How to Adjust Print Settings in Excel (8 Suitable Tricks)

Whenever you want to print any documents or any things in Excel, you may adjust the default print settings for getting the best output based on your input. In this article, I’ll show you how you can modify or adjust the print settings in Excel with proper explanation.

Let’s have a look at the following screenshot which depicts an overview of the print settings. For your convenience, I would like to discuss the settings sequentially according to the numbering.

Print Settings Excel


Adjust Print Settings in Excel: 8 Quick Tricks

Before going to the print settings, let’s be introduced to today’s datasets. Here, we have two working sheets in the workbook. The first sheet contains the Monthly Sales Report: February 2022.

Dataset Sheet 1

On the other hand, the second working sheet depicts the Employee Information of a certain company.

Dataset sheet 2


1. Fixing Print Area

At the outset, we’ll discuss how we can fix the print area. You’ll see there are three options if you click on the drop-down arrow of Print Active Sheets.

Excel Print Settings Fixing Print Area


1.1. Print Active Sheets

If you want to print the current working sheet of your workbook, just use the Print Active Sheets from the drop-down lists.

Print Active Sheets


1.2. Print All Working Sheets of Workbook

But if you need to print all working sheets of your workbook, choose the option of Print Entire Workbook from the drop-down lists.

Print All Working Sheets of Workbook

Here, I have two working sheets in my workbook and I selected the second sheet that’s why the print preview shows page 2 in the above screenshot.


1.3. Print Selected Area

Moreover, you can print selected areas (selected cells) instead of the entire worksheet or workbook.

Look closely at the print preview where you see some cells are available from the dataset to print.

Print Selected Area

How can you do this?

In such a situation, two things are significant. Firstly, you have to select cells from the worksheet. For example, I selected B2:I16 cells from the first working sheet, as depicted in the following picture.

Secondly, you need to pick the Print Selection (as shown in the above screenshot) from the drop-down lists of the Print Active Sheets.

Print Selected Area


2. Setting Print Range

Using this setting, you may fix the page range before printing. Let’s say you have 3 pages on your workbook, but you wish to print the first two pages. So put 1 & 2 in the blank spaces after the Pages respectively.

Setting Print Range

Read More: How to Not Print Empty Cells in Excel


3. Selecting Collated or Uncollated from Print Settings 

When you need to print multiple copies(e.g. 5) of the pages, you may utilize the Collated or Uncollated settings.

If you want to print all pages of the entire book the first time, second time…fifth time, you can choose the Collated option. That means this option will print the entire workbook separately

In contrast, you may pick the Uncollated option if you want to print 5 copies of page 1, 5 copies of page 2…in this way.

Selecting Collated or Uncollated from Print Settings


4. Choosing Orientation of Page

By default, the orientation of the page is Portrait in Excel.

Look at the following picture.

Choosing Orientation of Page

Here, some columns (Sales & Discount) are missing in the print preview. So, the Portrait orientation is not perfect for this print area. But if you select the Landscape Orientation, then no columns will be missing. So, I will show you how to print landscape in Excel.

Choosing Orientation of Page

All columns are seen in the following picture after changing the page orientation.

Choosing Orientation of Page

Read More: How to Print Horizontally in Excel


5. Preferring Paper Size

Furthermore, you can prefer the paper size based on your dataset. For example, if you have a larger dataset, you may choose the A3 paper size. And if you want to print in standard paper size, just select and print with A4 size from the list.

Preferring Paper Size

Read More: How to Print Excel Sheet with Table


6. Changing Margins

Similarly, you can change the margins option if you need. If you click on the drop-down arrow of Normal Margins, you’ll see three types of margins. Choose the Normal if your print area is standard. Otherwise, pick the Narrow if your area is larger.

Excel Print Settings Changing Margins


7. Adjusting Scaling in the Print Settings

You’ll get 4 scaling options if you click on the drop-down arrow of the No Scaling option.

Adjusting Scalings in the Print Settings


7.1. Fit Sheet on One Page

Sometimes, you won’t get all print areas on one page by default as there is No Scaling option by default.

Excel Print Settings Fit Sheet on One Page

But if you choose the Fit Sheet on One Page, you’ll get the following print preview where all columns and rows are seen.

Excel Print Settings Fit Sheet on One Page


7.2. Fit All Columns on One Page

In the following print preview, you see that 3 columns are missing.

Excel Print Settings Fit All Columns on One Page

If you need to print all columns on one page, you have to choose the Fit All Columns on One Page.

Excel Print Settings Fit All Columns on One Page

After selecting the scaling option, you’ll see the following print preview where the 3 missing columns are seen.

Excel Print Settings Fit All Columns on One Page


7.3. Fit All Rows on One Page

Assuming that you add some extra rows (as illustrated in the following picture) below the cells of the current worksheet.

Excel Print Settings Fit All Rows on One Page

Now, you see that the newly added rows are missing in the print preview, but you have to print the whole dataset including those newly added rows.

Excel Print Settings Fit All Rows on One Page

Just select the Fit All Rows on One Page option from the scaling options.

Excel Print Settings Fit All Rows on One Page

Finally, you’ll get the following print preview where all rows are seen.

Excel Print Settings Fit All Rows on One Page

Also, you can utilize the paper size, margins, scaling settings to make the Excel sheet bigger while printing.


8. Modifying Page Setup Option of Print Settings

Last but not least, we’ll see the Page Setup option from the print setting in Excel right away. Click on the Page Setup option under the scaling options.

Modifying Page Setup Option of Print Settings in Excel

You’ll see the Page Setup dialog box after clicking on the Page Setup option.

Modifying Page Setup Option of Print Settings in Excel

Here, 4 tabs are available in the above dialog box, namely Page, Margins, Header/Footer & Sheet. Truly speaking, there is a myriad of options to adjust in the Page Setup dialog box.


8.1. Starting Print from a Custom Number

By default, the First page number is Auto. But if you want to print page 3, just insert 3 instead of Auto.

Modifying Page Setup Option of Print Settings in Excel


8.2. Adjusting Custom Margins

In the following picture, the print area is not centered on page.

Modifying Page Setup Option of Print Settings in Excel

You may fix the problem.

Just go to the Margins tab and check the box before Horizontally.

Modifying Page Setup Option of Print Settings in Excel

So, the print preview will be as follows.

Modifying Page Setup Option of Print Settings in Excel


8.3. Removing Header & Footer 

Additionally, if you want to remove the header & footer while printing, go to the Header/Footer tab and select (none) for both Header and Footer options.

Modifying Page Setup Option of Print Settings in Excel


8.4. Working with the Sheet Tab

Look closely at the following screenshot, there are lots of options to modify if you want.

Modifying Page Setup Option of Print Settings in Excel


Download Practice Workbook


Conclusion

So, these are the ways to modify or adjust print settings in Excel. I firmly believe that the above article will be beneficial for you. Anyway, if you have any queries or suggestions, please share them below in the comments section.


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Md. Abdul Kader
Md. Abdul Kader

MD. ABDUL KADER is an engineer with a talent for Excel and a passion for VBA programming. To him, programming is like a time-saving wizard, making data manipulation, file handling, and internet interactions a breeze. His skill set extends to SWM, GIS, RS, and SPSS. He holds a B.Sc in Urban & Regional Planning from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology and has shifted to become a content developer. In this role, he crafts technical content centred around... Read Full Bio

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