# Windows Printing To File, As Opposed To Printer **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-printing-to-file-as-opposed-to-printer/216222 "2003-12-01T07:26:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-printing-to-file-as-opposed-to-printer/216222/1 "2003-12-01T07:26:04Z")
I haven’t witnessed this first hand yet, however, my dad’s computer is apparently refusing to print to the printer (when prompted from a print command) and instead prints it to a file. I’m not sure if I’ve provided enough details for a possible solution, but are there any settings that could have been affected which would result in aforementioned problem? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Zardoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a8b319/32.png) [@Zardoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zardoz)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-printing-to-file-as-opposed-to-printer/216222/2 "2003-12-01T09:28:19Z")
Are you printing from Word? Go to File/Print… and in the upper right corner there’s probably a box checked that says “print to file.” Uncheck that box. Either that or you’ve got some wierdness in your destination printer setting. hope that helps ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-printing-to-file-as-opposed-to-printer/216222/3 "2003-12-01T18:44:03Z")
Ok, I checked out the problem for myself and I tried printing from several sources and they all tried to print to file. The print to file menu appears the moment “Print” is pressed. We’ve reinstalled the printer software and that yielded no results. I’ve also confirmed that a “print to file” option wasn’t chosen in Word. Is there anything else I can do? ---
**Author:** ![critter42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@critter42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/critter42)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-printing-to-file-as-opposed-to-printer/216222/4 "2003-12-01T19:52:39Z")
It sounds like it is set in the printer properties itself rather than from any specific program. I would go to Start–\>Settings–\>Printers (I believe it’s Start–\>Control Panel–\>Printers and Faxes in WinXP - could be wrong, but it’s around there somewhere 🙂 ). Make sure that your dad’s printer IS the default printer (it will have a check mark on its icon) and not something else like Microsoft Office Image Writer or some similar “virtual” printer (doesn’t Adobe Acrobat have a “Printer” it installs so virtually any document that can be printed can be turned into a PDF file?). If the real printer is not the default, right-click on it and left-click on “Default Printer”. If you have multiple copies of his printer there, I would remove them all and reinstall the printer again. Finally, go into the printer properties (right-click on the printer and left-click on Properties on the context menu) and paw through all the settings - especially the “Port” section and make sure it’s set for LPT and not something else like FILE. critter42 ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-printing-to-file-as-opposed-to-printer/216222/5 "2003-12-01T20:11:55Z")
Well, I tried your suggestions, but it appears the LPT port has disappeared. The only port listed is the modem one. I have no idea how this could have happened… ---
**Author:** ![critter42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@critter42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/critter42)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-printing-to-file-as-opposed-to-printer/216222/6 "2003-12-02T12:51:09Z")
OK, what version of windows is it? What kind of printer is it, and is it a USB or Parallel connected printer? For Win9x/ME: Right-click on My Computer, then click on Properties, then on Device Manager. For Win2k/XP: Right-click on My Computer, left click on Properties, then Hardware, the click on the Device Manager button For all: Once you’re in Device Manager, look at what’s in the “Ports (COM & LPT)” category and post it here. critter42