Do you like to download and print printables from the web?
Have you ever noticed that they don’t always print the same size as they appear on the screen?
Before you throw your computer or printer out the window, let me share with you some tips on how you can possibly fix that annoying situation.
The reason I say possibly is this. Every model of printer is a unique beast. This beast is like a child. Sometimes it will do what you want it to and sometimes it won’t. Whether it does or not is based on how the manufacturers designed it.
But be that as it may, you can still try my suggestions below and see if they work for your child…err…I mean printer.
How to (Hopefully) Print Printables at Actual Size
There are two ways you can print PDFs you find on the web. The first way is to download the file to your hard drive, then print. The second is that you print the PDF right from Google Chrome. I’ll be nice and show you both ways.
Print a Downloaded Printable
Open the printable in Adobe Acrobat Reader. Select File > Print. From here there are two ways you can (hopefully) print the file at actual size:
Change the Size Setting
Look for a section in the dialog box entitled Page Sizing and Handling. Click on the Size tab (if it isn’t already selected) and select the option that says Actual size. Now print.
OR
Change the Scaling Option
The print dialogue box on your printer may have a Page Scaling section. If it does, select None in the drop down menu, then print.
That’s the extent of my knowledge on how to print downloaded files. Now we’ll go to Chrome.
Print a Printable in Google Chrome
Open the printable in Google Chrome. Move your cursor down to the bottom righthand corner of the document. (No. Your other right.) You should see a menu bar pop up. (Unless Google changes things on me.) Click on the printer symbol on the far right. (It looks like a rectangle with another rectangle coming out of the top and a square with lines on the bottom.) In the print dialogue box, uncheck the Fit to page box and click Print.
There you go. Now you can hopefully, possibly, maybe print printables like my flashcards and games at actual size.