BEFORE YOU POST (2026 support tips — please read)

PDF Ink Lite has been in active development for over a decade. We’re committed to making it work reliably for your shop, and we genuinely appreciate well-documented support requests—they often lead to improvements that benefit the entire WordPress community. 💫

For troubleshooting steps, keep reading below.

Known limitations of PDF Ink:
PDF Ink Lite bridges your e-commerce PDFs and the open-source PDF reading library TCPDI and PDF writing TCPDF library. PDF Ink Lite functions by parsing/reading your PDF into memory the best it can, then adding a watermark to the PDF syntax and outputting a revised file. Between the reading and output, certain features may be lost and other features (interactive PDF elements like internal links and fillable forms) will be lost. This is a limitation of the open-source third-party libraries used (TCPDI/TCPDF) AND the wild-west nature of PDF syntax. It is not the fault of PDF Ink Lite, which simply connects your e-commerce to PDF manipulation libraries.

You may encounter problems if your PDF is malformed (bad PDF syntax), encrypted, web-optimized, linearized, or if your server cannot handle the memory load of PDF processing/encryption. To find out if this is a TCPDI/TCPDF problem, can test your PDF with other libraries.

Ultimately, PDF Ink Lite is best for simple, smaller-sized and well-formed PDFs. If you are serious about watermarking and/or encrypting complex PDF files, purchase PDF Ink. It includes other libraries you can try free, and also allows you to link purchased 3rd party (non-GPL) libraries (such as SetaPDF Stamper) which work on _any_ PDF. You might even find that the free libraries (TCPDI/TCPDF) included with PDF Ink (paid) work better than here in the free version! 😉

Important: PDF Ink (the paid plugin upgrade) cannot be supported here at ww.wp.xz.cn due to forum rules. For paid plugin support, visit https://pdfink.com/contact.

Before You Post

To help us assist you quickly and accurately, please provide:

• Screenshots of the error or problem you’re experiencing
• Your WordPress version
• Your WooCommerce (or Easy Digital Downloads or Download Monitor) version
• Your PDF Ink Lite version
• Your PHP version
• Your WP memory limit
• Your PHP max_execution_time
• Your PDF file version (check in Adobe Reader or Preview: File > Properties)

Quick tip for WooCommerce users: Go to WooCommerce > Status to view your PHP version, memory limit, and time limit in one place. This report also flags any system issues in ❌ red.

Describe Your Issue Clearly

Please include:

• What you expected to happen
• What actually happened instead
• The exact steps you took to trigger the problem (what you clicked, what loaded, what didn’t, etc.)
• Any troubleshooting steps you’ve already tried (see below)

Required: Update to Latest Versions

Only the latest versions of WordPress, WooCommerce (or EDD/Download Monitor), and PDF Ink Lite are officially supported. Please update all three before posting for support.

You must also be running the minimum PHP version required by PDF Ink Lite (7.4 or higher). If you’re running an older PHP version, please upgrade. Conversely, if you’re running a very new PHP version and encounter issues, we may suggest downgrading slightly, as our open-source PDF library sometimes lags behind cutting-edge PHP releases.

Troubleshooting Steps to Try First

1. Basic WordPress troubleshooting. Deactivate all other plugins and switch to a default WordPress theme. If the problem disappears, reactivate plugins one by one to identify the conflict. Learn more about basic WP troubleshooting, a valuable tool!
2. Test with a simple PDF. Try watermarking a different PDF file that you didn’t create yourself. Some PDFs have non-standard syntax that our library can’t parse. If a different PDF works, your original PDF may need to be re-exported or re-saved.
3. Enable logging. If using WooCommerce, go to WooCommerce -> Settings -> PDF Ink Lite -> Logging and turn logging on. If using Easy Digital Downloads, go to Settings -> Misc -> Debug Mode and turn on logs. Run the program again, then look at the logs (EDD logs are under the Tools tab).
4. Enable WordPress debugging. If you’re seeing a 500 error or White Screen of Death (WSOD), enable WordPress debugging so you can read error messages in your wp-content/debug.log file. This often reveals the root cause immediately. If logs suggest your PDF is “malformed” or “template does not exist,” try using Apple Preview application to resave your PDF by clicking “Export as PDF” in the menu. Preview might fix bad PDF syntax and allow your PDF to be processed for watermarking. Turn debugging off when you’re done.
5. Isolate the plugin. If you suspect PDF Ink Lite is causing a 500 error or WSOD, you can disable it without deactivating it. Using FTP, SSH, or your cPanel File Manager, go to /wp-content/plugins/ and rename the ‘waterwoo-pdf’ folder to something like ‘waterwoo-pdf-disabled’. WordPress will deactivate the plugin and your site should load again. This confirms whether PDF Ink Lite is the culprit. (Note: This plugin was previously called waterwoo-pdf; we’ve since renamed it.)

Final Thoughts

Plugin developers on ww.wp.xz.cn are volunteers. We are human and can’t read minds, so please be as thorough and specific as possible in your request. We truly appreciate your patience and kindness.

Thank you!