How to Print a Word Document From Your Computer

The basic steps to print from Word

To print a Word document, open the file in Microsoft Word, then press Ctrl+P on Windows or Command+P on Mac. This opens the print dialog. Select your printer from the dropdown menu at the top, choose how many copies you want, then click the Print button. The document will send to your printer when ready.

If you do not have a printer connected, Word will show only virtual printers — like "Print to PDF" or "Microsoft Print to PDF" — which save the document as a file instead of printing it to paper. This is useful if you want to email the document or store it in a different format.

You can also print through the File menu: click File at the top left, then Print. This opens the same dialog and gives you the same options as the keyboard shortcut.

Key Takeaways

Press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Command+P (Mac) to open the print dialog in Word without using menus.
Select your printer from the dropdown, set the number of copies, and click Print to send the document to paper.
If no physical printer is connected, you can print to PDF to save the document as a file instead.
The print preview on the left side of the dialog shows you how the document will look on paper before you print.
You can print specific pages by typing the page numbers in the "Pages" field instead of printing the entire document.

Choosing which pages to print

By default, Word prints every page in your document. If you only need certain pages, the print dialog lets you specify them. In the Pages field, type the page numbers you want: type 1,3,5 to print pages 1, 3, and 5, or type 1-5 to print pages 1 through 5. You can also combine these: 1-3,7,9-11 prints pages 1 through 3, then page 7, then pages 9 through 11.

This saves paper and time when you only need part of a longer document. Make sure the page numbers you type match the actual pages in your document — Word counts pages from the beginning, so a page that shows "Page 5" at the bottom might be page 6 if your document has a cover page or title page.

Adjusting print settings before printing

The print dialog offers several settings you can change. Under Settings, you can choose to print on both sides of the paper (called duplex printing), print in color or black and white, or change the paper size from standard letter to legal, envelope, or other sizes. You can also scale the document to fit the paper — useful if your document is slightly too wide for the page.

The Orientation option lets you switch between portrait (taller than wide) and landscape (wider than tall). If your document has wide tables or images, landscape orientation may fit them better on one page. You can also adjust margins in the print dialog on some versions of Word, though it is faster to change margins before printing if you plan to print the same document multiple times.

The preview pane on the left shows how your document will look with these settings applied. If something looks wrong — text cut off, images missing, or pages arranged oddly — adjust the settings and watch the preview update before you print.

Printing to PDF instead of paper

If you do not have a printer or want to save the document as a file, you can print to PDF. Open the print dialog with Ctrl+P or Command+P, then click the printer dropdown menu. Select Print to PDF (Windows) or Save as PDF (Mac). Click Print, then choose where to save the file on your computer. Word creates a PDF file that looks exactly like the printed version.

PDFs are useful because they preserve the exact layout and formatting of your document, and almost any device can open them. If you are sending the document to someone else and want to make sure it looks the same on their screen as it does on yours, PDF is more reliable than sending the Word file itself — different computers may have different fonts or settings that change how the document appears.

Troubleshooting common printing problems

If your printer does not appear in the printer dropdown, the printer may not be connected or installed on your computer. On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners and click Add a printer or scanner. On Mac, go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners and click the plus button to add a printer. Your printer must be turned on and connected to the same network as your computer.

If the document prints but looks wrong — text is cut off, images are missing, or the layout is broken — the problem is usually the page size or margins. Check that the paper size in the print dialog matches the paper in your printer. If you are printing a document someone else created, they may have set margins that do not fit standard paper sizes. You can adjust margins by going to Layout (or Page Layout in older versions) and clicking Margins, then choosing a preset or entering custom margins.

If nothing prints and you see an error message, restart your printer and try again. If the error persists, restart your computer. On Windows, you can also clear the print queue by going to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, clicking your printer, and selecting Open queue, then closing any stuck jobs.

Printing from Word Online

If you are using Word Online in a web browser instead of the desktop version, printing works the same way: press Ctrl+P or Command+P to open the print dialog. Word Online sends the print job to your browser's print system, which then communicates with your printer. The options available depend on your browser and operating system, not on Word itself.

Word Online does not have all the advanced print settings of the desktop version — you cannot always adjust margins or change paper orientation from within Word. If you need more control, read the document to your computer, open it in the desktop version of Word, and print from there. You can also print to PDF from Word Online the same way you would from the desktop version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I print only the text without images to save ink?

Word does not have a built-in option to skip images during printing. If you want to print without images, you can delete them temporarily, print, then undo the deletion. Alternatively, print to PDF, open the PDF in a PDF reader, and use that program's print settings to exclude images — most PDF readers have this option.

Why does my document print on multiple pages when it should fit on one?

The margins are likely too large or the font is too big. Go to Layout > Margins and select Narrow to reduce margins. If that does not help, select all text with Ctrl+A, then reduce the font size. You can also use Layout > Scale to shrink the entire document to fit on fewer pages.

Can I print double-sided automatically?

If your printer supports duplex printing, yes. Open the print dialog, look for an option called Print on Both Sides or Duplex in the Settings section, and check the box. Not all printers support this — check your printer's manual or settings to see if it is available.

What is the difference between printing and saving as PDF?

Printing sends the document to a physical printer on paper. Saving as PDF creates a file on your computer that looks like a printed page but stays digital. Use PDF when you want to email the document, store it long-term, or share it with others while keeping the exact formatting.

Can I print a Word document from my phone?

Yes, if your phone is connected to a wireless printer. Open the document in the Word app, tap the three dots menu, select Print, choose your printer, and tap Print. Your phone and printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network. You can also email the document to yourself and print it from a computer instead.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.