# Print layers

Normally, when you print a PDF that contains layers, just the content that is visible on-screen is printed. However, the creator of a layered PDF can specify that some layered content, such as watermarks or confidential information, must (or must not) print, regardless of its visibility on-screen. If the document is designed to print differently from how it currently appears on-screen, a message may appear in the Print dialog box. The Preview image in the Print dialog box always shows the page as it will print.

Note: To work with layers in Acrobat, convert the source document to PDF using a preset that preserves layers, such as Acrobat 6 (PDF 1.5) or later.

### View how layers print

1. Click the Layers icon in the navigation panel.
2. Choose Apply Print Overrides from the Options menu.
   Note: Depending on the visibility settings specified when the PDF was created, Apply Print Overrides may be unavailable in the Options menu.

### Change print settings for a layer

1. Click the Layers icon in the navigation panel.
2. Expand the layers area, select a layer, and then select Layer Properties from the Options menu.
3. In the Layer Properties dialog box, choose one of the following from the Print pop-up menu:

   Always Prints | Forces the layer to print.
   Never Prints | Forces the layer not to print.
   Prints When Visible | Matches printed output to on-screen visibility. Note: In Reader, you can open the Layer Properties dialog box, but you cannot change the settings.