How to Capture, Save, and Convert SPL Printer Spool Files to PDF or PNG Using Windows "Keep Printed Documents" Setting in Windows Printer Properties and SPL to PDF Converter Command Line Tools

In Windows printing systems, every print job sent to a printer is temporarily stored as an SPL file in the system’s spooler folder. These files contain the raw print data and can be used to recreate an exact digital copy of what was printed. By enabling a specific setting in Windows and using VeryPDF SPL to PDF Converter Command Line, you can capture, store, and convert these files into PDF or PNG format for archiving, compliance, or workflow automation.

This guide walks you step-by-step through the process.

Step 1: Enable "Keep Printed Documents" in Printer Properties

By default, Windows deletes spool files after the document is printed. To ensure SPL files are preserved, you must enable the “Keep printed documents” setting.

Steps:

Open the Control Panel and go to Devices and Printers.
Locate your target printer, right-click on it, and choose Printer properties (not the generic “Properties” at the bottom — open the printer’s own settings).
In the Advanced tab, check the option Keep printed documents.
Click Apply, then OK.

✅ From now on, every time you print a document to this printer, Windows will keep the SPL file instead of deleting it after the print job is complete.

Step 2: Locate and Copy SPL Files from the Spool Folder

When “Keep printed documents” is enabled, all print jobs are saved as SPL (and sometimes SHD) files in the Windows spool folder.

Default spool folder location:

C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS

Steps:

Open File Explorer.
Navigate to:
```
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
```
You may need Administrator permissions to access this folder. Click Continue if prompted.
Find the files with the .SPL extension. These are your captured print jobs.
Copy the SPL files to a folder of your choice for processing. Example:
```
D:\PrintArchive\SPL_Files
```

Tip: You can regularly back up this folder to a secure location for long-term archiving.

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Step 3: Convert SPL Files to PDF or PNG Using VeryPDF SPL to PDF Converter Command Line

VeryPDF SPL to PDF Converter Command Line is a utility that converts raw SPL files to PDF, PNG, and other raster formats while preserving layout, fonts, and graphics.

Download link: https://www.verypdf.com/app/hookprinter/spool-spl-to-pdf-converter.html

Basic Command-Line Syntax

spl2pdf.exe [input_file] [output_file]

Example – Convert SPL to PDF:

spl2pdf.exe "D:\PrintArchive\SPL_Files\job0001.SPL" "D:\PrintArchive\PDF_Files\job0001.pdf"

Example – Convert SPL to PNG:

spl2pdf.exe "D:\PrintArchive\SPL_Files\job0001.SPL" "D:\PrintArchive\PNG_Files\job0001.png"

Batch Conversion Example

To process all SPL files in a folder at once, open Command Prompt in the SPL file directory and run:

for %f in (*.spl) do spl2pdf.exe "%f" "D:\PrintArchive\PDF_Files\%~nf.pdf"

Or to convert to PNG:

for %f in (*.spl) do spl2pdf.exe "%f" "D:\PrintArchive\PNG_Files\%~nf.png"

This loops through every SPL file in the current folder and creates matching PDF or PNG files using the original filename (without extension).

Complete Workflow Summary

Enable “Keep printed documents” in your printer’s Advanced properties.
Locate SPL files in:
```
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
```
Copy SPL files to your archive folder.
Run VeryPDF SPL to PDF Converter Command Line to convert SPL files into PDF or PNG for permanent storage.

Practical Use Cases

Retail & Hospitality: Archive POS receipts for accounting.
Legal Services: Keep immutable copies of printed contracts.
Logistics: Store shipping labels digitally.
Healthcare: Preserve printed prescriptions and patient records.

Conclusion

By combining Windows’ built-in “Keep printed documents” feature with VeryPDF SPL to PDF Converter Command Line, you can create a reliable and automated process for capturing and converting printed documents into searchable PDFs or high-quality images. This ensures your business always has an exact digital copy of every print job for auditing, compliance, or backup purposes.