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PDFs, print preview and printing

Open and create PDF files, use print preview to catch mistakes before paper is wasted, and choose the right printer, page range, orientation and two-sided setting.

30 minelementaryUbuntu/LinuxWindowsPractical task needs a laptop or desktop

Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).

By the end of this lesson you will be able to

  • Open a PDF file and explain why people use PDFs for sharing.
  • Create a PDF from a document using the print dialog or an export command.
  • Use print preview to check page breaks, margins and orientation before printing.
  • Choose a printer, page range, number of copies, paper size and two-sided option.
  • Describe what to check when a print comes out wrong.

Sooner or later you will need a paper copy: a form for an office, a CV for an interview, a ticket or a school notice. Printing wastes paper and ink when you press the button without looking, and a document sent to a friend can look different on their computer. This lesson shows you the habits that avoid both problems: check in print preview first, choose the settings on purpose, and send a PDF when you want a document to look the same everywhere.

What a PDF is and why people use it

A PDF is a document file that keeps its page layout fixed. The letters PDF stand for Portable Document Format. A Word or Writer file reflows when it is opened on another computer: if that computer lacks your font, the text may move and the pages may break in different places. A PDF stores each page as it should look, so it appears the same on a phone, on Ubuntu and on Windows. The file name ends in .pdf.

Think of a PDF as a photograph of a finished page, though one in which you can still select text, search and click links. An editable document is more like the ingredients and a recipe. When you want others to read or print it, send the finished dish. When they must change it, send the recipe.

Choosing between an editable file and a PDF.
SituationSendWhy
A CV to an employerPDFThe layout stays exactly as you designed it.
A report your colleague must editThe editable fileA PDF is awkward to change.
A form to print and signPDFIt prints on the right paper size with the lines in the right places.
A draft for commentsThe editable fileOthers can use tracked changes and comments.

Opening a PDF

On Ubuntu 24.04, double-click a PDF in Files and it opens in Document Viewer. On Windows 11 it normally opens in Microsoft Edge, unless you installed another reader. Any web browser can also open PDFs: drag the file onto a browser window. Use the page arrows or scroll to move, Ctrl+F to search for a word, and the zoom controls to make the text larger. Only open PDFs from sources you trust, and be cautious with unexpected attachments, as you will learn in the security path.

Creating a PDF

There are two ways to make a PDF from a document. The first is a dedicated Export as PDF command, which most office programs have. The second is the print dialog: instead of choosing a paper printer you choose a virtual printer that writes a file. Both give a PDF. The export command usually gives better results, because it can keep bookmarks and accessibility information.

Make a PDF from a document

Ubuntu 24.04 with LibreOffice Writer

  1. Step 1: Open a document

    Open any practice document in LibreOffice Writer, for example the letter you wrote in an earlier module.

    You should see: The document is on screen.

  2. Step 2: Export as PDF

    Open the File menu, choose Export As, then Export as PDF. Leave All pages selected on the General tab and click Export. Name it practice-letter and save it in your practice folder.

    You should see: A file called practice-letter.pdf appears in Files.

  3. Step 3: Open it

    In Files double-click practice-letter.pdf.

    You should see: Document Viewer shows your pages exactly as they were.

  4. Step 4: Try printing to a file

    In any program press Ctrl+P. In the print window choose Print to File as the printer, set the file type to PDF, choose a name and folder, and click Print.

    You should see: No paper is used. A PDF file is created in the folder you chose.

Print preview shows each page as it will appear on paper. It is the cheapest safeguard in computing. It shows whether a table is cut off at the edge, whether one lonely line sits alone on the last page, whether the page is the right way round and whether headers and page numbers are in place. In many programs the preview is built into the print dialog that opens with Ctrl+P. In LibreOffice Writer there is also File, Print Preview. Look at every page before you press Print.

Simulated interface: not a real screenshot

A simulated print dialog with its main choices numbered.

Print

Printer: Office Printer (Print to PDF also listed)

Pages: 1-3

Copies: 1

Paper size: A4

Orientation: Portrait

Two-sided: Off

Preview: page 1 of 3

CancelPrint
  1. Marker 1: Which printer, or a virtual PDF printer
  2. Marker 2: Which pages
  3. Marker 3: How many copies
  4. Marker 4: Paper size
  5. Marker 5: Portrait or landscape
  6. Marker 6: One side or both sides
A simulated print dialog with its main choices numbered.
Read this figure as text

A simulated print dialog with printer, page range, copies, paper size, orientation and two-sided settings, and a preview.

