PDF files before submitting them for printing.

Unlike JPG files, which compress the image data, PDF files can retain the original image quality. And unlike file formats which are native to specific software (such as Adobe InDesign, Photoshop or Microsoft Word), PDF files can be opened and viewed by anyone for free.

PDF Setup For Print

Adobe Acrobat is the best program for viewing and editing PDF files, but is not necessary. Whatever program you use to design your file, we recommend using Acrobat Reader (Adobe's free version of Acrobat) to review the final PDF before submission. You can download it free from Adobe here:

Download Adobe Reader from the official Adobe site here.
(opens in new window)

For users who do have the full Acrobat software, you will have more control when reviewing your PDF that way. This can be useful for making text edits, nudging images over, and other minor touch-ups. But for any major work, we recommend returning to the original file, editing there, then exporting a new PDF.

If you have Adobe Acrobat (not Adobe Reader) installed on your system then you should be able to print to a PDF from any program that allows you to print. In most situations printing to a PDF is the preferred way of creating a PDF file. Some programs like Microsoft Office and Publisher allow you to publish to a PDF which is also a valid method of creating a PDF.

You may also see an option in your program to save as a PDF. This should only be used if you're unable to Print to PDF. In many programs when you chose to Save as a PDF, the PDF will then retain all of its editable layers and properties. While this sounds advantageous on the surface, this can cause problems on our end with issues like transparancies, vector patterns, fonts, and other elements of your design. So your first choice should always be Print to PDF when possible.

Saving Files as PDF

Most programs these days make it very easy to save or export your file as a PDF. Click on your software below to see instructions.

Depending on what version of the program you're using, the steps or wording may be slightly different.

For MS Word 2013 or older, click here.
  1. Open your document in Microsoft Word.
  2. Click on the "File" tab in the top-left corner of the screen.
  3. Select the "Save As" option from the dropdown menu.
  4. Choose a location to save the PDF file.
  5. In the "Save as type" dropdown menu, select "PDF (*.pdf)".
  6. Click on the "Options" button.
  7. In the "Options" window, select the "Commercial Press" option.
  8. Under "Publish what," choose "Document" or "Document and Markups" based on your preference.
  9. Under "PDF options," select the desired print quality (e.g., "High quality print") and adjust other settings as needed.
  10. Click on the "OK" button.
  11. Click on the "Save" button
  1. Open your document in Microsoft Publisher.
  2. Click on the "File" tab in the top-left corner of the screen.
  3. Select the "Save As" option from the dropdown menu.
  4. Choose a location to save the PDF file.
  5. In the "Save as type" dropdown menu, select "PDF (*.pdf)".
  6. Click on the "Options" button.
  7. In the "Publish Options" section, choose "Commercial Press" from the dropdown menu.
  8. Under "Printing options," select the desired print quality (e.g., "High quality printing") and adjust other settings as needed.
  9. Click on the "OK" button.
  10. Click on the "Save" button.
  1. Open your presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint.
  2. Click on the "File" tab in the top-left corner of the screen.
  3. Select the "Save As" option from the dropdown menu.
  4. Choose a location to save the PDF file.
  5. In the "Save as type" dropdown menu, select "PDF (*.pdf)".
  6. Click on the "Options" button.
  7. In the "Options" window, select the "Standard (publishing online and printing)" option.
  8. Under "Publish what," choose "Slides" or "Notes Pages" based on your preference.
  9. Under "PDF options," select the desired print quality (e.g., "High quality") and adjust other settings as needed.
  10. Click on the "OK" button.
  11. Click on the "Save" button.
  1. Open your document in Adobe Photoshop.
  2. Click on the "File" tab in the top-left corner of the screen.
  3. Select the "Save As" option from the dropdown menu.
  4. Choose a location to save the PDF file.
  5. In the "Format" dropdown menu, select "Adobe PDF (*.PDF)".
  6. Click on the "Save" button.
  7. In the Adobe PDF Preset dropdown menu, choose the desired preset for high-quality print (e.g., "High Quality Print").
  8. Adjust the settings and options in the other sections as needed.
  9. Click on the "Save PDF" button.
  1. Open your document in Adobe Illustrator.
  2. Click on the "File" tab in the top-left corner of the screen.
  3. Select the "Save As" option from the dropdown menu.
  4. Choose a location to save the PDF file.
  5. In the "Save as type" dropdown menu, select "Adobe PDF (*.pdf)".
  6. Click on the "Save" button.
  7. In the Adobe PDF Preset dropdown menu, choose the desired preset for high-quality print (e.g., "High Quality Print").
  8. Adjust the settings and options in the other sections as needed.
  9. Click on the "Save PDF" button.
  1. Open your document in Adobe InDesign.
  2. Click on the "File" tab in the top-left corner of the screen.
  3. Select the "Export" option from the dropdown menu.
  4. Choose a location to save the PDF file.
  5. In the "Save as type" dropdown menu, select "Adobe PDF (Print)".
  6. Click on the "Save" button.
  7. In the Export Adobe PDF window, select the desired Adobe PDF Preset (e.g., "High Quality Print").
  8. Review and adjust the settings in the other sections as needed.
  9. Click on the "Export" button.