How to Print a PDF at Actual Size

Rulers, mailing labels, sewing patterns, and templates only work if the printout is exactly the size of the PDF. Most print dialogs shrink pages to fit by default. Turn that off before printing.

Set Actual size in Adobe Acrobat Reader

Press Ctrl + P (Mac: Cmd + P). Under Page Sizing & Handling, click Size and select Actual size. Do not use Fit or Shrink oversized pages. Click Print.

Set the scale in Chrome or Edge

Press Ctrl + P (Mac: Cmd + P), click More settings, and set Scale to Actual size if it is offered, or choose Custom and type 100. Make sure Fit to page, Fit to paper, or Fit to printable area is not selected.

Set 100% in macOS Preview

Press Cmd + P. If the dialog is small, click Show Details. Set Scale to 100% and make sure Scale to Fit is not selected.

Turn off scaling in the printer driver

In the Windows print dialog, click Printer Properties or Preferences and look for Fit to page, Scaling, or Zoom on the layout or page setup tab. Set it to Off or 100%. The driver can shrink a page even when the app is set to actual size.

Measure the printout

Hold a ruler against the first page. Many templates and patterns include a 1 inch or 10 cm test square. If it measures short by a few percent, a fit setting is still on somewhere. Go back through the dialogs before printing the rest.

If the edges are cut off. Actual size prints the page as drawn, and most printers cannot print in the last quarter inch near each edge. Content inside that margin is trimmed, not shrunk. Use a printer with borderless printing or accept the trimmed edge.

If you are printing from Windows Photos or another app. Look for a Fit or Scale option in its print dialog and set it to 100% or Actual size, then check the printer properties as above.