# Printing Documents

Course: [Word](https://www.devtutorials.ai/learn/word) · Section: Document Output
Source: https://www.devtutorials.ai/learn/word/document-output/printing-documents

> Check pages in print preview, choose print settings and page ranges, and pick the right printer, or save as PDF.

Even in a digital world, plenty of documents still end up on paper: forms, letters, handouts, and reports for meetings. Printing well means checking the pages first, choosing the right settings, and printing only what you need. In this lesson, you'll use print preview, print settings, print ranges, and printer selection.

Open the **Word sandbox** and follow along.

## Opening Print

The way you open Print depends on where you're working:

- **In the sandbox:** click **Print** in the title bar, or open the **File** menu and choose **Print**. Your browser's print window opens.
- **In Microsoft Word:** press **Ctrl + P**, or go to **File** > **Print**. The print screen shows the settings on the left and a preview on the right.

The sandbox runs in your browser, so it uses your **browser's** print window. The settings have slightly different names from Microsoft Word, but they do the same jobs: preview, printer, pages, copies, and layout.

## Print preview

Once the print window is open, the first thing to check is the preview. **Print preview** shows exactly how each page will look on paper, before you use any ink or paper. Always check it:

- Do any pages have only one or two lines on them?
- Is a table or picture split awkwardly across two pages?
- Are headers, footers, and page numbers where you expect?
- Does the last page have anything on it at all?

Step through the pages with the arrows or by scrolling. If something's wrong, close the print window, fix it in the document (Chapters 3 and 5 have the tools), and preview again.

Print Layout view (Lesson 15) already shows the pages much as they'll print. Use it while you work, and use print preview as the final check right before printing.

## Print settings

If the preview looks good, the settings tell the printer what to do. Here are the main settings in the print window:

| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Copies** | How many copies to print |
| **Orientation** | Portrait or landscape. It should match the document's page setup. |
| **Paper size** | Letter, A4, and so on. It should match the paper in the printer. |
| **Print on both sides** | Prints on the front and back of each sheet (if the printer supports it) |
| **Color** | Color, or black and white to save ink |
| **Pages per sheet** | Prints 2 or 4 pages shrunk onto one sheet, handy for drafts |
| **Collated** | With several copies, prints each full set in order (1, 2, 3, then 1, 2, 3) |

## Print range

You don't always need every page. The **print range** chooses which pages to print:

- **All pages**: the whole document.
- **Current page**: just the page the cursor is on (Microsoft Word).
- **Custom range**: type the page numbers, for example:
  - `3` prints only page 3.
  - `2-5` prints pages 2, 3, 4, and 5.
  - `1, 3, 6` prints pages 1, 3, and 6.
  - `1-2, 7` prints pages 1, 2, and 7.

Printing only the pages you changed saves paper, ink, and time. Fixed a typo on page 7 of a 20-page report? Print page 7, not all 20.

## Printer selection

The last choice is where the pages go. At the top of the print window, choose the **printer** (in a browser it's called the **Destination**):

- Pick the printer by name, for example the one in your office or at home.
- Choose **Save as PDF** or **Microsoft Print to PDF** to make a PDF file instead of printing on paper. This is a useful way to share a document that must look the same everywhere.
- If your printer isn't listed, check that it's switched on and connected, or add it in your computer's settings.

## Common mistakes

Here are the most common traps, and how to fix them:

| Mistake | What happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Skipping print preview | A blank last page, or a table split in half, wastes paper | Preview first, then fix the layout |
| Wrong paper size | Text is cut off, or the page is shrunk | Match the paper size in Page Setup and in the print window |
| Typing a page range wrongly, like `2 5` | The wrong pages print, or nothing | Use a dash for a range (`2-5`) and commas between pages (`1, 3`) |
| Wrong printer selected | The pages come out somewhere else | Check the printer name at the top of the print window |
| Several copies not collated | You have to sort the pages by hand | Turn on **Collated** |

## Exercise

Now it's time to print something yourself.

Click **New** in the sandbox title bar. Type `Meeting Agenda`, press **Ctrl + Enter**, type `Notes`, press **Ctrl + Enter**, and type `Action Items`. You now have a three-page document. Do each task and press **Check** (or **Mark as done**).

## What to remember

- Open Print from the title bar in the sandbox, or with **Ctrl + P** in Microsoft Word.
- Always check **print preview** first.
- Key settings: copies, orientation, paper size, both sides, color, and collated.
- **Print range**: `2-5` for a range, `1, 3, 6` for single pages.
- Choose the right **printer**, or **Save as PDF** to make a file.

In the next lesson, you'll save documents in different formats: Word, PDF, plain text, web pages, and more.