A simulated print dialog. Marker 1 is the Printer choice, set to Office Printer, with other choices such as Print to PDF. Marker 2 is the Pages setting, set to the range 1-3. Marker 3 is the Copies box, set to 1. Marker 4 is Paper size, set to A4. Marker 5 is Orientation, set to Portrait. Marker 6 is Two-sided printing, set to Off. A preview page appears beside the settings. The Print button is at the bottom. Real dialogs have different layouts but the same choices.

  • Printer. Choose the real printer you mean to use. Your computer may list several, including virtual ones such as Print to PDF. Printing to the wrong one is a common reason a print job seems to vanish.
  • Page range. You do not have to print everything. Type 1-3 for pages 1 to 3, 5 for only page 5, or 1-3,5,8-10 for several parts. A page range like this saves paper when you only need a few pages.
  • Copies. Set how many you need. If you want the copies collated, so that each set is in page order, tick the collate option.
  • Paper size. In the UK, Kenya and most of the world the standard is A4. In the USA it is Letter. A document set for Letter and printed on A4 may have its edges cut or may be scaled down. Match the size to the paper in the printer.
  • {{page-orientation|Orientation}}. Portrait is tall, like a letter. Landscape is wide, like a table or slide. A wide spreadsheet often needs landscape.
  • {{duplex-printing|Two-sided printing}} (duplex). The printer prints on both sides of the paper. It halves your paper use. If your printer cannot do it automatically, the dialog may offer a manual option that asks you to turn the pages over.
Diagram

Choosing portrait or landscape, and one-sided or two-sided.

PortraitTall page
  • Letters and CVs
  • Reports and essays
  • Most forms
  • Two-sided: long edge

The default for text

LandscapeWide page
  • Wide tables
  • Spreadsheets
  • Slides and posters
  • Two-sided: short edge

Use it when width matters

Choosing portrait or landscape, and one-sided or two-sided.
Read this figure as text

Two columns comparing portrait and landscape and when to use each.

Two columns. Left, Portrait: the page is taller than wide; use it for letters, CVs, reports and most forms. Right, Landscape: the page is wider than tall; use it for wide tables, spreadsheets with many columns, slides and posters. Below the choice, a note says two-sided printing saves paper but needs a printer that supports it; with portrait pages choose long-edge binding, and with landscape pages choose short-edge binding so the back side is not upside down.

Print a page with care

A careful print

  1. Step 1: Open print preview

    Open your practice document and press Ctrl+P. Look at the preview of every page by using the arrows or scrolling.

    You should see: You see each page as it will print. Note any page that looks odd.

  2. Step 2: Choose the printer

    Open the printer list and choose your real printer, or the PDF option if you are practising.

    You should see: The printer name is shown in the dialog.

  3. Step 3: Set the page range

    Choose a range, for example 1, so that only the first page prints while you test.

    You should see: The preview shows only the pages you chose.

  4. Step 4: Check paper and orientation

    Check that paper size is A4 and orientation is Portrait, unless the document is wide.

    You should see: The preview fits the whole page with no cut-off text.

  5. Step 5: Print

    Click Print. Check the job in the printer's queue if it does not appear. Collect your page and read it.

    You should see: Your page prints, or a PDF file is created.

Diagram

A simple way to work out why a print did not come out right.

  • Did anything come out of the printer?
    • YesIs text cut off at the edges?
      • YesDo thisMatch the document paper size to the real paper (A4 or Letter) and do not use scaling.
      • NoIs the back of a two-sided page upside down?
        • YesDo thisUse long-edge binding for portrait and short-edge for landscape.
        • NoDo thisThe print looks correct. Check the content again in preview next time.
    • NoWas the right printer chosen?
      • YesDo thisFix the missing item, then resume or resend the job from the print queue.
      • NoDo thisPick your real printer in the dialog and print again.
A simple way to work out why a print did not come out right.
Read this figure as text

A decision tree starting with whether the printout is missing or wrong, leading to fixes for printer choice, page size, orientation and queue.

