Basic Fixes

  • Restart MS Word: If Word is not printing a document or takes forever to do so, try restarting the app. This will refresh the app and may get rid of the bug that was affecting it.
  • Restart Printer: If there’s a connectivity issue with your PC, restarting your printer may help. This establishes a fresh bridge between your PC and the printer.
  • Check network connection for wireless printing: If you’re using a wireless printer, ensure you’re not facing any issues with your internet.
  • Run one print job at a time: Ensure you have one active printing job at a time. Trying to print multiple documents at once can deplete available memory and CPU for MS Word.

Fix 1: Restart Printer Spool Service

The print spooler, a Windows service managing print jobs, can face problems such as corrupted jobs or errors, affecting printing. Restarting the spooler clears stuck print jobs, enabling new ones to proceed, and resets the spooler, eliminating temporary issues.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run menu. Type services.msc and hit the Enter key.

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Step 2: It will open the Services menu. Scroll down to Print Spooler . Right-click on it and open the Properties from the context menu.

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Step 3: Select Automatic from the Startup type menu and ensure it shows the running service status.

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Fix 2: Re-Install Printer Drivers

If the drivers installed on your PC are faulty, it may affect printing jobs within apps. Therefore, try reinstalling the printer drivers on your PC. This will install a fresh version of drivers that may be free from bugs or corrupted components.

Step 1: Open Device Manager from the Start menu.

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Step 2: Expand Print queues . Right-click on your printer from the list.

Step 2: Select Uninstall device from the context menu.

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Step 5: Close the Device Manager menu and restart the PC.

Your computer will install the required printer drivers during the reboot process.

Fix 3: Remove and Add the Printer

If the printer and its related components are not installed correctly on your PC, you may have issues printing documents. Therefore, try removing the printer from your PC and adding it once again.

Step 1: Open the Settings menu on Windows. Select Bluetooth & devices from the left sidebar. Select Printers & scanners from the right pane.

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Step 2: Open your printer from the list of devices. Select Remove from the following menu.

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Step 3: Now, go back to the Printers & scanners menu and select Add device . Connect your printer and wait for your PC to recognize it.

Fix 4: Export the Document as PDF and Print

If Microsoft Word stops responding when printing, you can move out of the environment and print it externally. You can do so by exporting the document as a PDF and printing the document.

To export the document, click File > Export and select the PDF option. Then, select a destination of your choice to save the document.

Open the saved PDF and try printing the same.

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Also Read : Fix printer on Windows keeps printing landscape instead of portrait

Fix 5: Repair Microsoft Office

If Microsoft Office has a bug and Word does not respond when you print, try repairing the app. Your PC can help detect problems with Microsoft Word and quickly fix them.

Step 1: Open the Settings app. Click on Apps in the sidebar and go to Apps & features .

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Step 2: Scroll down to find Microsoft Office > click on the three dots next to it > click on Modify .

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Step 3: Use the options to repair Microsoft Office and click on Repair . You can repair and fix the issues affecting it.

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If none of the above methods work, upload the Word document to Google Docs or Microsoft Office online and print it.

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  • Be sure to print in portrait mode instead of landscape mode by updating the printing preference.
  • Paper size selection is important and should match the size of the physical paper.
  • Adding the printer back to Windows can resolve the issue that prevented the printer from using the proper orientation.

1. Change the Default Orientation on the Printer Properties

Step 1: Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to launch the Settings app.

Step 2: On the left pane, click Bluetooth & devices , and on the right, click Printers & scanners and select the printer you want to fix.

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Step 3: Click Printing preferences to open the printer’s configuration window.

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Step 4: Select Portrait from the Orientation drop-down list, then click Apply and OK .

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2. Change Orientation in Page Setup

You can make specific changes to the application or document you want to print from. For example, if you are trying to print from Microsoft Word, change the page orientation before printing, which will reflect when you print the page.

Step 1: Click the Layout section in the Word document, expand Orientation , and select Portrait .

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Step 2: Proceed to print the document. It should automatically choose the orientation based on the document layout.

