How to Fix Printing Issues on Microsoft Word

Are you experiencing printing issues on Microsoft Word?

Besides processing documents, users can also print their files directly from Microsoft Word. This makes our work easier since we don’t need to use a separate application or software for printing. 

While this is a very handy feature implemented across all Microsoft Office apps, it does not work all the time properly. If you are reading this, we can assume that you’re experiencing printing issues on Microsoft Word. 

Depending on the situation, printing issues on Word can be due to improper printer settings, third-party apps, outdated drivers, or corrupted data. 

On the other hand, problems with your document could also cause printing issues. 

In this guide, we will show you what to do if you experience printing issues on Microsoft Word. 

Let’s begin!

1. Restart Your System. 

If the print function on Microsoft Word is not working right, it might indicate a problem with your system. Due to this, we suggest restarting your computer first to ensure that the issue is not caused by a temporary bug or glitch. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. First, press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start Menu. 
2. After that, access the Power Options tab. 
3. Lastly, choose Restart and wait for your system to reboot. 

Go back to Microsoft Word afterward to check if you can now print your documents. 

2. Try Other Documents. 

Another way to identify where the issue is with your system or the document you are trying to print is to print another document. If other documents are printing without issues, it means that the issue is with the file you initially printed. 

On the other hand, the problem lies within your system if all Microsoft Word documents are not printing correctly. 

3. Convert Document to PDF. 

If your Microsoft Word documents are not printing properly, you can try converting them to PDF before printing. Although this process can change some formatting on your document, it is an effective way of solving printing issues on Microsoft Word. 

You can use any tool or software to change your .doc file to PDF. Microsoft Word also has a built-in tool that lets you save your files as PDF. 

4. Update Printer Drivers. 

You can also try updating your printer drivers if you encounter printing issues on Microsoft Word. Drivers are a crucial part of Windows, and your hardware won’t function correctly if they are outdated or broken. 

See the steps below to update your drivers: 

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows + X keys to open the Quick Menu. 
2. Now, click on Device Manager. 
3. Locate the Printers tab and expand it. 
4. Finally, right-click on the printer you are using and choose Update Driver. 

Restart your system after the update to apply the changes and see if you can now print your MS Word files. 

5. Update Windows. 

If updating your drivers wasn’t enough, you can try updating your operating system. There might be an issue with the version of Windows you are using, causing your printer or MS Word to malfunction. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. Access Windows Settings by pressing the Windows + I keys on your keyboard. 
2. Next, go to Update & Security. 
3. Finally, click on Windows Update and choose the Check for Updates option. 

After the update, reboot your system to apply the changes. Go back to Microsoft Word to check if the problem is solved. 

6. Update Microsoft Word. 

The version of Microsoft Word you are using might have an issue related to printing. To rule this out, we recommend updating the software to the latest version to patch potential bugs and glitches. 

See the steps below to update Word: 

1. First, go to File > Accounts. 
2. After that, click on Update Options. 
3. Lastly, choose Update Now and follow the prompts. 

Go back to your document after the update and try printing it again. 

7. Check Your Print Options. 

The scaled printing option only prints a fraction of your document’s actual size, which takes up only a small portion of the paper. If you are experiencing this problem, check your print options and ensure that normal-size is selected under page layout. 

Follow the guide below to change your configurations: 

1. On your computer, launch Microsoft Word and open your document. 
2. Next, go to File > Print. 
3. Click on Printer Properties under your Printer. 
4. Finally, go to the Page Setup tab and ensure that ‘Normal–Size’ is selected under the Page Layout tab. 

Save the changes and try printing your document again. 

That ends our guide on how to fix printing issues on Microsoft Word. If you have other concerns, please drop a comment below, and we’ll do our best to answer them. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