How to Print Excel: Set Up and Print a Worksheet

You can print an entire worksheet, a selected range, or a whole workbook. Before starting, save your changes and make sure a printer is connected or available through your computer. The exact names or locations of Excel menus can differ slightly by version, but the print preview and print settings follow the same basic process.

What You’ll Need

An Excel workbook with the data you want to print.
A connected printer with paper and any required supplies, or access to a print-to-PDF option.
The correct printer selected in your computer’s print settings.

Step-by-Step

Open and save the workbook. Open the Excel file and save any recent edits. If you need only part of a sheet, identify the exact cells or range before changing print settings.
Choose what to print. To print one sheet, select its worksheet tab. To print only certain cells, select the range with your pointer. To print every sheet in the workbook, you can choose the workbook option in the print settings; check carefully, since this may produce many pages.
Open Print. Select File > Print, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+P on Windows or Command+P on Mac. Menu paths and shortcut behavior may differ slightly by Excel version or operating system. Excel opens a preview alongside print options.
Set the print scope. In the settings, choose whether to print the active sheet, the whole workbook, or the selection. If you selected cells, choose the option for printing the selection. Confirm that the preview shows the intended content and not unrelated sheets or cells.
Check page layout and scaling. Choose portrait or landscape orientation, the paper size that matches the printer, and suitable margins. If columns spill onto another page, try landscape or a scaling option such as fitting all columns on one page. Avoid shrinking text so much that it becomes hard to read.
Review the preview and page range. Use the preview’s page controls to inspect every page, including the last one. Check for cut-off columns, unwanted blank pages, tiny text, and repeated headings if the table spans several pages. Set the page range or number of copies if needed.
Print or save as a PDF. Select the intended printer, confirm the settings, and click Print. If you do not need a paper copy, select a PDF printer or Excel’s PDF export option, then choose a file name and save location. Menu labels may vary slightly by version.

Common Mistakes

Printing the wrong scope: Excel may print the active sheet when you meant to print selected cells, or the entire workbook when you meant one sheet. Check the print-scope setting before sending the job.
Ignoring page breaks: A worksheet that looks fine on screen can split a table across pages. Review all preview pages and adjust orientation, margins, scaling, or page breaks.
Choosing the wrong paper size: If Excel is set to a different size from the paper loaded in the printer, content may shift or scale unexpectedly. Match the paper size in Excel and in the printer’s preferences.
Making the sheet too small: Fitting a wide worksheet onto one page can make its text unreadable. Prefer fitting columns to one page while allowing rows to continue onto additional pages, when that suits the document.
Forgetting hidden or empty areas: Hidden rows and columns generally do not print, while formatting far below or to the right of your data can sometimes create extra pages. Inspect the preview and clear unwanted print areas or formatting if necessary.

Tips

Use Print Preview as the final check rather than relying on how the worksheet looks on screen.
For a wide table, landscape orientation often gives columns more room. For a long list, portrait may be easier to read.
If a report has headings on multiple pages, look for Excel’s print-title or rows-to-repeat settings. The exact menu path varies by version; set these only when you need recurring headers.
Use page breaks to control where a report continues. In Excel, the page-break view can help you see and adjust how the worksheet is divided.
For a clean handout, consider hiding gridlines or adding borders to the cells you want separated. Check the preview because worksheet gridlines may not print by default.
Save a PDF when you want to check the layout, share a fixed copy, or keep a record without using paper.

Troubleshooting

Nothing prints: Check that the printer is powered on, connected, has paper, and is selected in Excel’s printer list. If it is not available, check your computer’s printer settings or try saving the workbook as a PDF.

Pages are blank or contain unexpected content: Recheck the selected range and print scope. Clear an accidental print area, or select the intended cells and choose the selection option. Also look for formatted cells far beyond the visible data.

Columns or text are cut off: Return to Print Preview. Try landscape orientation, narrower margins, a suitable paper size, or a scaling setting that fits columns across the page. If the result is too small, use more pages instead of forcing the entire sheet onto one.

The printout differs from the preview: Check the printer’s own preferences for paper size, orientation, and scaling, and make sure they agree with Excel’s settings. Printer drivers and device options can affect the final output.

Excel prints too many pages: Set a narrower print area or select only the required range. Remove unnecessary formatting beyond the data, then check the page count in preview before printing again.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I print only selected cells in Excel?

Select the cells, open File > Print, and choose the setting for printing the selection. Confirm that the preview contains only those cells before printing.

How do I print an Excel sheet on one page?

In Print settings, choose a scaling option that fits the sheet to one page. For wide data, fitting all columns to one page while allowing multiple pages tall usually keeps text more readable than shrinking everything to a single page.

How do I print an Excel spreadsheet without gridlines?

In the page layout or sheet options, turn off the setting to print gridlines, if it is enabled. The menu path varies slightly by version. You can also use cell borders when you want visible divisions.

Can I print an Excel workbook as a PDF?

Yes. Choose a PDF printer in the print dialog or use Excel’s PDF export option, then select where to save the file. Review the PDF or print preview to confirm the page layout.

Why does Excel show a blank page in print preview?

A print area or formatting may extend beyond the visible data, or a page break may create an extra page. Check the selected range, clear any unwanted print area, and inspect the worksheet in page-break view.

Sources: Microsoft Support. Menus and buttons can differ slightly by version. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.