I tried everything. The one that worked for me was switching out of S mode in a new user account. Thanks!

  • Corrupted Excel files, faulty add-ins, and outdated printer drivers are some of the most common causes of this issue.
  • Try printing another Excel file to ensure the issue is not limited to a specific spreadsheet.
  • You can try running the Microsoft Office repair tool if nothing else works.

Fix 1: Save Your Excel File in XPS Format and Try Again

If Excel can’t respond to print requests, save your file in the XPS format and try again. Several users on Microsoft Community post reported fixing the issue with this simple workaround. So, if you’re in a rush, try this method.

Step 1: Open the Excel file you wish to print and click the File menu at the top left corner.

Excel File Menu - 1

Step 2: Navigate to the Print tab and use the drop-down menu under Printer to select Microsoft XPS Document Writer . Then, click the Print button.

Excel Print Tab - 2

Step 3: When the Save Print Output As dialog appears, save your Excel file in the XPS format. It should print without issues.

Save File in XPS Format - 3

Fix 2: Open Excel in Safe Mode

You can try printing an Excel file in safe mode to see if one of the third-party add-ins is causing the problem. For that, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type excel -safe in the box and press Enter .

Check to see if Excel prints your file in safe mode. If it does, one of the third-party add-ins is to blame. You can disable all add-ins and re-enable them individually to isolate the culprit.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Excel and go to File > Options .

Excel Options Menu - 4

Step 2: In the Excel Options window, switch to the Add-ins tab from the left column. Select COM Add-ins in the Manage drop-down menu and click the Go button.

Excel Options - 5

Step 3: Uncheck all the Add-ins and click OK .

Disable Excel Add-ins - 6

After this, restart Excel and enable your add-ins one at a time. Print a test page after enabling each add-in to identify the one causing the issue.

Fix 3: Update Printer Driver

Issues with your printer driver can affect Excel’s ability to print spreadsheets and lead to problems. To avoid this, you should ensure that your printer driver is up to date and functioning properly.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Device Manager from the menu that appears.

Open Device Manager on Windows - 7

Step 2: Double-click on Print queues to expand it. Right-click on your printer and select Update driver .

Update Printer Driver on Windows - 8

Follow the on-screen prompts to finish updating the printer drivers. After that, try printing your file again.

Fix 4: Remove and Reinstall Your Printer

If Microsoft Excel still can’t print, try removing your printer and re-adding it on Windows. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.

Step 2: Select Bluetooth & devices from the left sidebar and go to Printers & scanners .

Printers and Scanners on Windows 11 - 9

Step 3: Select your printer from the list.

Printer List on Windows - 10

Step 4: Click the Remove button at the top to delete your printer.

Remove Printer from Windows 11 - 11

Step 5: After that, return to the Printers & scanners menu and click on Add device . Then, follow the on-screen prompts to add your printer again.

Add Printer on Windows - 12

Fix 5: Repair Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office offers a handy repair tool for any issues with Office apps. If nothing else works, consider repairing Microsoft Office by following the steps below.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Installed apps from the list.

Step 2: Scroll down to locate the Microsoft Office product on the list. Click the three-dot menu icon next to it and select Modify .

Modify Microsoft Office on Windows 11 - 13

Step 3: Select Online Repair and hit Repair .

Repair Office Apps - 14

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  • PowerPoint presentations are printable, which makes it easy to hand copies of slides out as references or learning aids.
  • Problems with PowerPoint not printing properly can occur when the slides won’t print or the printed version doesn’t seem to match the on-screen quality.
  • Ways to fix these problems include configuring your printer settings correctly, converting the presentation to a PDF, and changing the slide size.

Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly by Configuring Printer Settings

Before starting any of these fixes, check the following:

  • Your printer is turned on
  • It’s connected to the same wireless network as your computer
  • It has ink and all the cables are connected properly

Step 1. Open up the PowerPoint presentation you want to print and click File at the top of the window.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 1 - 15

Step 2. Click Options at the bottom left.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 2 - 16

Step 3. Click Advanced and scroll down until you see the Print options.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 3 - 17

Step 4. Click your preferred options. For example, if some text was printing poorly — it may look blurred or out of focus — tick the Print TrueType fonts as graphics option. Similarly, ticking Align transparent graphics at printer resolution ensures everything on the page is printed at the same quality.

Note: Printing in higher quality takes longer and can slow the performance of PowerPoint. Wait for your printing to finish before you start working on PowerPoint again.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 4 - 18

Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly by Converting Presentations to PDFs

Step 1. If you’re having problems with PowerPoint not printing properly, try converting the whole presentation to a PDF. Begin by opening up your presentation and clicking File, like before. If you have a premium Adobe subscription, just click Save as Adobe PDF.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 5 - 19

Step 2. Choose a location to save your new PDF and click Save.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 6 - 20

Step 3. If you don’t have an Adobe subscription, you can still create a PDF. Instead of clicking Save as Adobe PDF, click Export.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 7 - 21

Step 4. Choose the second option down: Create PDF/XPS Document.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 8 - 22

Step 5. Choose where to save the new PDF file, give it a name, and click Publish. Tip: You’ll notice two “Optimize for” options. Make sure you choose Standard, as it’s optimized for better printing.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 9 - 23

Step 6. The presentation will now automatically open as a PDF allowing you to print it using the icon at the top left.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 10 - 24

Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly by Adjusting the Slide Size

Step 1. Sometimes, your slides may be in an extended or widescreen mode. If you notice that the printed presentation is chopping some of the slide content off, this could be the problem. Start by opening your PowerPoint presentation and clicking Design at the top.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 11 - 25

Step 2. Look for Slide Size, which you’ll find to the right near the top.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 12 - 26

Step 3. Click the dropdown arrow next to Slide Size and you’ll see two options: Standard and Widescreen.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 13 - 27

Step 4. Try switching to Standard instead of Widescreen and you should receive a prompt asking if you want to maximize your content or scale it down to fit.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 14 - 28

Step 5. Click Ensure Fit to make sure everything fits properly on the new slide size. You should check through the presentation to ensure everything has scaled correctly. For example, on this slide, you can see that some text needs adjusting to ensure it’s all on one line.

Ways to Fix PowerPoint Not Printing Properly 15 - 29

Now, when you print your presentation, everything should be neatly on the page and no print cropping should occur.

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