3. Change Layout in Print Setup

If you cannot change the orientation from the app as you would on a word processor, switch to Portrait on the print setup page before printing the document, as shown below.

Step 1: Press the Control + P keyboard shortcut to initiate the print process. This should open the print setup page.

Step 2: Under the Layout section, select Portrait > Print .

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4. Check for and Correct Page Size Mismatch

One reason your printer prints landscape instead of portrait is a page mismatch. That means the printer may expect A4 paper even though you have loaded A5 sheets.

Go to Print Setup > expand More settings > select a matching Paper size > click Print .

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5. Confirm Network Printer Settings Are Not Overriding Local Settings

This solution will apply if you are connected to a network printer. If the network printer has a set of print preferences different from what you want, you may need to contact the administrator to resolve the issue. Alternatively, switch to a local printer to perform the print job.

6. Re-Add the Printer to Windows

You can fix this problem by removing the printer from your computer and re-adding it. This is a valid fix because when the computer is re-added, it comes with a default set of configurations, and any misconfiguration that caused the problem would be removed.

Step 1: Go to the Printers & scanners in the Windows Settings app.

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Step 2: Select the problematic printer and click on Remove .

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Step 3: Restart the computer and return to Printers & scanners .

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Step 4: Click Add Device and follow the wizard to complete the process. The issue should be resolved.

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7. Factory Reset the Printer

If your printer keeps printing sideways or landscape, resetting it to factory settings can resolve the problem. A factory reset reconfigures all printer settings and restores them to default. The procedures for performing a factory reset vary depending on the printer brand. For instructions on properly executing this operation on your printer, consult your user manual.

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Basic Fixes

  • Restart MS Word: If Word is not printing a document or takes forever to do so, try restarting the app. This will refresh the app and may get rid of the bug that was affecting it.
  • Restart Printer: If there’s a connectivity issue with your PC, restarting your printer may help. This establishes a fresh bridge between your PC and the printer.
  • Check network connection for wireless printing: If you’re using a wireless printer, ensure you’re not facing any issues with your internet.
  • Run one print job at a time: Ensure you have one active printing job at a time. Trying to print multiple documents at once can deplete available memory and CPU for MS Word.

Fix 1: Restart Printer Spool Service

The print spooler, a Windows service managing print jobs, can face problems such as corrupted jobs or errors, affecting printing. Restarting the spooler clears stuck print jobs, enabling new ones to proceed, and resets the spooler, eliminating temporary issues.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run menu. Type services.msc and hit the Enter key.

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Step 2: It will open the Services menu. Scroll down to Print Spooler . Right-click on it and open the Properties from the context menu.

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Step 3: Select Automatic from the Startup type menu and ensure it shows the running service status.

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Fix 2: Re-Install Printer Drivers

If the drivers installed on your PC are faulty, it may affect printing jobs within apps. Therefore, try reinstalling the printer drivers on your PC. This will install a fresh version of drivers that may be free from bugs or corrupted components.

Step 1: Open Device Manager from the Start menu.

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Step 2: Expand Print queues . Right-click on your printer from the list.

Step 2: Select Uninstall device from the context menu.

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Step 5: Close the Device Manager menu and restart the PC.

Your computer will install the required printer drivers during the reboot process.

Fix 3: Remove and Add the Printer

If the printer and its related components are not installed correctly on your PC, you may have issues printing documents. Therefore, try removing the printer from your PC and adding it once again.

Step 1: Open the Settings menu on Windows. Select Bluetooth & devices from the left sidebar. Select Printers & scanners from the right pane.

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Step 2: Open your printer from the list of devices. Select Remove from the following menu.

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Step 3: Now, go back to the Printers & scanners menu and select Add device . Connect your printer and wait for your PC to recognize it.

Fix 4: Export the Document as PDF and Print

If Microsoft Word stops responding when printing, you can move out of the environment and print it externally. You can do so by exporting the document as a PDF and printing the document.

To export the document, click File > Export and select the PDF option. Then, select a destination of your choice to save the document.

