Printer's default paper size ignored

I often print to PDFs. My PDF printers are set to a default paper size of Legal. But when I print the size is Letter and I have to change it each time. This used to work. I'm not sure when it changed.

• Windows Setting Manage Default Printer is not checked
• Doesn't matter which printer I use - PDFCreator, Bullzip PDF, Adobe PDF
• Windows 10 build 1803
• Happens when printing from many apps - Microsoft Office, LibreOffice, Email
• Works properly when printing from other apps - Notepad, Notepad++, browsers
• Happens on multiple computers - desktop and laptop

Any tips on how to get the printer default paper size to work?

You need to set the default paper size in the Printer Properties.

And do be careful in Device and Printers, there's 2 Properties listed on the right-click of the icon, bottom one has limited information and about in the middle is the one needed with Preferences.

I set defaults up for my printers using the Advanced Document Settings.

Regardless of what settings are used for a Default printer in Devices and Printers some programs will over-ride the settings. ...used to be able to install a second copy of the printer software with a slightly different name and set its defaults then in a program choose that printer.

This is essentially what I have done. I created differently named PDF printers and set different paper sizes for each.

Yes, I believe the issue is programs overriding or ignoring default settings. Kind of nullifies the use of default settings doesn't it. I think that's ridiculous. But after investigating I found some interesting things that will help reduce repeated changes to printer settings. Both Microsoft Office and LibreOffice will remember the last setting of the printer used. For instance, in Word (2010) you can change the paper size under File - Print - Settings. If you save your document it will remember that setting regardless of what printer you choose. Note that this does not change the Page Layout paper size.

The solution for Mozilla Thunderbird was different though. I was selecting text in a long emails and wanted to print it out as a legal-sized PDF to read on another device. I found the solution here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1061528
Thunderbird was automatically using the settings of a different printer. After clearing the printer setting I was able to do what I wanted repeatedly without any changes.