PDFCreator for Windows

Used PDFCreator for Windows?

Editors’ Review

Download.com staffSeptember 12, 2025

PDFCreator is easy to use yet creates high-quality PDFs and many other document types from the Print command or shell menu, for free. If that sounds like a recommendation, it is.

Tools for creating PDF documents tend to fall somewhere between do-it-all packages with big names (and price tags to match) and freeware stripped down to the basics. But simple is good, which is why PDF tools that install themselves as print drivers may be our favorite of all. That's how PDFCreator from Pdforge works, though that's not all it does.

PDFCreator's optional server installation mode can act as a network printer, but we chose the standard installation, which includes some optional downloads such as Images2PDF and PDFArchitect, plus some sample files and our choice of language and Help files. We chose all the extras and opted to add the tool to context menus as well as the Print menu. If you can print a document, you can use this tool. The steps are the same, with a screen full of fields to let us easily add Title, Author, Keywords, and more. You can also edit a document's Creation and Modify dates or instantly add the current date and time. Once you're finished, you can save, print, or e-mail your newly created PDF. PDFCreator creates more than PDFs, though, with the option to convert and save files in 13 formats, including bitmap, PostScript, and others.

What’s new in version 6.1.0

Fixed a bug in parsing user tokens with a certain argument in the PS file
The profile list is now sorted alphabetically
Installing printers could fail without message under certain circumstances
Fixed some cases where HTML Signatures could be overwritten when using the mail client action
License will be updated immediately after activating
When dragging files to convert into the UI, the drop zone will be visible
The filename was not saved when confirming the print dialog with the enter key
The UI now updates correctly when the switching the modify background setting on or off
Job History now properly updates when reseting the settings

PDFCreator for Windows

Used PDFCreator for Windows?

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Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: April 3, 2019

Latest update: September 12, 2025

Version: 6.1.0

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Windows

Operating System

Windows 7
Windows 11
Windows 8
Windows 8.1
Windows 10

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 1,448,185

Downloads Last Week: 9

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Last Updated

User Reviews

3.2/5

161 User Votes

Installs malware / adware with program
charliejudgeApril 14, 2016
Pros
Works well converting to PDF
Cons
Installation installs malware (SearchMe malware) that is difficult to remove
Summary
Do not download or install. It's definitely not worth the problems.
shit software, install additional software
dabrunaFebruary 29, 2016
Pros
nothing pros
Cons
Software gives NOT the possibility to let the user choose what wants install on pc. Also change the browser default page ! So, SHIT software, be careful !! I deinstalled it at once ...
Summary
Does the job but installs more than you want
lmonterosNovember 25, 2015
Pros
It does a decent job of printing pdfs from webpages or documents on your computer.
Cons
The included PDF Architect is too difficult to use. Bing search and homepage are added to your browser without warning when you install (even if the install is an update).
Summary
PDF Creator does what the name implies--creates PDFs from the web or computer documents. It does not do even minor other things, such as cutting extra pages. You have to use the included PDF Architect for that, which is difficult and time consuming if all you want to do is chop out blank pages or rearrange pages. But at least you don't have to use Architect; you do have to use Bing search and homepage--at least until you go to the trouble of changing your homepage back to what you've set, removing Bing as a search engine, and readding ALL the search engines (dictionary, thesaurus, foreign language, etc.) that Bing stripped. One of my readditions did not reappear. This MIGHT be somewhat--a little--possibly acceptable if you were given the option of not installing Bing, but you aren't. It just appears. An option to PDF Creator is to install FoxIt reader, which now comes with a PDF printer. I certainly will not be updating PDF Creator again.<br /><br /><span class='notifyMsg'> Updated </span>on Nov 25, 2015<p/>Demote this by one star. I just printed a pdf off a webpage, and it not only opened in PDF Architect, it made PDF Architect the default program for ALL my pdfs. Now I have to change the default pdf reader to Foxit (which it was until Architrect hijacked it) and perhaps uninstall Architect. This free app is too costly.
contains malware do not install-read all of the reviews
pdfcreatraddsmalwareAugust 21, 2015
Pros
it's free and easy to find
Cons
it installs malware even under expert installation.
Summary
DO NOT INSTALL THIS MALWARE-INFESTED PROGRAM
Limited ... cannot .pdf multiple webpages in Firefox
rshunterJune 2, 2015
Pros
Had been a standby for years.
Cons
However, I now find PDFCreator stymied when it comes to multiple webpages .i.e. a tab consisting of 10 successive pages provides a .pdf file of the first page, sometimes (not always) the 2nd page, and the last page. I've spent hours on this and have narrowed it down to an apparent flaw in PDFCreator
Summary
I now use a small and simple Firefox Addon ... Print pages to PDF 1.9.3 .... which perfectly prints all 10 pages. Nice ... Very Nice ...
This *WAS* a great program.
expertuser123January 27, 2015
Pros
None any more.
Cons
Bloat ware. Crappy new interface. Forces you to use their new pdf view which also has a terrible interface.
Summary
This used to be a great open source pdf printer now it is terrible. Go back a use an older version something in the 1 range. Really too bad this was a nice pdf printer. Now they just ruined it. Why do companies do this to good software. I just don't understand.
No problem opting out of optional software installs,
CybernActJanuary 23, 2015
Pros
Still the same robust pdf writer application
Cons
Because of optional software installs (Adware) and option to change search engine to Bing, I am reluctant to recommend this to neophytes; however, quite willing to install it on their behalf.
Summary
Version 2.0.2 appears clean
Dropped back to 1.7.3
BOBBY-JAYDecember 31, 2014
Pros
It will create PDF files
Cons
The adware that people mention is worrisome
Summary
I installed the latest version but couldn't find any way to combine and print. I dropped back to 1.7.3. I think I remember having to do the rollback once before.
Stuffed with malware! Do not install
Andy000111November 10, 2014
Pros
None to make it worth installing
Cons
This software changes your default search engine and tries to install lots of unwanted software on your PC. Avoid by all means! I am one of the people who read the user agreement and there was no mention of changing the properties of my browser. Never again! Hopefully only ad awares and not viruses...
Summary
Comes bundle up with malware.
Malware Installer
viditor1July 2, 2014
Pros
None that justify the problems
Cons
Incredibly profuse malware installer that does not allow you to opt out of install.
Summary

Developer’s Description

Render PDF files within applications that support the print function.

PDFCreator is a tool to create PDF files from nearly any Windows application. With PDFCreator, you can create PDFs from any program that is able to print, encrypt PDFs and protect them from being opened or printed, send generated files via e-mail, create more than just PDFs: PNG, JPG, TIFF, BMP, PCX, PS, and EPS, and autosave files to folders and filenames based on tags like username, computer name, date, and time, merge multiple files into one PDF. PDFCreator also runs on terminal servers without problems.