Open the saved PDF and try printing the same.

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Also Read : Fix printer on Windows keeps printing landscape instead of portrait

Fix 5: Repair Microsoft Office

If Microsoft Office has a bug and Word does not respond when you print, try repairing the app. Your PC can help detect problems with Microsoft Word and quickly fix them.

Step 1: Open the Settings app. Click on Apps in the sidebar and go to Apps & features .

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Step 2: Scroll down to find Microsoft Office > click on the three dots next to it > click on Modify .

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Step 3: Use the options to repair Microsoft Office and click on Repair . You can repair and fix the issues affecting it.

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If none of the above methods work, upload the Word document to Google Docs or Microsoft Office online and print it.

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  • Run the Printer troubleshooter from Windows Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
  • Reset Microsoft Edge settings from the three-dot menu > Settings > Reset settings.

Basic Fixes

  • Disable Edge Extensions: Click the three-dot menu at the top right of Microsoft Edge and select Extensions > Manage extensions. Toggle off the installed extensions to disable them.
  • Update or Reinstall Microsoft Edge: Open the Microsoft Store, search for Microsoft Edge Browser, and click Update (if available). Alternatively, uninstall Edge from Windows Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, and reinstall it from the Microsoft Store.

Fix 1: Manually Set a Default Printer

If Microsoft Edge isn’t responding when you select your desired printer, you can manually set the default printer in Windows Settings so Edge can automatically use it for printing.

Step 1: Press the Windows + I shortcut to open Settings, select Devices , and click Printers & scanners .

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Step 2: Select your desired printer from the list to open its settings.

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Step 3: Click Set as default to set it as your default printer. Retry printing in Microsoft Edge.

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Fix 2: Run the Printer Troubleshooter

If your connected printer stops responding when you try to print a webpage via Microsoft Edge, an existing glitch is causing the issue. Run the Windows built-in troubleshooter to fix it.

Step 1: Open the Windows Settings app, select System , and click Troubleshoot .

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Step 2: Scroll down and select Other troubleshooters .

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Step 3: Click Run next to Printer to launch its troubleshooter. Wait a few seconds for Windows 11 to automatically resolve the printing issue.

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Fix 3: Switch Between ‘Print to PDF’ and ‘Save as PDF’

The Print feature in Microsoft Edge provides two different options to save your webpage as a PDF . If the browser becomes unresponsive while using one, you can switch to the second alternative to save your webpage as PDF.

Step 1: Right-click your desired webpage in Microsoft Edge and select Print .

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Step 2: Choose Save PDF or Microsoft Print to PDF to effortlessly save your document as a PDF.

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Fix 4: Reinstall Printer Drivers

Corrupt printer drivers can lead to issues with Microsoft Edge’s printing function. Reinstall the printer drivers from the Device Manager app and try again.

Step 1: Press the Windows + X shortcut to open the Power User Menu, and select Device Manager .

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Step 2: Expand Print queues , right-click your connected printer, and select Uninstall device .

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Step 3: Restart your PC to let Windows 11 automatically install the compatible printer drivers.

Fix 5: Restart the Print Spooler Service

The Print Spooler service manages printing documents on Windows. An existing issue with it can halt the print queue and make Microsoft Edge unresponsive. Restart it manually from the Services window to restore normalcy.

Step 1: Press the Windows key , search Services , and click Run as administrator .

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Step 2: Locate the Print Spooler service, right-click it, and select Restart . Retry printing your document from Microsoft Edge.

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Fix 6: Reset Microsoft Edge to Default Settings

Lastly, reset the Edge browser to its default settings, clearing any misconfiguration that makes it unresponsive when printing.

Step 1: Click the three-dot menu at the top right of Microsoft Edge and select Settings .

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Step 2: Select Reset settings from the sidebar and click Restore settings to their default values .

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Step 3: Click Reset when prompted to confirm.

