What the print area does and why you might change it
The print area in Excel is the section of your spreadsheet that actually prints when you hit print. By default, Excel prints everything on your sheet — every row, every column, every cell with data or formatting. If you have a large spreadsheet but only want to print one table, one chart, or a specific range of cells, you set a print area to tell Excel: print only this part.
You might do this because your spreadsheet contains working notes you do not want on paper, or because you have multiple tables on one sheet and only need one printed. You might also set a print area to avoid printing dozens of blank rows at the bottom of your data. Once you set a print area, Excel remembers it — the next time you print, it uses the same boundaries unless you change them.
Key Takeaways
- Select the cells you want to print, then go to Page Layout > Print Area > Set Print Area to lock in those boundaries.
- You can see what will print by opening File > Print Preview before you send anything to the printer.
- To print your whole sheet again after setting a print area, go to Page Layout > Print Area > Clear Print Area.
- If you have multiple tables on one sheet, you can set different print areas for each one and print them separately.
- Print area boundaries stay in place when you save and close the file, so you only have to set them once.
How to select and set a print area in three steps
Start by clicking on the first cell of the range you want to print. If you want to print a table that runs from A1 to D15, click on cell A1. Then hold Shift and click on the last cell you want included — in this case, D15. The entire range will highlight in blue.
Once your range is selected, go to the Page Layout tab at the top of the ribbon. Look for the Print Area button — it is in the middle section of the ribbon. Click the dropdown arrow next to it and select Set Print Area. Excel will now print only the cells you selected.
If you selected the wrong range, you can set a new print area at any time by selecting a different range and repeating the same steps. The new selection replaces the old one. There is no limit to how many times you can change it.
Using Print Preview to check your print area before printing
Before you send anything to the printer, open File at the top left and click Print. The right side of the screen shows a preview of exactly what will print. If your print area is set correctly, you will see only the cells you selected. If the preview shows more or less than you expected, close this screen and adjust your selection.
Print Preview also shows you how many pages your print area will use. If your range is wider than one page, Excel will print it across multiple sheets. If it is taller than one page, it will print down multiple sheets. The preview tells you the page count before you waste paper.
Removing a print area to print the whole sheet again
Once you set a print area, Excel keeps using it every time you print — even after you close and reopen the file. If you later want to print your entire sheet instead, you have to clear the print area first.
Go to Page Layout and click the Print Area dropdown. Select Clear Print Area. Excel will now print everything on the sheet when you print next. You can set a new print area whenever you need one.
Setting multiple print areas for different tables on one sheet
If your spreadsheet has two separate tables and you want to print them at different times, you can set up print areas for each one. Select the first table and set its print area as usual. Later, when you want to print the second table, select it and set a new print area. The second selection replaces the first.
This approach works well if the tables are far apart on the sheet. You avoid printing blank space between them, and you can print whichever table you need without editing the sheet itself. Just remember that only one print area can be active at a time — when you set a new one, the old one disappears.
Adjusting print area boundaries without selecting cells again
If your print area is almost right but includes one extra column or one extra row, you do not have to start over. Go to Page Layout and click the Print Area dropdown. Select Print Area (not Set or Clear — just the option that shows your current range). A small dialog box opens showing the cell range in text form, like $A$1:$D$15.
You can edit this text directly. If you want to remove column D, change $A$1:$D$15 to $A$1:$C$15. If you want to remove the last row, change it to $A$1:$D$14. Click OK and the new boundaries take effect. This is faster than selecting the range again with your mouse, especially if the range is large.
Print area and page breaks — how they work together
Excel has two separate tools: print area (what to print) and page breaks (where to split pages). They work independently. You can set a print area without touching page breaks, and you can add page breaks without changing your print area.
If your print area is wider than one page, Excel automatically breaks it across multiple pages. You can control where those breaks happen by going to Page Layout and clicking Breaks, then Insert Page Break. This is useful if your table has a natural dividing line — like a subtotal row — and you want each section on its own page. The page break respects your print area boundaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does setting a print area change what I see on screen?
No. The print area only affects what prints. Your spreadsheet looks the same on screen whether a print area is set or not. You can work normally, edit cells, and add data. The print area stays in the background until you print.
Can I print just one column from a large spreadsheet?
Yes. Select the entire column by clicking its letter at the top (like "C"), then set the print area. Excel will print only that column. If the column is very long, it will print across multiple pages vertically, but only that one column horizontally.
What happens if I delete cells inside my print area?
The print area boundaries stay the same. If you delete a row or column inside the range, the print area shrinks to fit the remaining cells. If you delete everything inside the print area, it will print blank cells. You can clear the print area and set a new one if needed.
Can I set a print area that is not a rectangle?
No. Print areas must be rectangular — one continuous block of cells. If you need to print two separate tables, set the print area to include both with the blank space between them, or print each table separately by changing the print area each time.
Does the print area save with my file?
Yes. When you save your spreadsheet, Excel saves the print area boundaries too. The next time you open the file and print, it will use the same print area unless you clear it or set a new one.