Previewing Before You Print

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 22, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Word has a very useful function that allows you to see what your printed output will look like before you actually print. This is called print previewing, and it is done in the following manner:

Place the insertion point on the page you wish to preview.
Choose Print Preview from the File menu or click on the Print Preview tool on the toolbar.

You can move around while in Print Preview mode by using the PgUp and PgDn keys. Print Preview mode differs from the other viewing modes of Word in that it shows an exact representation of what your printed output will look like. The other viewing modes only provide different levels of approximation.

When you are done viewing your document in Print Preview mode, and you decide you don't want to print it, you can exit Print Preview by either of these methods:

Press Esc.
Click on the Close button on the Print Preview toolbar.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1383) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

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

Changing the Startup Directory

When you start Word, it makes an assumption about where your documents are stored. If you want to force Word to change ...

Discover More

Determining the Day of the Month

Want to figure out the day of the month represented by a particular date? You can use the Day function in VBA to get the ...

Discover More

Functions that Can Access Closed Workbooks

When creating a workbook, you can include formulas that reference data stored in other workbooks. Some functions will ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

Printing without Footnotes

Want to print your document without all those footnotes included? It's not quite as easy as you might think, as this tip ...

Discover More

Duplex by Default

Many printers these days have the capability to print on both sides of a piece of paper. You may want Word to use this ...

Discover More

Printing Odd or Even Pages

You can instruct Word, when printing your document, to print only the odd- or even-numbered pages. This tip explains how ...

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 six minus 6?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

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.