FDA prior-notice confirmation page won’t print properly — page setup & export fixes

Joe B.

Reviewed for technical accuracy

Specialities: Browsers & printing, PDF/Adobe Reader, Thermal & laser printers, Compliance documents, Government portals

FDA PNSI/FIS prior-notice confirmation won’t print — PNC barcode missing, page cuts off, blank print preview

Technician

Hi! We’ll make sure your FDA prior-notice confirmation prints correctly with the PNC number/barcode visible. Quick details help: which browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox) and OS (Windows/macOS)? Are you in PNSI or FDA Industry Systems (FIS)? Does the page look fine on-screen but the print preview is blank or cropped, or does the pop-up not open at all?

Customer

Windows 11 with Chrome. It’s the PNSI confirmation. The pop-up opens but the printout chops off the bottom — we lose the PNC barcode and signature line. “Save as PDF” also shrinks it.

Technician

Thanks. Common causes when an FDA prior-notice confirmation page won’t print properly:
• Browser uses a custom scale or “Fit to page” that shifts the footer.
• Margins set to None/Minimum, so the bottom content falls outside the printable area.
• Built-in PDF viewer ignores background graphics or page size (Letter vs A4).
• Pop-up/redirect is blocked by extensions; the portal opens in a child window that Chrome renders differently.
• Old printer driver or a thermal/label queue defaulting to 4×6 rather than Letter/A4.
Let’s lock the correct page setup and export a clean PDF with the PNC visible.

Customer

Where should I start? I just hit Ctrl+P from the confirmation window and choose our office printer.

Technician

Step 1 — Correct page setup in Chrome
1) Press Ctrl+P → under More settings: set Scale: 100% (not “Fit”).
2) Paper size: choose Letter (8.5×11) for US or A4 internationally.
3) Margins: Default (avoid “None/Minimum”).
4) Toggle Background graphics ON so the barcode box renders.
5) Destination: choose System Dialog → Print using system dialog. In the classic dialog, ensure “Borderless” is off and Quality/DPI is 300+.
Print a sample — the PNC number should now sit above the footer without truncation.

Customer

Better, but “Save as PDF” still shrinks the text and the barcode is fuzzy when emailed to Customs.

Technician

Step 2 — Export a crisp PDF
• Instead of Chrome’s viewer, click the Download icon on the confirmation page (if present) or Open in system viewer → save from Adobe Acrobat/Reader at 300 dpi.
• In the PDF print dialog, uncheck “Fit/Scale to page”, set Actual size, and ensure Paper size = Letter/A4.
• If the portal generates HTML, use Microsoft Print to PDF from the System dialog with Graphics: High.
• For emailing to brokers, embed fonts and avoid “Reduce file size” compression that blurs the PNC barcode.

Customer

Sometimes the print preview is just white/blank. Could it be a pop-up or cache issue with FIS?

Technician

Yes. FDA Industry Systems still uses legacy pop-ups.
• Allow pop-ups for *.fda.gov and *.fis.fda.gov. Temporarily disable ad-blockers/PDF extensions.
• Clear cache/cookies for the site; reload the confirmation page.
• If the page renders better in Edge, use Edge → More tools → Reload in IE mode for older FIS components.
• Try Ctrl+Shift+P (system dialog) — it bypasses the Chrome preview that sometimes goes blank on pop-up windows.

Customer

We also have a Zebra label printer installed. Could the driver make Letter jobs print like 4×6 labels?

Technician

It can. When a thermal label printer (Zebra, Brother) is Default, Chrome may adopt its 4×6 page size.
• Set your laser/office printer as Default before printing the prior-notice confirmation.
• In Devices & Printers → Printer Properties → Preferences, lock Letter/A4 and 300 dpi.
• Update the driver (PCL/PS). Remove stale virtual drivers that hijack page size.
After that, the PNC barcode should be full-size and sharp.

Customer

Our broker wants a signed hard copy and a PDF. Can we automate both without re-entering data?

Technician

Sure — recommended compliance workflow:
1) From PNSI/FIS, use Print using system dialog and choose Microsoft Print to PDF to save a clean PDF (Actual size, 300 dpi).
2) Immediately print the same page to your laser printer with identical settings (Letter/A4, Default margins).
3) Store the PDF and the PNC number in a dated folder for audit. Optional: add a footer with shipment ID so Customs/Broker can match it quickly.

Customer

After these steps the PNC prints fine. Any last checks to make sure nothing breaks next time?

Technician

Final checks:
• Keep one default printer set to Letter/A4; remove unused label queues from default rotation.
• In Chrome/Edge, lock Scale 100%, Margins Default, and enable Background graphics.
• Whitelist *.fda.gov pop-ups; keep Adobe Reader updated.
Need help implementing org-wide via GPO/Intune? Open the chat — we’ll push consistent print settings to all stations.

Customer

Perfect — the FDA prior-notice confirmation prints and the PDF looks sharp. Thanks!

Technician

Summary: If an FDA prior-notice confirmation page won’t print properly, use the system print dialog with Scale 100%, Default margins, and Letter/A4. Enable Background graphics, export via Adobe PDF, and avoid thermal label defaults. These steps keep the PNC number/barcode present and legible. Need a hand? Open the chat.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when the FDA prior-notice confirmation prints wrong: open Print using system dialog → set Letter/A4, Scale 100%, Margins Default, and enable Background graphics. Export a PDF via Adobe Reader at 300 dpi; avoid thermal label defaults so the PNC barcode isn’t cropped or blurry.

FAQ

Step-by-step (Windows 11 / Chrome & Edge)

1. Open Print using system dialog → Paper size Letter/A4, Scale 100%, Margins Default, Background graphics ON.
2. Export a PDF via Adobe Reader (Actual size, 300 dpi). Avoid “Fit to page”.
3. Set a laser printer as Default; remove label queues from default rotation.
4. Whitelist *.fda.gov pop-ups or reload in Edge IE mode if the preview is blank.

Note for macOS/Safari

1. File → Export as PDF, then print from Preview with Actual size and Letter/A4.
2. In Safari Print dialog, enable Print backgrounds and keep margins set to Default.

Sources

• FDA — Prior Notice of Imported Foods (overview)
• Adobe — Print PDFs at the right size and quality
• Google Chrome — Fix printing issues

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