Page Layout and Printing in Microsoft Excel 2016

Sometimes you may need to print your Excel workbook to share it with others or keep a hard copy for your records. Before printing, it’s a good idea to set up your page layout properly. Microsoft Excel 2016 provides several easy tools to help you adjust how your worksheet will appear on paper. Let’s walk through how to use them effectively.

Why Page Layout Matters

Page layout ensures your spreadsheet looks professional when printed. Without proper setup, your data might be cut off, misaligned, or stretched across multiple pages. Adjusting layout settings helps you fit everything neatly on a page.

Accessing the Print Pane

To start printing or changing page layout options, you’ll need to open the Print pane.

• Click the File tab to open the Backstage view.
• Select Print to open the Print pane.

Here you’ll find all options for printing and previewing your workbook.

Main Printing Options

• Copies: Choose how many copies you want to print.
• Printer: Select your desired printer.
• Print Range: Choose to print the active sheet, entire workbook, or a selected area.
• Orientation: Switch between Portrait and Landscape.
• Paper Size: Choose from A4, Letter, or other supported sizes.
• Scaling: Fit your data to one page or multiple pages.
• Preview Pane: See how your worksheet will look when printed.

How to Print a Workbook in Excel 2016

Once you’re in the Print pane, follow these steps:

1. Choose your printer from the drop-down list.
2. Enter the number of copies.
3. Adjust settings like orientation or scaling if needed.
4. Click Print to start printing.

Choosing What to Print

You can print the entire workbook or just a part of it:

• Active Sheets: Prints only the currently selected worksheets.
• Entire Workbook: Prints every worksheet in your file.
• Selection: Prints only the selected cells.

If you often print only part of your sheet, set a Print Area to make it faster next time:

• Select the cells you want to print.
• Go to Page Layout > Print Area > Set Print Area.

Adjusting the Page Layout Before Printing

1. Change Page Orientation

Switch between Portrait (vertical) and Landscape (horizontal) based on your data.

Go to Page Layout > Orientation and select the one that fits your sheet best.

2. Modify Margins

Margins define how much white space appears around your content. You can use presets or create custom margins.

Go to Page Layout > Margins and pick from Normal, Wide, or Narrow. To customize, choose Custom Margins.

3. Fit Data on One Page

If your worksheet is too wide or long, Excel can scale it to fit on one page:

• Go to Page Layout > Scale to Fit.
• Set Width and Height to “1 page”.

4. Add Print Titles

If your table spans multiple pages, you can repeat column or row headers on each page:

• Go to Page Layout > Print Titles.
• In the Page Setup box, choose rows or columns to repeat on every page.

5. Adjust Page Breaks

To see where Excel will divide your pages:

• Go to the View tab and click Page Break Preview.
• Drag the blue lines to adjust where each page begins and ends.

6. Preview Before Printing

Always review your layout before hitting Print:

• Click File > Print.
• Use the arrows under the preview to navigate between pages.
• Make any adjustments if something doesn’t look right.

5 FAQs of Page Layout and Printing in Microsoft Excel 2016

Conclusion

Page layout and printing in Microsoft Excel 2016 are simple once you know where to look. With tools like margins, orientation, scaling, and print areas, you can make your worksheet look clean and professional on paper. Always preview before printing to save time, ink, and paper.