Solved Last Update Apparently killed Microsoft Print To PDF

I just discovered that I lost the ability to print to PDF using the built-in capability. This only happened after installing KB5077181 it appears. Oddly, another computer with the same update didn't suffer the same fate. These are the only updates since the first of Feb, and it was working before the 10th of Feb when these were installed.



I attempted to correct this buy turning off and then back on the feature (rebooting between each operation), but I keep coming up with this error.



All the suggested fixes didn't bring back the ability to install the feature again.

Looking for a next step. I suppose I could do a repair install and see if that brings it back.

Hello mate,

Just to confirm, have you already tried all the options below?

Is Microsoft Print to PDF still listed in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners?

Brink said:

Hello mate,

Just to confirm, have you already tried all the options below?

Is Microsoft Print to PDF still listed in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners?

Add or Remove Microsoft Print to PDF in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Microsoft Print to PDF feature for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft Print to PDF allows you to Print to PDF natively to create a PDF file of the contents of any web page or file without the need to use third-party software...

www.elevenforum.com

Click to expand...

I missed option two, I'll try that. I tried option one and three, no luck.

That didn't go well...



Option three also fails.



I also attached the error log, not sure what it going on.

If you still get the same error, restart the Print Spooler service, and try installing Microsoft Print to PDF again.

Run the PowerShell command below to see if Printing-PrintToPDFServices-Features is listed, and what is shows for its current state.

Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online | FT

@gunrunnerjohn,

When you paste

Remove the last quotes, then put them back, it will work.

Brink said:

Run the PowerShell command below to see if Printing-PrintToPDFServices-Features is listed, and what is shows for its current state.

Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online | FT

Click to expand...

It is indeed disabled. However, whenever I try to enable it with any of the three processes, it's a no-go.

OAT said:

@gunrunnerjohn,

When you paste

Code:

dism /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:"Printing-PrintToPDFServices-Features"

Remove the last quotes, then put them back, it will work.

Click to expand...

Still fails, but at least the command is recognized.

I suppose you could try a repair install.

Brink said:

I suppose you could try a repair install.

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...

www.elevenforum.com

Click to expand...

That's my current thinking, I suspect that's what it's going to take. I'll do an image backup and give that a go.

Wait - I have not read the whole thread to see, but have you tried going into add and remove programs and remove Microsoft print to PDF and then do a restart and then go back and add that back in? Sorry, you may have did that as I did not read everything tried. I just and rushing in here to maybe save a Repair Install.

gunrunnerjohn said:

I just discovered that I lost the ability to print to PDF using the built-in capability. .

Click to expand...

'PDF24 Creator' is a much powerful tool for printing to PDF with great .PDF manipulation tools

Never mind me, I just did a quick read, and it looks like you may have done what I was saying already. Sorry...

IanMosley said:

'PDF24 Creator' is a much powerful tool for printing to PDF with great .PDF manipulation tools

Click to expand...

I just want to have the option of directing stuff to a PDF file instead of a printer. I don't need PDF manipulation tools. I'm an advocate of the K.I.S.S. principle, I want to press print and get a PDF file, that's it!

I haven't lost it in the February updates.

When I updated from 23H2 to 24H2 in the last days of December 2024, I had to disable Microsoft Print to PDF and Microsoft XPS Document Writer, else the update would go back in the last phase. After succeeding I hadn't it available in some friendly list from Programs and Features. In a reddit thread I had read a user that had to do the same in October 2024 to go to 24H2 (he didn't have it available in his list either and he checked that some needed files were absent, although I did not check the latter myself), but he could reinstall the features again after the following month's updates. Same behaviour here.

If you use imaging I'd restore an image and I'd skip the February updates, or maybe try them again.

I'm in my Windows 10 computer now, that hasn't had any problem with this, although I know these problems can happen in 10 too ( How to Fix "What Needs Your Attention" Windows 10 Setup Errors ). Besides the mentioned two I also have "Save as PDF" but Idk if W11 has it.

I also have "FreePDF" that came from installing "SoftMaker FreePDF". It's a PDF editor that (I believe) cannot do PDFs from scratch, although it can alter already made PDFs. I'm not exactly skillful with PDFs: last time I needed one with only text (already written in an *.txt file), I used this tool and couldn't see a way, so I resorted to an online converter. Afterwards I realized I could have used SoftMaker Office (a paid program that I have from time ago, although I don't way use it everyday) and do the conversion locally from it.

SoftMaker FreePDF is free but I'm not fan of it, although I've seen similar "PDF semi-editors" that use to be free (I don't like any for their "semi" condition) and "PDF editors" that use to be paid. If you need this function more than twice per life or so , you might consider a free app if it gives the "printer/converter" function and ignore the app if it isn't useful.

gunrunnerjohn said:

I just want to have the option of directing stuff to a PDF file instead of a printer. I don't need PDF manipulation tools. I'm an advocate of the K.I.S.S. principle, I want to press print and get a PDF file, that's it!

Click to expand...

I'm with you there but I've never use Microsoft Print To PDF but it's always been on my system.
It's frustrating when something so basic does not work. Take a look at PDF-XChange Lite that's free

Still there for me.

gunrunnerjohn said:

I just want to have the option of directing stuff to a PDF file instead of a printer. I don't need PDF manipulation tools. I'm an advocate of the K.I.S.S. principle, I want to press print and get a PDF file, that's it!

Click to expand...

This will direct stuff to a .PDF file - you can ignore all the bells'n'whistles

Just set 'PDF24' as your default printer.

Well, I fixed it with a repair install, decided that was probably going to be the solution.