A correctly sized file can print too large or too small when the application or printer applies fit-to-page or percentage scaling. Print a known-length reference line, measure it, and inspect both print dialogs. This is a physical-scale problem; it differs from borderless printing that primarily sacrifices the outer image edges.
Check document size before blaming the printer
Inspect the PDF page dimensions or the image's intended placement size in the layout. Confirm the chosen paper size and orientation. Changing a PPI label does not necessarily change how a layout has placed the image, and a screenshot is not a dependable measured document.
If the document is correct, record the application's sizing option and any driver scaling. Avoid two independent fit operations. Also check whether the application selected a different paper tray or media size from the one you expected.
Make a measurable test
Create an expendable page with a known-length horizontal and vertical line inside the printable area. For example, a hypothetical 100 mm line that prints at 95 mm indicates about 95 percent scale for that direction. This arithmetic describes the test, not a measured printer result.
Adobe explains that Fit can enlarge or reduce a page, while Actual size avoids page scaling but can crop content that does not fit. Selecting Actual size therefore does not solve a document larger than the printable area. Choose the correct sheet or layout rather than forcing clipping.
A hypothetical badge-layout proof
Imagine a creator placing approved artwork on a larger proof sheet with a measured reference line. The image file dimensions are correct, yet the paper output is smaller because Fit was selected. After changing the supported sizing option and confirming the driver's settings, the creator measures a new proof before reviewing the cut layout.
This is an illustrative workflow. The test should compare the same document, paper and orientation. If horizontal and vertical measurements differ, investigate distortion or another output setting instead of applying one guessed enlargement percentage.
Preserve the master while correcting output
Do not repeatedly enlarge the image pixels to compensate for a print-dialog setting. Keep the source and layout unchanged until you locate the responsible stage. If a supplier deliberately requires a scaled file, record that separate specification and approve a matching proof.
Imagild can provide the image, but exact physical placement and print scaling require an external layout and printer check. A high-resolution download does not establish that a print job ran at 100 percent.
Acceptance
Measure both reference directions and inspect the essential artwork boundaries. Require the agreed physical size without unexpected clipping. Save the document version, paper choice and settings that produced the proof. The test passes through a real measured sheet, not through the appearance of a ruler on the computer screen.