A yes/no decision tree. Start: did anything come out of the printer? If no, ask: is the right printer chosen? If no, choose the correct printer and print again. If yes, check the printer is on, has paper and ink or toner, and that the print queue is not paused. If something did come out, ask: is the text cut off at the edges? If yes, check that the paper size matches the paper (A4 or Letter) and that the page scale is not set to a different size. If no, ask: is the page the wrong way round? If yes, change the orientation or the two-sided edge. If no, the printout is probably correct.

Common mistakes

  • ✖ Instead of: Pressing Print without looking at the preview.

    ✔ Do this: Open print preview first and check every page for cut-off text, odd page breaks and orientation.

  • ✖ Instead of: Printing a whole 30-page document to read one page.

    ✔ Do this: Enter a page range such as 7 or 7-9, so only those pages print.

  • ✖ Instead of: Emailing an editable file when the reader only needs to read it.

    ✔ Do this: Export a PDF so the layout stays fixed.

  • ✖ Instead of: Ignoring paper size, so a Letter document prints on A4 with cut edges.

    ✔ Do this: Set the paper size to match the paper in the printer, normally A4.

If something goes wrong

I pressed Print and nothing came out.
Check that the right printer is selected, that the printer is on and connected, and that it has paper and ink. Open the print queue and look for a paused or errored job. Network printer problems are covered in a later module.
The print has the text cut off at the edge.
Check the paper size and any scaling option in the print dialog. A page set for Letter printed on A4, or a table wider than the page, will be cut. Try landscape or Fit to page.
The back of my two-sided page is upside down.
Change the binding edge. Use long edge for portrait pages and short edge for landscape pages.
I cannot find Microsoft Print to PDF or Print to File.
In the print dialog open the printer list and look again. On Windows the virtual printer may have been removed; Save as PDF from your program instead. On Ubuntu, use Export as PDF in the program.

Key terms

PDF
A file type that keeps a document looking the same on every device.
Print preview
A view that shows how a document will look on paper before you print it.
Page range
The choice of which pages of a document to print or export.
Page orientation
Whether a page is laid out tall (portrait) or wide (landscape).
Duplex printing
Printing on both sides of a sheet of paper.

Practise it for real

Reading is not the same as being able to do it. Complete these on your own computer, then tick only what you have actually done. These ticks are your own honest record: nothing checks them for you.

Guided exerciseNeeds a laptop or desktop

Make a PDF and print one page of it

Open a practice document of at least two pages. Look at it in print preview. Export it as a PDF named practice-letter, then open the PDF in your PDF viewer and search for one word with Ctrl+F. Finally print only page 1: either to your real printer or to a PDF file using Print to File or Microsoft Print to PDF.

You have succeeded when:
Independent challengeNeeds a laptop or desktop

Challenge: print a wide table

Make a table with eight columns in a Writer or spreadsheet file. In print preview, find out what happens when it is portrait. Then change to landscape and, if needed, scale it so that every column fits on one page. Export the result to a PDF.

You have succeeded when:

Knowledge check

6 questions. You need 80% to pass. Mistakes here are part of learning, and you can retry as often as you like.

  1. Question 1.Why is a PDF a good choice for sending a CV to an employer?
  2. Question 2.Print preview can show you that a table is cut off before any paper is used.
  3. Question 3.Match each print setting to its job.
  4. Question 4.Kamau must print a spreadsheet with ten columns. In print preview the last three columns appear on separate pages.What should he try first?
  5. Question 5.Put these steps in the best order for printing a document.
    1. Set the page range and number of copies
    2. Open print preview and look at each page
    3. Choose the correct printer
    4. Check paper size and orientation
    5. Click Print
  6. Question 6.What does choosing Microsoft Print to PDF (Windows) or Print to File as PDF (Ubuntu) do?

Summary

  • A PDF keeps the layout fixed, so it looks the same everywhere. Use the editable file only when others must change it.
  • Create PDFs with Export as PDF, or print to a virtual PDF printer.
  • Print preview shows what the paper will look like. Check every page.
  • The key settings are printer, page range, copies, paper size, orientation and sides.
  • Print only what you need, and use two-sided printing to save paper.

Checklist: can you do these?

Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).

Related lessons

References and further reading

Official sources for details that can change between versions.

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