In this Excel tutorial, you will learn how to adjust a margin in Excel. There are three types of built-in margins available in Excel: Normal Margin, Wide Margin, and Narrow Margin. But if you need a margin that requires some special dimension, you can also set a custom margin in Excel. In the following sections, we will discuss how to change/adjust these default/custom margins in Excel.
Excel Margin is important for a well-organized as well as visually pleasant spreadsheet. It also gives us space to write the page number at the top or bottom of the page. Margin also ensures all the important data are visible on the page. So without any further delay let’s dive into the article.
Click the image for a detailed view
⏷Adjust Default Margins
⏵Use Page Layout Tab
⏵Use Print Preview Window
⏷Set Custom Margins
⏷Change/Adjust Margin with Mouse
⏷Frequently Asked Questions
⏷Adjust Margin in Excel: Knowledge Hub
What is Margin in Excel?
Margins in Excel refer to the empty space between the contents of an Excel worksheet and the edges of a printed page. The space above the top margin is useful for displaying Headers and the empty space below the bottom margin is used for displaying Footers and page numbers.
There are multiple predetermined margin options in Excel. However, you can set custom margins as well.
How to Adjust Default Margins in Excel
We can add default margins from the Page Layout tab or Print Preview window.
1. Using Page Layout Tab
- First, select the worksheet you want to print.
- Then, go to the Page Layout tab and from Page Layout select Margins.
- From the margin options, choose any predefined margin, such as Normal, Wide, or Narrow.
Click the image for a detailed view
Note: You can press the Alt + P + M keys simultaneously to view the margin options quickly.
- We chose Normal. To see the applied margin go to File >> Print.
You can click the image for a detailed view
Thus, you can adjust page margins using the default margin options.
2. Using Print Preview Window
- Go to the File tab.
You can click the image for a detailed view
- Click the Print option from the left-side pane. From there, click the margin options dropdown and choose any of the predefined margins.
Click the image for a detailed view
How to Set Custom Margins in Excel
- Go to Page Layout >> Margins>> Custom Margins.
Click the image for a detailed view
Note: You can press the Alt + P + M + A keys simultaneously to quickly open the Margins tab of the Page Setup dialog box.
- Then, you will get the Page Setup dialog box where you can adjust the Top, Bottom, Left, and Right heights and widths according to your preference. You can see the preview of the margin by clicking on the Print Preview button.
You can click the image for a detailed view
- After clicking the Print Preview button, you will get to see the view of the custom margin.
Click the image for a detailed view
Read More: How to Add Margin in Excel
How to Change/Adjust Margin with Mouse in Excel
- Go to the Print Preview like the previous method. Then click on the Show Margins button that is on the right bottom side of the Print Preview window.
- After clicking the Show Margins button we will be able to see the margins in the preview.
- You can drag these margins with your mouse to adjust them.
Click the GIF for a detailed view
Read More: How to Change Margins in Excel
Download Practice Workbook
Conclusion
It’s important to pay attention to margins while using Excel to produce spreadsheets that are both aesthetically pleasing and easy to print. In this article, we learned different ways to add and adjust margins in Excel. We also learned to add custom margins in Excel. When getting your Excel files ready for printing, keep in mind that margin adjustments can have a big influence on how your data is presented overall.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many margins are there in Excel?
There are three default in-built margins in Excel: Normal, Wide, and Narrow. Excel also allows us to make our own margin using the Custom Margins option.
2. What is the Normal margin in Excel?
The default setting for normal margin is 0.75 inches at the top and bottom, 0.70 inches to the left, 1.2 at the right, and 0.3 inches for the header and footer.
3. Where is the Custom Margins option in Excel?
The custom margins can be found in the Page Layout tab. For custom margins, go to Page Layout >> Margins >> Custom Margins.
How to Adjust Margin in Excel: Knowledge Hub
<< Go Back to Page Setup | Print in Excel | Learn Excel
Get FREE Advanced Excel Exercises with Solutions!
