How to Add or Reinstall the Microsoft PDF Printer

Try this (watch video):

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/print-pdf-windows/

Basically, you'll need to select FILE (Print to File) when selecting an existing port

I've been working on this for many hours.   There is NO "The printer I want is not listed"  only Not finding what looking for which takes me to a windows page about bluetooth!  Not helpful. 

I deleted old Windows print to pdf after:

Print to pdf appears to work it says its doing it but never puts anything in the file folder I save it to.

I found some solved this with resetting permissions on the Temp files especially if moved.  I went through all the command prompts and got the end result as specified.   No Joy. 

In sharing you have to include Current Creator or something like that not just "Everyone".  No Joy. 

The try to find a problem options doesn't find a problem. .. except won't print to pdf

I believe in a prior version of Windows 10 there was a Printer is not listed option as this post describes.  But in my latest update it disappeared.

NEW I found the printer is not listed option.. duh.... If you right click in the printer area the option does not show.  However, if you use the upper tab "Add a printer" does show and I followed every step in this article.   It put the Print to PDF printer back in.   No joy if print to it now doesn't even give me the save as file explorer which it did before.

I changed all the security settings to allow all the options.   No joy.

I then set up the printer to "save to file"  But doing that only has a Postscript? output option.  It opened explorer direction, let it save...showed it was saving.... but just as before, no file is actually saved. 

So have basically run out of options nothing seems to work

I am going to just print on a regular printer that works fine and then scan it and convert to pdf.  Would be easier if Print to PDF worked.

There is a Error in the instructions when told to choose an existing port.

Where is states, "Select Use an existing port then click in the list box then select PDF (Local Port)" 

It actually should be, "Select Use an existing port then click in the list box then select PORTPROMPT (Local Port)" instead.

Follow this with, "Scroll down and select Microsoft under Manufacturer then scroll down and select Microsoft Print to PDF under Printers then click Next"

Choose to create a new driver and Printer Name as you may get a Error message from Windows about an existing Printer for your MS Print to PDF. You don't have to use (Copy 1), just change to (1).

NB: you may see the older MS Print to PDF printer showing in options to print, such as from MS Word but it won't be appearing in Devices and Printers - Well it's not showing in mine; only the newer MS Print to PDF (1)

Hopefully this gets you sorted.

BTW, the reason I was scratching my head trying to get mine back was the Fall Creators Update 1709 deleted all my printer drivers - both for hardware and virtual - except for OneNote 2016, and I only discovered this when I went to print from Word to PDF two days after getting the 1709 update!

GRR at MS.

There was no PDF port for me, had to select FILE and then select Print to PDF.
The instructions worked good enough for me and i can print to PDF again.

Thanks this worked. It is recommended to choose Create New Driver. 

There is a Error in the instructions when told to choose an existing port.

Where is states, "Select Use an existing port then click in the list box then select PDF (Local Port)" 

It actually should be, "Select Use an existing port then click in the list box then select PORTPROMPT (Local Port)" instead.

Follow this with, "Scroll down and select Microsoft under Manufacturer then scroll down and select Microsoft Print to PDF under Printers then click Next"

Choose to create a new driver and Printer Name as you may get a Error message from Windows about an existing Printer for your MS Print to PDF. You don't have to use (Copy 1), just change to (1).

NB: you may see the older MS Print to PDF printer showing in options to print, such as from MS Word but it won't be appearing in Devices and Printers - Well it's not showing in mine; only the newer MS Print to PDF (1)

Hopefully this gets you sorted.

BTW, the reason I was scratching my head trying to get mine back was the Fall Creators Update 1709 deleted all my printer drivers - both for hardware and virtual - except for OneNote 2016, and I only discovered this when I went to print from Word to PDF two days after getting the 1709 update!

GRR at MS.