The simplest way to print from Google Docs

Open your document in Google Docs, then press Ctrl+P on Windows or Cmd+P on Mac. A print preview window opens showing how your document will look on paper. Click the blue Print button in the top left corner, and your printer settings appear. Select your printer from the dropdown menu, set the number of copies you want, then click Print again. The document goes to your printer when ready.

That keyboard shortcut works the same way every time, whether you are printing one page or fifty. Google Docs sends the document to your default printer unless you change it in the settings window that appears after you click Print.

If the keyboard shortcut does not work on your device, you can also use the menu: click File at the top left, then select Print from the dropdown. This opens the same print preview window and takes you through the same steps.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac) to open the print preview, then click the blue Print button to send your document to your printer.
  • The print preview shows you exactly how your document will look on paper before you commit to printing.
  • You can change your printer, number of copies, page range, and paper size in the settings window that appears after you click Print.
  • Google Docs prints only the pages you select — use the page range field to print pages 5 through 10 instead of the whole document.
  • If your printer is not showing up in the dropdown menu, make sure it is turned on and connected to the same network as your computer.

Choosing which pages to print

After you click Print and your printer settings window opens, look for the field labeled Pages. By default it shows "All", which means every page in your document will print. If you only need certain pages, click on that field and type the page numbers you want.

Type a single page number to print just that page: type 3 to print only page 3. Type a range to print multiple pages in order: type 5-10 to print pages 5 through 10. You can also mix single pages and ranges: type 1, 3, 5-7 to print page 1, page 3, and pages 5 through 7. Do not use spaces after the commas — Google Docs will not recognize the format if you do.

The preview on the left side of the window updates as you type, so you can see which pages you have selected before you send anything to the printer. This prevents you from printing pages you do not need and wasting paper.

Adjusting how your document looks when printed

The print preview window shows your document exactly as it will appear on paper. If the text looks too small, the margins look too wide, or pages are breaking in the wrong places, you can make changes before printing. Click the More settings link at the bottom of the preview window to see additional options.

In the expanded settings, you can change the paper size from Letter to Legal, A4, or other sizes. You can also change the orientation from Portrait (tall) to Landscape (wide). If your document has color text or images and you want to save ink, look for the Color dropdown and select Black and white. Google Docs will convert all colors to grayscale before printing.

Margins are controlled differently: you cannot change them from the print window. If your margins are too large or too small, go back to your document, click File, then select Page setup. Adjust the top, bottom, left, and right margins there, then print again. The changes explore only to this document, not to all your future documents.

What to do if your printer is not showing up

If you open the print window and your printer does not appear in the printer dropdown menu, the most common reason is that your printer is turned off or not connected to your network. Turn on your printer and make sure it is connected to the same WiFi network as your computer. Wait about 30 seconds, then refresh the printer dropdown by clicking on it again.

If your printer is on and connected but still does not appear, restart your computer. This forces your computer to rediscover printers on your network. After your computer restarts, open your Google Doc again, press Ctrl+P or Cmd+P, and check the printer dropdown.

If you are using a printer at work or school that requires a login, you may need to add it to your computer first. Ask your IT department or the person who manages your network for the printer's address and setup instructions. Once the printer is added to your computer, it will appear in the Google Docs print window.

Printing to PDF instead of paper

You do not need a physical printer to use the print function in Google Docs. When you press Ctrl+P or Cmd+P and the printer dropdown opens, look for an option that says Save as PDF or Print to file. Select that option instead of choosing a printer.

Google Docs will create a PDF file of your document and read it to your computer. You can then email this PDF, share it with others, or print it later from a different computer. The PDF looks exactly like the print preview you saw — same margins, same page breaks, same formatting.

Saving as PDF is useful when you want to send a document to someone who does not have a Google account, or when you want to preserve the exact appearance of your document without letting others edit it. A PDF file cannot be edited the way a Google Doc can, so it is a good final format for finished work.

Printing documents with tables and images

Documents that contain tables or images sometimes print differently than they appear on your screen. Google Docs may break a table across two pages, or an image may shift to a new page. Always check the print preview before you print — this is where you catch these problems.

If a table or image breaks in a way you do not like, go back to your document and add a page break before it. Click where you want the page break to happen, then press Ctrl+Enter on Windows or Cmd+Enter on Mac. This forces the table or image to start on a fresh page. Then print again and check the preview to see if it looks better.

If an image is too large and is pushing text around, you can resize it in your document. Click on the image, then drag one of the corners to make it smaller. Smaller images take up less space and are less likely to cause unexpected page breaks. Check the print preview again after you resize to make sure the layout works.

Printing shared documents and documents you do not own

You can print a Google Doc even if someone else created it and shared it with you. The print function works exactly the same way: press Ctrl+P or Cmd+P, choose your printer, and click Print. You do not need special permission to print a shared document — if you can view it, you can print it.

If you have editing permission on the document, you can also make temporary changes before printing without affecting the original. For example, you could increase the font size just for printing, then undo the change afterward. The document owner will not see your temporary edits unless you save them.

If you only have viewing permission and cannot edit the document, you can still print it or save it as a PDF. This is useful when someone shares a document with you for reference and you want a paper copy for your records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my printed document look different from what I see on screen?

Google Docs formats documents for screen viewing and paper printing differently. The print preview shows you the actual paper layout before you print, so check that preview carefully. Margins, font sizes, and page breaks may all look different on paper than they do on your screen. If the preview does not look right, make changes to your document and preview again before printing.

Can I print a Google Doc from my phone or tablet?

Yes, but the process is different. On Android, open your document, tap the three-dot menu icon, select Print, then choose your printer. On iPad or iPhone, tap Share and export, then select Print. Both methods work the same way as printing from a computer — you choose your printer and confirm the print job.

What happens if I print a document that is still being edited by someone else?

Google Docs prints the version that was saved at that moment. If someone else is editing the document at the same time you are printing, their changes will not appear in your printed copy. Once you start printing, the document version is locked in and will not change mid-print.

How do I print only the comments or suggestions in a document?

Google Docs does not have a built-in option to print only comments. You can print the document with comments visible by opening the comments panel on the right side before you print, but the comments will print alongside the document text. If you need just the comments, you can copy them manually or take screenshots of the comments panel.

Can I schedule a print job to happen later?

Google Docs does not have a scheduling feature for printing. You must print when ready when you use the print function. If you want to print later, you can save your document as a PDF now, then print the PDF file whenever you are ready.