How to Print to PDF on Windows 11/10/7

We all have to print files to PDF for many different reasons. If you are a college student and let’s say you have asked Sam, your best friend, to take some pictures of his textbook so that you can have something to read for the exams. The problem is you cannot annotate an image that easily. Here is when Windows comes to your aid like a sweet angel! On Windows, you can print a document, image, webpage, email, or other printable file to PDF by using Microsoft Print to PDF feature.

Windows includes Microsoft Print to PDF as a virtual printer, so you do not need a physical printer to create a PDF. 

Note: Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. The instructions below focus on Windows 11 while also covering Windows 10 where the workflow is still applicable. 

How to Print to PDF on Windows

Print images, web pages, Word/Excel/Powerpoint documents, emails and more to PDF files on Windows is straightforward.Here are three methods for you:

Method 1. Use Microsoft Print to PDF 

Microsoft Print to PDF is a virtual printer built into Windows. Instead of sending your file to a physical printer, it saves the printable content as a PDF file.

Step 1:Open the document you want to save as a PDF. 

Step 2:Right-click on an image for example and choose "Print" or Press "Ctrl + P" 

Step 3:In the printer list, select "Microsoft Print to PDF". 

Method 2. Use the Printer in Other Applications

This function is also a common feature in all the applications that allow printing.

Just click "Print" inside of any application that has the printing feature and under Printer, choose "Microsoft Print to PDF". Now if everything goes fine, you can choose the location you want the PDF saved to. That's all about it! Now you have created a PDF file using the Windows built-in Printing feature.

Method 3. Use professional PDF tool

If you need more than simply creating a PDF, a dedicated PDF application can provide a broader workflow. PDFelement can be used to create PDFs from printable files and then continue working with the resulting PDF, including editing, annotating, and managing the document.

Step 1：Open the document or file you want to convert as PDF and click Print button

Step 2: Choose Wondershare PDFelement from the printer list and adjust the available print settings. 

Step 3: After confirming that everything is correct, click Print.

Step 4:Open the resulting PDF in PDFelement and save the PDF to your computer.

PDFelement is an application that helps you handle your PDF documents just the way you want. For example, you can use PDFelement to:

• Edit PDF text and images
• Add annotations and comments
• Convert PDFs to other file formats
• Organize and manage PDF pages
• Create and edit PDF documents

If you're interested, click the button below to try out its powerful features.

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free

G2 Rating: 4.5/5 | 100% Secure

G2 Rating: 4.5/5 |100% Secure

Print to PDF is Missing on Windows, How to Fix?

Enable Microsoft Print to PDF

• Open the "Start" menu and in the search tab. Then type: Turn Windows features on or off. Or you can go to "Control Panel" > "Programs and Features" > "Turn Windows features on or off."
• Make sure to check the feature of "Microsoft Print to PDF" to enable the feature.
• Hit the "OK" button and Windows will try to reinstall Print to PDF on your computer.
• When it is done, drop out and restart your Windows PC. Now try to print the document you want.

Check Printers & Scanners

If you have enabled the feature but still cannot find the PDF printer, check the printer settings in Windows. This can help confirm whether Microsoft Print to PDF has been added to the system.

Go to:

Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, Then look for Microsoft Print to PDF in the printer list.

Install Another PDF Printer 

If Microsoft Print to PDF is still unavailable after you have tried the steps above, you can use an alternative PDF printer such as PDFelement. It allows you to create PDF files from printable documents and provides additional tools for working with the PDF after it is created.

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free

G2 Rating: 4.5/5 | 100% Secure

G2 Rating: 4.5/5 |100% Secure

FAQs About Printing to PDF on Windows

Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!

Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!

Try for Free right now!

Try for Free right now!