Getting a document onto paper, or into a format that looks the same on every computer, is the last step of most jobs in Word. By the end of this page you will be comfortable using Print Preview, adjusting copies and pages, and saving a document as a PDF.
Pressing Ctrl+P opens the Print screen, which shows a large preview of exactly how your document will look on paper alongside a column of settings on the left - printer choice, number of copies, and which pages to include. It is worth glancing at this preview every time, since it often reveals a page cut off oddly or a picture sitting further right than expected.
The Copies box lets you print more than one copy in a single go, and the Pages box, usually left blank to mean all pages, can be typed into to print only a range, such as 2-4 for pages two through four, or specific pages separated by commas.
- Opens the print settings
- Preview and copies, pages, printer
Try it yourself
Press Ctrl+P to open the Print screen.
This shows a full preview and the print settings together, without committing to printing anything yet.
Change the number in the Copies box to 2.
This tells the printer to produce two copies of the whole document in one instruction, rather than printing twice separately.
Click into the Pages box and type 1 to print only the first page.
This is useful for reprinting a single corrected page rather than the whole document again.
Click the arrow at the bottom of the preview to look at page two, if there is one.
Checking each page in the preview catches layout problems, such as an image spilling onto an extra page, before any paper is used.
To turn a document into a PDF rather than printing it on paper, go to File, then Save As Adobe PDF, choose PDF from the file type list, and save. On some versions of Word, File > Export offers Create PDF/XPS Document as a slightly more direct route, but both end up producing the same kind of file.
Try it yourself: saving as PDF
Go to File, then Save a Copy or Save As, and choose a location to save to.
This opens the usual save window, where you can also choose the type of file to create.
Click the Save as Type box and choose PDF from the list.
This tells Word to convert the document into a PDF file rather than saving it as an editable Word document.
Click Save, then open the resulting file to check it.
Confirming the PDF opened correctly and looks right means you can send it on with confidence.
Words people use
Whether a document is heading to a printer or into someone else's inbox, a quick check in Print Preview and a considered choice between printing and saving as a PDF will save reprints, resends and the occasional oddly cut-off page.
Check yourself
If you can say yes to each of these, you are ready for the next lesson.
- I can open Print Preview with Ctrl+P before printing anything
- I can set the number of copies and a page range
- I can save a Word document as a PDF
- I understand why a PDF looks the same on any computer, unlike a Word document