How to Print a Microsoft Word Document: Guide and FAQ

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Learn how to print out Word docs on a Windows PC or Mac
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Microsoft Word is a powerful word processing app that allows you to put your digitally typed words on paper—but how exactly can you get your words on paper? Thankfully, printing in Microsoft Word is super simple! In this article, we'll go over how to print a Word document, as well as answer some frequently asked questions about printing and Microsoft Word. Read on to learn more!

Quick Guide: How to Print from Microsoft Word

  1. Click the File menu and select Print.
  2. Select your printer.
  3. Choose which pages to print and the number of copies.
  4. Click Print.
Section 1 of 3:

Printing a Word Document on Windows

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  1. Step 1 Open or create a Microsoft Word document.
    To do so, click on the blue app with a white document icon and bold "W," then click on File in the menu bar at the upper-left of the screen. Click on Open... to open an existing document or New... to create a new one.[1]
  2. Step 2 Click the File menu.
    It's in the menu bar at the upper-left of the screen or a tab at the upper-left of the window.[2]
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  3. Step 3 Click on Print....
    The Print dialog box will open.[3]
    • Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+P to open the Print dialog.
  4. Step 4 Select your printing options.
    Use the selections in the dialog box to select:[4]
    • The printer. Click on its name to select another printer from the drop-down menu.
    • The number of copies to print. The default is 1; increase the quantity to print more copies.
    • Which pages to print. The default is to print all the pages in the document, but you can choose to print the currently displayed page, a highlighted selection, specific pages in the document, odd-numbered pages only, or even-numbered pages only.
    • Size of paper to print on.
    • Number of pages to print per sheet.
    • Orientation of the paper. Select either Portrait (paper length vertical, width horizontal) or Landscape (paper width vertical, length horizontal).
    • Margins. You can adjust the top, bottom, left, and right margins with the labeled up and down arrows or by typing numbers in the boxes.
    • Other settings. You can print collated pages, add a staple (if your printer supports that function), and you can choose to print on both sides of the paper.
  5. Step 5 Click on Print or OK.
    The button label will vary based on the version of Word you're using. Your document will print to the printer you selected.[5]
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Section 2 of 3:

Printing a Word Document on Mac

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  1. Step 1 Open or create a Word document.
    The Word app has an icon of a tri-color blue rectangle with a white "W" in the lower-left corner. The app may be in your Dock, or it might be on your desktop. You can also open the app using Spotlight.
  2. Step 2 Click File.
    It's in the upper-left corner of the screen.
  3. Step 3 Click Print.
    The Print dialog box will open.
    • Alternatively, you can press ⌘ Cmd+P to open the Print dialog.
  4. Step 4 Choose your printing options.
    There are a number of options available, though the options may vary depending on your version of Word and what type of printer you have.[6]
    • Printer: Select which printer you want to print to.
    • Presets: Choose a printing preset. If you're not sure which preset to use, just leave it on "Default Settings."
    • Copies & Pages: If you don't see a print preview of your document, click this drop-down and select the checkbox next to "Show Quick Preview." You can also use this drop-down to change the print quality, layout, paper type, and more.
    • Copies: The number of copies you want to print. Check the "Collated" box if you want your copies to be collated.
    • Pages: Choose to print all the pages or just some.
    • Preview: In the lower-left part of the Print dialog, you'll see a print preview of your document. Use the arrow buttons under the print preview to scroll through each page.
  5. Step 5 Click Print.
    Your document will immediately begin printing to the printer that you selected. If there are any issues with the printing process, you'll either get a notification on your computer or there will be a notification on the printer itself (depending on your printer model).
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Section 3 of 3:

FAQ

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  1. 1
    How do I print a Microsoft Word document if I don't have Word? Many free Microsoft Word alternatives (such as LibreOffice) allow you to open Word documents, and you can then print them from there. You can also upload your document to Microsoft 365 on the web or Google Drive to print it from the internet.
  2. 2
    Is there a button I can press to print a document? To use your keyboard to print a document, press Ctrl+P on Windows or ⌘ Cmd+P on Mac. This will pull up the Print dialog, which allows you to adjust your print settings before printing the document.
  3. 3
    What does "Print to PDF" mean when I choose a printer? Print to PDF allows you to save the currently open document as a PDF file easily. The document won't actually be printed, however.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    When I command the printer to print a word document I get a dialog box that directs me to a fax, what should I do?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Select your physical printer from the section "Destination Printer." If your printer is not listed there, it's likely not installed correctly.
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    Not Helpful 15 Helpful 16
  • Question
    How do I use OneNote?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    OneNote is basically your own personal notebook. It is very similar to Word, except you do not have to create text boxes and can begin typing wherever you want. Click a spot anywhere on the page to begin typing. You can also draw with different pens, and use an eraser.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
     Thank you for your feedback.
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    Yes No
    Not Helpful 11 Helpful 15
  • Question
    How can I print preview steps?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Go onto the corner of your screen. Click the button that has the drop-downs. Click that, and hit print. This should print the steps.
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     Thank you for your feedback.
     If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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Tips

Tips from our Readers

  • Pro tip: print in draft mode. It’s a little bit faster and I’ve heard that it uses less ink, which is probably ideal if you’re paying to print somewhere other than your home.
  • If you're having trouble just go to your local office supply store. They'll usually print stuff for you at a really cheap price.
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References

  1. ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/word/creating-and-opening-documents/1/
  2. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/print-a-document-in-word-591022c4-53e3-4242-95b5-58ca393ba0ee
  3. ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/word/printing-documents/1/
  4. ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/word/printing-documents/1/
  5. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/print-a-document-in-word-591022c4-53e3-4242-95b5-58ca393ba0ee
  6. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/print-a-document-in-word-for-mac-2d92b498-01a2-4a88-b833-83027173ae9c

About This Article

Hannah Dillon
Written by:
Hannah Dillon
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Dillon. Hannah Dillon is a Technology Writer and Editor at wikiHow. She graduated with a B.A. in Journalism from North Dakota State University in 2013 and has since worked in the video game industry as well as a few newspapers. From a young age Hannah has cultivated a love for writing and technology, and hopes to use these passions in tandem to help others in the articles she writes for wikiHow. This article has been viewed 352,288 times.
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Co-authors: 12
Updated: October 29, 2025
Views: 352,288
Categories: Microsoft Word
Article SummaryX

1. Open or create a Microsoft Word document.
2. Click on File.
3. Click on Print....
4. Select printing options.
5. Click on Print or OK.

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