Introduction
We all have been there at some point: trying to print an important Microsoft Word document, only to find that it won’t print correctly. Be it formatting issues, missing text, or blank pages, such problems can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are several ways to fix Word documents not printing properly, and most of them are pretty simple to implement. In this blog, we will walk you through five effective solutions that help solve the problem so that your Word documents print perfectly the next time.
1. Check Printer Settings for Word Documents
Most likely, improper settings for Word documents are the primary reasons the Word documents do not print correctly. In some cases, such settings are not compatible with the document’s layout. Consequently, it can lead to an improperly aligned or distorted printing of the document.
Solution
Open the document in Microsoft Word click on the “File” tab and hit “Print.”
Click the Printer dropdown menu and ensure the correct printer has been selected.
Check Page Setup so that it is matched with the printer settings for page size and paper size.
At times you will need to adjust the orientation and margins to fit the document layout
– At last, preview your print so that you are certain it is correct before you do the final step and print.
With matched printer settings for Word documents against your documents’ layout, you would avoid most problems to be mentioned in printing.
2. Updating or Re-installing Printer Driver
Your driver may be outdated or even damaged. These ensure that your printer and computer exchange information with one another. They can become dysfunctional if outdated, corrupted, and so forth
Visit your printer manufacturer’s website and search for drivers.
Download the latest update relevant to your model
After installing, power down your computer, then attempt to print your word document
If even the update can’t get it right with this, remove the printer drivers and reinstall
Updating and reinstalling printer drivers is a pretty easy step that one can take to rectify the problem of not printing correctly by Word.
3. Check Paper Size and Format Issues
Inappropriate paper size settings in Microsoft Word or in the printer setting can cause prints to be partially cut. Sometimes, the paper size used by the document does not correspond to the size of the paper placed in your paper tray in your printer; therefore, your Word documents are printed mistakenly.
Solution:
Ensure the paper size in the Word under the “Page Layout” or “Layout” tab corresponds to the size of the paper placed in your printer.
– Check the printer settings to make sure the paper size is correct. For example, if you’re printing a document designed for letter-sized paper, make sure your printer is set to print on letter-sized paper.
– If necessary, check the paper size on both Word and your computer’s printer properties before printing.
Whether the paper size is appropriate for your document format; it is such a simple step to Fix Word Documents Not Printing.
4. Empty the Print Queue
Perhaps, sometimes, there would be a sticky print job, and incomplete documents in the queue might prevent the successful printing of the Word document. A stuck-up printer or error in the printing queue would disallow the printer to carry new print jobs on.
Remedy:
Open “Printers & Scanners” or “Devices and Printers.”.
Find your printer, right-click on it, and select “See what’s printing.”.
Remove the listed queued and hung print jobs
Print the document in MS Word once after the list was removed from the queue.
Clearing the print queue may solve problems created by the presence of pending jobs and ensure your Word document prints without interference.
5. Disable or Change Antivirus or Firewall Settings
Sometimes, antivirus or firewall settings may cause interference while trying to print since the software could be blocking processes related to your printer.
Solution:
– Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall software and attempt to print the document.
– If the document prints successfully, add your printer software and Microsoft Word to the exception list in your antivirus or firewall settings.
– After you have ensured that the printer and Word are trusted applications, you can enable your antivirus or firewall.
Disable or change antivirus or firewall settings to help you Fix Word Documents Not Printing if the software is preventing the printer from working.
Conclusion
Make sure you know what’s wrong at play for the problem you’re experiencing when trying to print your Microsoft Word documents. It might just be a printer setting misconfiguration for Word documents; others have old drivers, paper size problems, or the print queue just isn’t cooperating. Here are five solutions to help you troubleshoot some of the most common printing problems. Follow these steps to ensure that your Word documents print correctly and efficiently.
If the problem still exists even after troubleshooting, contact the support group of the manufacturer or determine if the printer driver or Microsoft Word needs to be updated.