TechNote

Red boxes appear over graphics when printed to some PostScript printers (Acrobat 8)

Issue

When you print from Adobe Acrobat 8 or Adobe Reader 8, graphics or photos print with red boxes over the content. Pages might also print mirrored or upside down.

Details

You are printing to a color printer using the PostScript printer driver.

Solution

Do one of the following solutions:

Solution 1: Update to Acrobat 8.1 (Professional or Standard) or Adobe Reader 8.1.

To download the Adobe Acrobat 8.1 Professional and Standard update, visit the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/support/downloads/.
To download the free Adobe Reader 8.1, visit the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

Solution 2: Choose a different color profile in Advanced Print Setup (Acrobat Professional Only)

Choose File > Print, and then click Advanced.
For Color Profile, choose U.S. Sheetfed Uncoated v2 from the drop down list.
Click OK to close the Advanced Print Setup dialog box, and then click OK again to print.

Solution 3: Use the Print as Image command in Advanced Print Setup

Choose File > Print, and then click Advanced.
Select Print As Image.
Click OK to close the Advanced Print Setup dialog box, and then click OK again.

Solution 4: Print using the PCL printer driver (Windows only).

Install the PCL printer driver provided by the printer manufacturer and print using this driver.

Additional Information

Acrobat 8 has a problem with default color rendering dictionaries on some PostScript printers. The solutions above bypass this setting and documents print correctly.