How to Print a PRN File

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Send a PRN file to the printer.

A .prn file is a binary file that contains all of the formatting codes necessary for the document to print properly. The Windows print-to-file feature allows you to send a document to a file for future printing. When the print-to-file option is selected, you are prompted to enter a location and file name, and the file is saved with the .prn extension. This can be handy when the printer is offline or temporarily unavailable. Printing a .prn file requires the use of the command-line window.

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Step 1

Open a command-line window. Press and hold the "Windows" key, press and release the "R" key. Release the "Windows" key.

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Step 2

Type "cmd", without the quotation marks, in the "Run" window's text box.

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Step 3

Type "Copy FileName.prn /b prn" and press the "Enter" key. The "/b" switch tells the operating system to output the file in a raw binary format that allows the printer codes to be interpreted correctly by the printer.

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