Every printer test page PDF here is free to download and prints at true size from any PDF viewer, phone or computer. There are full color, black and white, nozzle check, alignment and photo sheets in both A4 and US Letter, four single ink pages, receipt tests for 58 mm and 80 mm thermal rolls, 4 x 6 in and 2 x 1 in label tests, and one file with the five main pages together. The files are drawn as vector shapes, not photos, so they are tiny to download and print sharp on any printer. Press Download PDF in the panel above for the sheet you picked, or choose from the full list: the color printer test page PDF, the black and white printer test page PDF and every other sheet sit side by side in both sizes.
How to print a printer test page PDF at actual size
A PDF keeps its size only if the print window does not resize it. To print test page PDF files at true size, set the scale before you print:
- Adobe Acrobat Reader: under Page Sizing & Handling, choose Actual size.
- Chrome and Edge: open More settings and set Scale to Actual size.
- Preview on a Mac: set Scale to 100%, not Scale to Fit.
- Firefox: set Scale to 100.
- iPhone and iPad: open the PDF in the Files app, tap the share button, then Print.
- Android: open the PDF in Files or Google Drive, tap the menu, then Print.
Once it prints, hold a ruler against the scale bars. If they measure 100 mm and 4 in, the page printed at true size and every other pattern on it can be trusted.
Which test page PDF to print
| To check | Print this PDF |
|---|---|
| A printer in general | All five pages, or the full color page |
| A laser printer | Black and white |
| Blocked nozzles on an inkjet | Nozzle check pattern |
| Jagged lines, skew or margins | Alignment grid |
| Photo quality | Photo test, on photo paper |
| One cartridge or tank | Single color page in that ink |
| A receipt printer | Receipt, 58 mm or 80 mm |
| A shipping label printer | Label, 4 x 6 in or 2 x 1 in |
The color test page for printer guide explains how to read every color patch, the black and white print test page guide covers laser faults, and the nozzle check pattern guide shows what blocked nozzles look like.
Printer test page PDF in A4 or US Letter
US Letter is 8.5 x 11 in (215.9 x 279.4 mm) and is the standard in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Philippines. A4 is 210 x 297 mm and is used almost everywhere else. Print the file that matches the paper in your tray. The wrong size either cuts off the edge, shrinks the page, or stops the printer with a paper size mismatch error until you load the size it expects.
When a PDF is better than printing from the browser
Printing straight from the print test page adds the date to the sheet and picks your paper size for you. A PDF is the better choice when:
- You want to print later, or on a computer without internet access.
- Someone else needs to print it, such as a support technician or a relative with a new printer.
- You print at an office copier or print shop that takes files from a USB stick.
- You compare several printers and want exactly the same file on each one.
- The browser's print window misbehaves. If the PDF prints but browser pages do not, the problem lies in the browser's print settings, not the printer.
Printing on Linux and the CUPS test page
Linux prints through CUPS, so any PDF viewer can print these files. From a terminal, lp followed by the file name sends a PDF to the default printer. CUPS also has its own test page in its web page at http://localhost:631: open Printers, choose your printer and select Print Test Page from the Maintenance menu.
The PDF prints too small, cut off or blank
- Too small: the print window fit the page to the printable area. Choose Actual size or 100%.
- Cut off at one side: the paper size does not match the file, or the scale is above 100%. Every sheet keeps its patterns well inside the edges, so nothing should be lost at true size.
- Blank sheets: the printer took the page but laid down no ink. Start with the guide for a printer printing blank pages but has ink.
- Missing colors: the file is fine and one ink is not printing. Print the single color PDF for that ink to confirm.
What a PDF test page cannot do
A PDF is fixed once it is made. It cannot add today's date, pick your paper size or know which printer it is printing on, and it cannot read ink levels or start a head cleaning. Receipt and label printers also need a driver that offers the roll width or label size; the thermal printer test page and label printer test page guides explain those settings.
Test page PDF questions
Is there a printer test page PDF in A4?
Yes. Every test page comes in A4 and US Letter: full color, black and white, nozzle check, alignment, photo and the four single ink pages, plus one file with all five main pages. Pick the A4 column in the list above.
Are these test page PDFs free?
Yes. There is no sign up and no watermark. Download, print and share them as often as you like.
Why does my test page PDF print smaller than the page?
The print window is set to fit the page to the printable area, which shrinks it by a few percent. Choose Actual size in Chrome, Edge or Adobe Acrobat Reader, or a scale of 100% in Preview on a Mac, and the rulers will measure 100 mm and 4 in.
Which test page PDF should I print on a laser printer?
The black and white PDF. Its solid band, gray steps and ghost check box show the faults laser printers have, such as streaks, pale patches and ghost images. A color laser printer should print the full color page as well.
How do I print a PDF test page from my phone?
Download the file, then open it in the Files app on an iPhone or in Files or Google Drive on Android. Tap the share or menu button, choose Print, pick your printer and print at 100%.
What is the CUPS test page?
CUPS is the printing system on Linux and macOS, and it has its own test page. On Linux, open http://localhost:631 in a browser, click Printers, choose your printer and select Print Test Page from the Maintenance menu.