How to Print PDF in Color? (100% Free Ways)

When you have to print a PDF, black and white is usually the default option. But sometimes your documents need that extra splash of color to truly shine.

Taking that simple step to add color can make a noticeable difference, especially for documents with graphs, charts, or images that benefit from a color boost.

Whether it's for a professional presentation, an in-depth report, or just personal projects, understanding how to print PDF in color can come in handy.

This guide is here to help you through the process of color printing your PDFs (just make sure that your printer allows the option to print in color).

Part 1. How to Print PDF in Color on Windows and Mac?

UPDF is our top recommendation when it comes to any kind of PDF management tool.

With UPDF, you gain access to flexible printing features that allow you to print PDF files in color, whether it's one at a time or in batches.

The best part? Printing PDFs with UPDF is completely free – it's an efficient and budget-friendly solution for your printing needs.

Download UPDF now by clicking the below button and experience hassle-free printing.

Way 1. Print PDF in Color One by One

If you're looking to print just a single PDF or a few PDF files in color, the simplest approach is to print them individually. UPDF makes this process easy. Here's how you can accomplish this.

Step 1: Open UPDF

Open UPDF on your computer. If you're using a Mac, find UPDF by going to Finder, navigating to Applications, and then double-clicking the UPDF application.

Step 2: Open PDF File in UPDF

Click on the 'Open File' button to select and open the PDF you want to print. For our example, we will open the PDF titled "Whitepaper."

Step 3: Access Print Options

Go to "File" and then click "Print." This action opens a print settings window.

Step 4: Change Print Settings for Color

In the print settings window, choose your printer from the list. Look for an option labeled "Print in color." If you see options like "Print in black and white" or "Print in grayscale," uncheck them and make sure these are not selected. Finally, click 'Print' to start printing your document in color.

Way 2. Print PDFs in Color in Batch

If you're looking to print multiple PDF files at once, batch printing is your best bet. This process allows you to select multiple PDF files and print them all in color simultaneously. Here's a simplified guide on how to batch print with UPDF:

Before checking the guide, make sure you have UPDF downloaded on your computer to follow. If not, click the below button to download it.

Step 1: Access Batch Processing

Open UPDF on your computer. Look for the "Batch" option, which you can find near the "Open File" button. Click on it.

Step 2: Choose the Print Option

Within the batch processing menu, you'll see a list of tools. Find and click on the "Print" option to continue.

Step 3: Add Your PDF Files

Now, click on the "Add Files" button. This will open a dialog box where you can navigate to and select the PDF files you wish to print. Choose all the files you need and confirm your selection.

Step 4: Prepare Color Printing

Now, you need to select your printer that supports printing in color and uncheck the "Print in grayscale (black and white)" option to enable full-color printing. You might need to look for a checkbox or setting that mentions printing in grayscale or black and white and make sure it is unchecked. After adjusting this setting, click "Apply" to save your changes.

As you can see, printing with UPDF is so straightforward and easy.

And UPDF has many other features that make PDF management a breeze. It's equipped with features like editing, annotating, and converting PDFs to enhance your document management experience.

Here are some other features you may find helpful when you're working on projects:

• AI Assistance: Get help with tasks like summarization or content creation with UPDF's AI.
• PDF Editing: Modify text and images directly within a PDF file. You can also edit or add hyperlinks to your PDFs.
• PDF Conversion: Convert PDFs to various formats, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Images, HTML, and others. Uses OCR technology for accurate text recognition in scanned documents.
• PDF Annotation: Access extensive annotation tools, including highlighting, underlining, striking through text, applying stamps and stickers, adding text boxes, and freehand drawing on PDF pages.
• PDF Organization: Provides options to manage PDF pages effectively, such as deleting unwanted pages, rearranging, rotating, extracting, and replacing pages within the document.
• PDF Protection: Enhances security by enabling users to add open passwords for viewing the PDF or permission passwords that restrict editing, copying, and printing functionalities.

Are you intrigued? Watch this helpful video tutorial to know more about UPDF:

For a headache-free PDF experience, click the below button to download UPDF and use it now. Although PDF printing features are free, you can upgrade to pro version to access all other features like editing, converting, protecting, etc at a very low price by clicking the below pictures.

Part 2. How to Print PDF in Color Instead of Black on Mac With Preview

If you're using a Mac, you can print a PDF in color through Preview. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open PDF in Preview

Right-click the PDF file you want to print - in our example, we're opening a PDF titled "Whitepaper." Then click on "Open With" and choose "Preview" to open your document.

Step 2: Access Print Options

Once your PDF is open in Preview, go to the top menu and click on "File," then select "Print" from the dropdown menu. This action will bring up the print dialog.

Step 3: Enable Color Printing

In the print dialog window, look for an option labeled "Print in color" or a similar setting that allows color printing. Make sure this option is selected to allow your document to print in full color. Click "Print" to print your document in color.

Part 3. How to Print Color PDF Online?

If you're viewing a PDF in an online browser, then it may be convenient to print directly from the browser. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Open Your PDF in a Browser

Right-click on the PDF file you want to print. Choose "Open With," but instead of Preview, select your preferred web browser from the list. In this example, we'll open a document named "Whitepaper" in Safari.

Step 2: Access Print Options

With your PDF now open in the browser, go to the browser's top menu. Click on "File" and select "Print" from the dropdown menu, which will open the print dialog window.

Step 3: Check Color Printing is Enabled

In the print dialog, locate an option that allows for color printing, often labeled as "Print in color." Make sure this option is checked or selected to print your document in color. Also, make sure any "Print in black and white" or "Print in grayscale" options are unchecked. Once you've set your preferences, click "Print" to proceed with printing your document in color.

Part 4. How to Fix PDF Not Printing in Color?

Are you still struggling to get your PDFs to print in color? Here are two common issues and how to troubleshoot them:

Reason 1: Your Printer Might Not Support Color Printing

• Symptom: The "Print in Color" option is missing from your print settings, or you're unable to uncheck "Print in Black and White or Grayscale."
• Solution: This usually means that your printer doesn't have color printing capabilities. To verify, take a look at your printer's manual or look up its model on the manufacturer's website. The specifications will clearly state whether it supports color printing.

Reason 2: Incorrect Adobe Acrobat Settings

• Symptom: While using Adobe Acrobat to print, your documents display in color on-screen but print in black and white.
• Solution: If you're using Adobe Acrobat and facing color printing issues, adjusting your print color management settings might help. Here's how:

Step 1: Open the PDF

Launch Acrobat, open your document, and go to File > Print.

Step 2: Access Advanced Settings

Click on Advanced in the Print dialog to explore more options.

Step 3: Adjust Color Management

A new window called "Advanced Print Setup" will pop up. Find Color Management in the window. Tweak the settings. You can check off "Print as Image" if you have that option. If you see "Same as Source" under Color Management, you can also try checking that. Confirm your changes and attempt to print again

These steps can help resolve common issues preventing your PDFs from printing in color, whether due to hardware limitations or software settings.

Final Words

There you have it - how to print PDF in color so that you can spruce up your projects with a little pizzaz!

Printing your PDFs in color should be straightforward with the right tools and settings.

UPDF offers a reliable and free solution to print PDF documents in color on both Windows and Mac so that your prints come out vibrant and true to your digital document.

Click the below button to download UPDF now to explore its many useful features and transform how you work with PDFs.