Part 17: Printing Documents
⏳ Duration: 30 Minutes
🎯 Level: Basic - Intermediate
🎯 Objective: Participants are able to print documents with proper and professional settings.
Printing a document is the final stage of the file creation process in Microsoft Word. At this stage, we ensure that the document appears neat, matches the paper size, and is ready to be shared both physically and digitally.
Microsoft Word provides various print settings such as paper size, orientation, margins, and printer selection or export to PDF.
Printing is the final step that determines whether our work is truly ready to use or problematic when printed.
It often happens that a document looks neat on screen, but when printed it gets cut off, shifted, or does not match the intended size. Therefore, it is important to understand how to print documents with the correct settings.
Microsoft Word provides features such as Print Preview, paper size settings, and export to PDF to ensure the printed result matches expectations.
In addition, it is very important to ensure that the printer settings match the Word document and the physical paper being used. For example:
- Size in Word: A4
- Printer Setting: A4
- Paper Used: A4
This alignment ensures that the print result is not cut off, not shifted, and matches the design.
Steps to Print a Document
Use the shortcut Ctrl + P to instantly open the Print menu without clicking through menus.
This shortcut is very helpful for speeding up work, especially when printing multiple documents frequently.
- Click the File menu.
- Select Print.
- Choose the available printer.
- Set the number of copies.
- Make sure the Print Preview display is correct and nothing is cut off. If everything looks good, click the Print button .
Important Settings When Printing
- Printer: Select the printer device to use.
- Copies: Number of document copies.
- Orientation: Portrait or Landscape.
- Paper Size: A4, Letter, etc.
- Margins: Adjust document edge spacing.
By default, Microsoft Word will print all pages (All Pages). If not checked, this may cause the entire document to be printed, even if you only need specific pages.
Before clicking the Print button, make sure to select the pages you want:
- All Pages: Print all pages
- Current Page: Print only the active page
- Custom Print: Specify pages, e.g., 1, 3, 5 or 2-4
💡 Tip:
Always double-check page selection before printing to avoid wasting paper and ink.
Print to PDF (Very Important)
In addition to printing on paper, you can also save the document as a PDF:
- Click File → Print.
- Select Microsoft Print to PDF.
- Click Print.
- Save the PDF file.
To adjust paper size directly from the printer, click Printer Properties in the Print menu. There you can configure paper size, print quality, and paper type.
Make sure the settings in Printer Properties match the Word document and actual paper, so the print result is not cut off or scaled incorrectly.
💡 Paper-Saving Tip:
You can print 2 pages on 1 sheet by selecting
Pages per Sheet in the Print settings.
This feature is useful for printing drafts, training materials, or internal documents, making it more efficient and still readable.
When printing to PDF using Print to PDF, the result may sometimes differ from the Print Preview in Word. This usually happens due to third-party PDF software with different settings and engines.
Common differences include:
- Margin size changes
- Layout shifts
- Font or scaling issues
💡 Best Solution:
If your goal is to save the document as a PDF, it is better to use Save As → PDF directly from Word.
This method is safer because the PDF result will be exactly the same as the Word layout.
In many workplaces, not every computer is connected to its own printer. Usually, one printer is shared across a network (shared printer).
If you are using a shared printer, make sure to select the correct printer in the Print menu, as there are often multiple printer options available.
Also, double-check settings such as paper size, orientation (portrait/landscape), and page selection before printing.
💡 Important Tip:
Each shared printer may have different default settings.
Always ensure the configuration matches your document needs.
This helps ensure consistent print results and avoids issues like incorrect size, cut-off pages, or printing to the wrong device.
If the document looks incorrect when printed (e.g., cut off or scaled down), check the Scaling or Fit to Paper settings in the Print menu.
Some printers automatically adjust document size, which can cause differences from the Word display.
📝 Exercise:
- Open a previously created document.
- Set the paper size to A4.
- Print the document to PDF.
- Try printing 2 pages on 1 sheet (if available).
Printing a document is not just pressing the print button, but ensuring the final result matches the intended design.
By understanding Print Preview, printer settings, and PDF export techniques, we can avoid common mistakes and produce neat, precise, and professional documents.
Mastering this feature is very useful in daily work, especially in office and educational environments.