Microsoft Edge 102.0.1245.30 has issues with PDF printing

[German]Microsoft Edge 102.0.1245.30, released on May 31, 2022 is a security update to close a number of vulnerabilities. But I got reports that this Edge version breaks PDF printing in Windows 10/11. It's simply no longer possible for some users to print PDF documents. Only a downgrade helps. And there is a workaround developed by blog readers, using GPO settings. So administrators in companies probably should delay the rollout and test it intensively.

The fixed vulnerabilities

I had reported in the blog post Microsoft Edge 102.0.1245.30 (security update, May 31, 2022) that the update to the Microsoft Edge 102.0.1245.30 from May 31, 2022 closes 24 vulnerabilities. The Edge-specific vulnerabilities are rated moderate at most:

• CVE-2022-26905: Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) Spoofing Vulnerability, Aggregate CVE Severity Rating: Low
• CVE-2022-30127: Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) Elevation of Privilege, Aggregate CVE Severity Rating: Moderate
• CVE-2022-30128: Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) Elevation of Privilege, Aggregate CVE Severity Rating: Moderate

Problem, however, is the Chromium-based Edge, in which some critical vulnerabilities have been fixed – see my blog post Chrome 102.0.5005.61/62/63 fixes critical vulnerabilities from May 25, 2022.

Edge 102 breaks PDF printing

Since I published the German blog post Microsoft Edge 102.0.1245.30 schließt Schwachstellen, German blog readers have been reporting bugs related to PDF printing. Sam writes (translated):

We have an issue on clients running version 102 that when printing PDFs, the error message "Error printing Check the printer and try again. Error printing" appears. After downgrading to the latest 101 version, Print to PDF works again. Are there others who are having this problem as well?

This problem is confirmed in responses like the following, by various blog readers:

Haily S: Can confirm this problem. In the Edge Print dialog it works two three times then the message "Cannot calculate" appears. In the System Print dialog it does not work at all.

Michael R.: Here also problems with the Print Dialog since version 102. A new surprise every month ….

Dietmar:  I can confirm the problem. Extremely unpleasant. Tens of problem tickets arrived. Hopefully this will be fixed FAST…

PIIT: The error also occurs in our case – but only sporadically and in connection with changed print settings. If you print with default settings, it works. If you change the tray, an error message appears.

Currently, the best solution is to go back to the previous Edge 101 and block the update to version 102.

My MS Answers forum thread

I opened this thread on the topic in the English Edge Microsoft Answers forum. There a French admin confirms the problem as well.

My discussion on Twitter

On Twitter I got this reaction to my article where someone in a corporate environment is concerned. The answer was:

Well… my entire org can't print PDFs, now. Not like we don't avg 10-20,000 prints per damn day or anything (load tags on shipments)

After asking, the guy told me, that Windows 11 Enterprise 22000.708 Language is English (Regional: English) is affected by this issue. Later this administrator added.

Got a call from Microsoft support and they confirmed they know about this issue and the GPO setting is the "fix" for now and they are working on further mitigation and/or a patch. This IS related to the PDF security fixes put in place on this build…

So also non German language Windows users are affected by this glitch. Currently I don't know the reason, why some users are affected and others are not.

A GPO workaround

German blog reader Jens proposed here a workaround via group policy (GPO) and wrote:

In our case, the GPO setting "Microsoft Edge / Print / Print via system print dialog box" (policy UseSystemPrintDialog) had to be set to not configured, i.e. that the Edge own print dialog box is displayed/used. And after that it worked without problems (so far).

Maybe this help. If you are affected and like to comment, please add the Windows version and build – to let us know, which machines are affected.

Addendum: I've provided (based on a reader's feedback) a workaround, see Workaround for Edge 102.0.1245.xx PDF printing issues.

2nd issue: Edge can't start

Side note as an addendum: It seems that Edge 102.0.1245.30 also causes launch issues on some machines. I've found this thread on English MS Answers forum, where an administrator complains that the browser does not open on Dell devices.

Edge 102.0.1245.30 Update not opening on Dell Windows 10 machines after update.

We have only had a handful of users update to Edge Version 102.0.1245.30 and after the update completes Edge will no longer open on the machine. I just did the update on a Surface Pro 8 and Edge still works after the update. Models are Latitude 5421 and 5420, XPS 15 9520.

But that's not related to the topic covered above. Till now there is no workaround published within the tread. After publishing my German edition of the article, blog reader Dietmar reported also launch issues within this comment (translated):

 We have now also the first Edge that do not start. The only solution so far is to end all Edge processes in Task Manager and delete the folder

C:\Users\username\Appdata\Local\Microsoft\Edge.

Disadvantage: the favorites are gone.

Congrats, we are 14 days before the end of IE 11 support – well done. I've linked this blog post at this thread on English MS Answers forum and I've asked to escalate it forward to the product group.