Attachnents Not Printing

Set Adobe Acrobat Reader as the default app for .pdf files on the new Windows 11 computer; downloading alone does not make Windows send the file to Adobe.

Set Adobe as the PDF app

1. Select Start → Settings → Apps → Default apps.
2. In the search box, enter .pdf.
3. Select the app currently associated with .pdf.
4. Choose Adobe Acrobat Reader, and then select Set default or confirm the change. Windows supports assigning a default application by file type this way.^1^
5. Return to Gmail and download the attachment again.
6. Open File Explorer → Downloads, double-click the downloaded PDF, and print it from Adobe.

Since you have already downloaded an attachment without it opening in Adobe, another direct method is:

1. Right-click the downloaded PDF.
2. Select Open with → Choose another app.
3. Select Adobe Acrobat Reader.
4. Select Always, and then open the file.^2^

If Adobe is not listed

Adobe Reader may not yet be installed or registered as an available PDF application on the new computer.

• For immediate printing, choose Microsoft Edge in the Open with list. Edge can open PDFs without installing another PDF reader.^3^
• If Adobe is installed but absent from the list, run its installer again to register the application, and then repeat the default-app steps.^4^

Print directly from the browser

You do not have to use Adobe:

1. In Gmail, select the attachment to open its preview.
2. If it opens as a PDF in Chrome or Edge, select the browser’s Print command—or press Ctrl+P.
3. Select the correct printer and choose Print.

Modern browsers can display and print PDFs directly. If the browser requires a download instead, download the file, open it in Edge or Adobe, and print from there.^5^

If the attachment’s filename does not end in .pdf, the PDF setting will not control it. Note its extension—such as .docx, .jpg, or .xlsx—and assign an appropriate application for that file type under Settings → Apps → Default apps.

References

1. Change Default Apps in Windows | Microsoft Support
2. step by step process to change the default app for .pdf files to a PDF reader in Windows settings. - Microsoft Q&A
3. View protected PDFs using Microsoft Edge on Windows or Mac | Microsoft Support
4. How do I fix apps not showing up to use as default? - Microsoft Q&A
5. View, print, and edit PDFs in a PDF reader | Microsoft Support