Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to common questions: cost, internet, supported apps, the print loop, compression, History, and platform support.
Is Deste free?
Yes. Deste is free and open source (MIT license). You can read the source code, build it, and contribute.
Does Deste connect to the internet?
No. The capture server only listens on localhost (your own computer). Your documents never leave your machine; there is no account, cloud, or telemetry.
Which apps can I print from?
Any app with a Print menu: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, browsers, PDF readers, note apps… Because Deste looks like an ordinary printer, you can select it everywhere.
What exactly happens when I print to Deste?
The print job doesn’t go to paper; Windows sends it to Deste, and it’s saved as a PDF in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Deste\captured. Deste watches this folder and shows the document in the window instantly.
Can I print to Deste’s own printer?
No — and that’s deliberate. Printing to the Deste printer would re-capture the print and cause an infinite loop. Deste always refuses its own name as a target. If you don’t have a real printer, use Save PDF.
Why must the Windows printer name be exactly “Deste”?
Loop protection works by comparing the target printer’s name with “Deste”. If you add the printer under a different name (e.g. “Deste IPP”), the guard can’t recognize it. So leave the name exactly Deste when you add the printer.
Why does nothing happen when I print?
Most likely Deste is closed. Printing only works while Deste is running and the capture server is listening on localhost:631. Open Deste (and turn on run at startup), then try again. Details: Troubleshooting.
What is pdfium.dll, and why is it needed?
pdfium.dll is Google’s open-source PDF engine. Deste uses it to generate previews and to print pages to the printer. It must be in the same folder as deste.exe.
Can I make a PDF smaller?
Yes. Use the green Compress button on a document card, or turn on Compress while saving in Save PDF. Smart mode keeps text searchable and only re-encodes images; Aggressive mode squeezes images harder. The original file is always kept. Details: Compressing PDFs.
I deleted a document by mistake — is it gone?
No. Deleted and cleared documents move to History; open the History tab and use Re-queue to restore them. They are only permanently removed by Delete or Reset. Details: History.
Is there a dark theme?
Yes. Open Settings and toggle Dark mode to switch the interface to dark colors. Your choice is saved.
How does eco mode save toner?
Eco mode lightens the page’s pixels toward white before printing. On laser printers, lighter tone = fewer dots = less toner. It has three levels (light/medium/high), and the preview shows it faithfully, so you see the result before printing.
Does duplex printing work on every printer?
Duplex is requested at the printer-driver level; the physical flipping is done by the printer itself. You only get real duplex on printers that support double-sided printing in hardware.
Is there a Mac or Linux version?
For now, only Windows 10 and 11. Because capture, printing, and the tray rely on Windows APIs, it is Windows-specific today.
How do I delete a captured document?
Choose Delete from the document card’s three-dot menu; the document leaves the list and moves to History (it isn’t lost permanently — you can restore it from History). To clear the whole list, use Clear All in the toolbar.
Is Deste the same as “Çolpan” or “Snipdeck”?
No. All three are ReviseTouch products, but they do different things: Deste is for printing/print preview, Snipdeck for screen capture, and Çolpan for document search.