Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Printing Reversed Images.

Printing Reversed Images

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 3, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

There may be times when you need to print your document as a "negative." This means that everything is printed the opposite of what it was when created: black is printed as white, and white areas are printed as black. This is particularly helpful if you are doing camera work with your output. Other times you may need to print a mirror image of your output, which is helpful if you are creating output for phototransfer processes or for silkscreening. There are a couple of ways you can create negative output, and all of them have to do with your printer driver. Finding the right combination of commands to do the trick may take a little digging, and it may vary depending on the type of printer you have. We use an old HP LaserJet 4MV, and we use the PostScript driver for the printer. These steps work for us:

Press Ctrl+P. Word displays the Print dialog box.
In the Name field, select the printer you want to use for your output. (This obviously only applies if you have more than one printer driver installed.)
Click on the Properties button. Word displays the Properties dialog box for your selected printer driver.
Scroll through the properties categories and expand the PostScript Options group by double-clicking on it.
To enable mirrored output, click on the Mirrored Output option and then click the On radio button at the bottom of the dialog box.
To enable negative output, click on the Negative Output option and then click the On radio button at the bottom of the dialog box.
Click OK to close the Properties dialog box.
Print your document as normal.

Once these settings are changed, they remain changed until you explicitly change them back. In reality, the steps you follow don't really matter that much. What matters is the capabilities of your printer. You need to display the Properties dialog box for your printer driver (steps 1 through 3, above) and then find the controls in the dialog box that control the negative and mirror imaging. If you can't find any such controls, then chances are good that your printer won't handle doing reversed images and you may need to use a different printer.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (459) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Printing Reversed Images.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Where is Toolbar Customization Information Stored?

When you make a change to one of Excel's toolbars, do you know where that change is stored? This tip explains the name ...

Discover More

When Excel Starts, Nothing Shows

When you start up Excel, you should eventually see a blank workbook, ready for you to work with. If you don't, if you see ...

Discover More

Keeping Documents at a Single-Page View

Word allows you to display either a single page at a time or, with larger monitors, multiple pages. If Word displays your ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Printing AutoCorrect Entries

If you want to print a list of all the AutoCorrect entries in your document, Word doesn't provide a method. You can use ...

Discover More

Adding a Diagonal Watermark with a PostScript Printer

If you have a printer that understands PostScript, you can add your own watermark to each printed page. This tip ...

Discover More

Understanding Background Printing

We click the button to print our document and seldom think of what is happening behind the scenes. Word prints documents, ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is three more than 2?

2021-11-18 06:31:25

cam

Thank you so much for your advice! I've managed to print transfers for t-shirts for a protest thanks to you! Great work!

2020-11-14 21:55:49

Robert Johnson

I have a different question about inverted printing. I have been using the Microsoft translation app for iPhone to scan and translate a German technical manual. It works well until I print. It will only print the translation inverted. It prints the German text normally.

2015-02-16 10:18:07

John Polasek

Remember that all the white areas will print as black, so with a lot of white in the picture you could use up as much as 20 or 50 pages of normal printing.
We photocopied a check, open air, and used up a good part of a cartridge painting the rest of the page black. (It should have been backed up with the white cover.)

2015-02-15 12:21:35

Sandra Gey

I tried to print a mirror image for my HP Office Jet 4500 from Word and the tip you gave me, doesn't exist. There are no properties that list mirror image. Any other solutions?

Thanks,

san

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.