Documents without borders?

October 16, 2007 8:28 AM

How do I make a PDF print without borders?

I have a document where the content extends right to the edge of the page. After I convert it to PDF, it looks great on screen but prints with a quarter inch border on all sides. I don’t want that. My searches suggest that I extend the “bleed” beyond the edge of the paper. I did that in the original document (resized the background image to be larger than the page) but when I print to PDF, it only ends up fitting the page. I’ve tried all the PDF settings but I can’t seem to find one to turn off the border. I’m using Acrobat professional. Help?

posted by special-k to computers & internet (7 comments total)

Oh I and I can't just print from the original document because this needs to be distributed as a PDF (and will be printed by the recipients)
posted by special-k at 8:30 AM on October 16, 2007

Unless your printer supports "edge-to-edge" or full-bleed printing, you will always have a border. It's a function of the printer and it's supporting drivers/software, not the PDF.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:32 AM on October 16, 2007

Unless you're using a printer capable of printing "full-bleed," this won't be possible.

If content in the PDF goes all the way to the edge, and the printer is still not printing correctly, make sure you have the print window's "Paper Handling" section option, "Page Scaling," set to none. If it doesn't work after that, your printer doesn't support it.
posted by piro at 8:33 AM on October 16, 2007

Thirding the printer margin issue. Unless your printer supports printing to the edge, you'll always get a white border. If your printer supports printing on 11x17 but not full bleed printing, you could always print the page out on 11x17 and trim it to 8-1/2" x 11"...
posted by MegoSteve at 8:37 AM on October 16, 2007

P.S. If you are distributing this to a number of people with different printers, it would be best if you set the document up to account for the margin, because you cannot assume everyone will be able to print full bleed.
posted by MegoSteve at 8:40 AM on October 16, 2007

Most of the time you have to live with the borders. This was always a difficult thing to explain to people when I used to work at Kinko's.

Or print 11x17 and trim down, like MegoSteve says. I work at a design agency now and that's how we do all our mock-ups. X-acto and straight edge are your best friends.
posted by kpmcguire at 11:25 AM on October 16, 2007

Thanks everyone. I've decided to just live with it.
posted by special-k at 4:16 PM on October 16, 2007