print command window: says "save" not print

Question

Cannot print PDF. When I do print command it says "save" not print. I can print word doc.

Answer 1

The print command showing only a Save dialog instead of printing usually means a virtual printer (like “Microsoft Print to PDF”) is selected, or the physical printer is configured to “Print to file.”

Try these steps:

1. In the PDF viewer’s Print dialog
   • Open the PDF and choose Print.
   • In the Printer list, make sure the actual physical printer is selected, not “Microsoft Print to PDF” or “XPS Document Writer.”
   • Then try printing again.
2. If a physical printer is selected but a Save dialog still appears
   • Close all open applications.
   • Open Control Panel (press Start, type Control, press Enter).
   • Set View by to Large icons or Small icons.
   • Select Devices and Printers.
   • Right‑click the printer that should print on paper and choose Printer properties.
   • Go to the Ports tab.
   • Check if the port is set to something like FILE: or otherwise indicating Print to file.
   • If so, change it to the correct port for the printer (for example, USB/LPT1 for USB printers or WSD/network port for wireless/network printers), then select OK.
   • Reopen the PDF and try printing again.

If the issue started after installing or changing printers, also verify that the correct printer is set as Default in Devices and Printers.

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References:

• Print command results only in an invitation to save. - Microsoft Q&A
• How to print without a window popping up that requests I save an already saved document - Microsoft Q&A

Answer 2

The reply from the Ai below is mostly correct, however, the Devices and printers section was removed form the old Control Panel a while ago in Windows 11.

1

When you choose to print the PDF file, in the printer selection drop-down menu, ensure your physical printer is selected.

2

If that was not the problem.

Open the Settings App.
Go to Bluetooth and Devices - Printers and Scanners.

Select your printer.

Click 'Printer Properties'.

On the resulting dialog, choose the Ports tab

Is the Port set to Print to File?

If so, change that to LPT1 (if your printer is connected by USB) or WSD (if your printer is wireless) and save that setting

Then try printing again

3

If that was not the problem, completely uninstall your printer, then restart (not shut down) your PC, then go to the support page for your printer on the manufacturers website to download and reinstall the version of printer drivers, firmware and associated software they provide for your printer.