Keep Your Hands Off My Defaults Microsoft!

@Brink just to get your attention and check if this is accurate.

@Wynona just to let you know there may be good reason for the new setting.

Some are ignorant to the fact that "Microsoft Print To PDF" and "Microsoft Print To XPS" are actually "Print to file" WinRT programs. Some think they are actual printers. "Microsoft Print To XPS" was introduced in Windows 8. Not sure if "Microsoft Print To PDF" is in 8/8.1 for I'm in my 10 partition.

Stumbled on this thread > Edge: Force Download PDF Files, or Open in Reader? - Windows 10 Forums tonight and tried the "Microsoft Print To PDF" option in Edge for the first time only to find that it saved the file in my Documents folder, but with 0 bytes, which I noticed after attempting to open and thought that rather odd. When attempting to open it, an Edge tab opened, but obviously warned that it could not open the file.

After searching the Net I found one solution for RTM 10240 was that the "Microsoft Print To PDF" has to be set to default in order for Edge to save it properly to the Documents folder. I did that and it worked fine. Then I set the "When turned on, the default printer the last printer you used" option back on, used some other printers a few times, in which each printer changed to default, then tried the "Microsoft Print To PDF" printer in Edge and that worked fine saving it properly.

Just speculating, but I think there must be some conflict between using Win32 and using WinRT within the system so far as using printers go so that's why the new setting.

Wynona said:

There is never a good reason to change my defaults. Never. I have my system set up the way I want and that's that.

May I remind you that these are Insider Preview builds we are privileged to test/use and that MS can do as they see fit and for we agreed to “as is”. I would also think MS would want us to truly test it at default settings, at least for a little while to learn what the changes are and reasons for them.

Personally I wouldn’t be using a test build to perform personal business, but rather a RTM copy. I’m planning on setting up a machine to do so. I have my 8.1 for now. Rather a PITA dual booting with the old Acer. Takes quite some time to do so.

If I'm not mistaken, Print to PDF is also in Windows 7, although it may have been put there by Nuance's PDF viewer.

8/8.1 has the Store PDF reader app so to print from. One can obtain the same one or others via the 10 Store. There is no Print to PDF in 8/8.1 Devices and Printers. Just what is called “Microsoft XPS Document Writer” to save Docs, Web pages, etc. in XPS format. One can get a 3rd party Win32 PDF virtual printer such as what I suspect you did for 7. I’m so far from 7 I don’t remember. Used the resource-hog Acrobat Reader there.

There is all kinds of misinformation/speculation in that thread; as one person said, though, all one has to do is to make your PDF viewer the default, which is correct. One other person said he doesn't want to read PDFs in his browser, but a large number of document downloads are in PDF and those, of necessity, are contained in the default browser. Otherwise, PDFs don't belong in my browser. Especially not in Edge at this point in time.

That whole thread got off track. Edwin answered the OP’s question correctly in the 2nd post, which all ignored and the OP was ignorant in what “Microsoft Print to PDF” virtual printer is by his comment in his next post. Then it all turned out to be about default PDF programs, which is not what the OP was asking originally.

Have you used Edge lately? At least to see the changes and use it for a little while? It is the browser MS will install across all devices. Edge is a WinRT Store app much like submersive IE11 in 8/8.1, but much more sophisticated. Edge opens a PDF online instantly to view, one can then save it via a menu bar that appears. It also takes a web page which can be converted to a PDF via “Microsoft Print to PDF” or a XPS doc via “Microsoft XPS Document Writer”, then later open it if so desired. Edge is a real time saver in that if one is looking for a particular PDF one can view it instantly to make sure that’s the file one wants, then save it to view in Edge or edit later in another PDF program, not download it then have to open another PDF viewer or program to view it. It may be the wrong PDF, then what? Start the process all over again? Do this in a business setting sifting through many PDF files online.

As I said in the beginning, if I used my HP wide format printer to print an 11 x 17 spreadsheet and then later in the day wanted to print a letter asking for a quote, forgot I'd used the wide format printer . . . you get the idea, I'm sure . . . I not only wasted my time having to go back and change the printer, but I wasted several sheets of very expensive 11 x 17 paper. Now, on the other paw, if I know that my Brother Laser printer is my default, then it's only natural that I change to the HP wide format printer when printing my gigantic spreadsheet.

So, no, there's no valid reason to change my default printer, be it print to a real printer, XMS or PDF.

No, not really sure what you mean. If it’s an office setting where’s there more than one printer, I always look at the print dialogue box to make sure 1) It’s the correct printer. 2) The settings are correct, for if I or someone else changed them previously I need to change them for my current print job. Even at home here the step-daughter uses the printer and may make changes, so I always check.

Be that as it may, there's no reason to make such a drastic change for the vast majority of Windows 10 users. Most of us don't even know what RT is, much less use it.

Wyn, you use WinRT in 10 all the time. The Start menu is WinRT. So is the settings app if you use that. There is good reason to make changes, whether drastic or small if it’s change for the better, which in this case I think it is since many users use Edge and Store apps. MS left the option to turn it off. I will be using the default.

There are also many of us users that have multiple devices and use many Store apps, especially on our mobile devices. Not all users use the system the same way. We all have personal preference as I'm sure you know.