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  • Saving your Google Docs document as a PDF can be helpful if the printing issue is isolated to a specific file.
  • Disabling extensions and clearing the browser cache is an effective method for resolving printing problems in Google Docs.
  • If the printing issue persists across applications and programs, you may need to troubleshoot the connection between your printer and computer.

Fix 1: Check the Printer Connection and Select the Right Printer

You must perform some basic hardware checks to ensure everything is hooked up. Check if the cable connecting your computer to the printer is securely plugged in. While you’re at it, restart your printer to resolve any temporary glitches.

If more than one printer is available, ensure you send print requests to the correct printer. Press Ctrl + P to summon the print dialog. Use the drop-down menu next to Destination to select the correct printer device and click on Print .

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Fix 2: Save the Document as a PDF and Print It

If Google Docs’ printing issue is limited to one odd file, save it as a PDF and print it. To do this, click the File menu at the top left corner and select Download > PDF document (.pdf) .

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Open the downloaded file in a PDF viewer, and you should be able to print it without any issues.

Fix 3: Disable Browser Extensions

There’s a chance that one of your browser extensions is causing the problem. To verify this possibility, disable all browser extensions and enable them one by one.

In your browser, type chrome://extensions (Chrome) or edge://extensions (Edge) in the address bar and press Enter . Use the toggles to turn off all extensions.

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After this, restart your browser and enable all extensions one by one. Print a test page from Google Docs after enabling each extension to identify the one causing the issue.

Fix 4: Clear Browser Cache

Old browser cache can also affect a browser’s performance and prevent it from communicating with your printer. So, if disabling browser extensions does not help, clearing the existing browser cache should be your next step.

To clear browsing data in Chrome or Edge, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to open the Clear Browsing Data panel. Use the drop-down menu next to Time Range to select All time and mark the box for Cached images and files .

Then, hit the Clear now button.

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Restart your browser and print your Google Docs document again.

Note : If the issue persists, there might be a problem with the browser. Try printing your Google Docs document from another browser. If you can print it, consider updating or reinstalling your previous browser to fix its issues.

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  • Outlook saves its print settings in the Outlprnt file. Deleting the file can help fix print issues.
  • Sometimes, Outlook plugins and extensions can interfere with the printing. Removing them can help you fix the issue.
  • Ensure the email is completely downloaded before you can print it.

Try Basic Fixes:

  • Restart Outlook: When Outlook relaunches, it loads all the modules, including extensions. This ensures that if Outlook or any of its modules are stuck, they will start working.
  • Reset hardware connection : Powering off a printer might clear temporary issues, such as a print job stuck in the queue or a minor error.
  • Update the Outlook app: If the Outlook app and Windows settings are out of sync, especially after a Windows update, check if an update is available for the app.

Fix 1. Check the Default Printer

Sometimes, we select a printer and wait to realize it isn’t the default printer. Windows Settings can quickly fix this, or you can manually select the printer whenever you print.

Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Settings.

Step 2: Select Bluetooth & devices from the sidebar. Select Printers & scanners from the right pane.

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Step 3: Find the connected printer from the list and click on it.

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Step 4: Select the Set as default button from the following menu. Open Outlook and try to print the attachment again.

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Fix 2. Save the Document and Print It From File Manager

If Outlook still gives you trouble printing an attachment, you can save the document locally on the PC and print it.

Step 1: Download the attachment from Outlook or choose the Save as option, and save it on your PC.

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Step 2: Use the File Manager to find the document and double-click to launch it in the Microsoft Edge browser or any PDF app.

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Step 3: Look for a printer icon and use it to print the document.

Fix 3. Run Printer Troubleshooter

A built-in Windows troubleshooter can reset some printer parameters, which can help you start printing again.

Step 1: Open the GetHelp App using the Start menu.

Step 2: Type printer troubleshooting in the text box, showing you the Printer troubleshooter .

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Step 3: Launch the wizard and let it complete the process. Once done, open the Outlook app again and try printing a document.

Fix 4. Uninstall Printer Drivers

At times, corrupt or outdated printer drivers can lead to such issues. You can reinstall printer drivers and try your luck again.

Step 1: Right-click the Windows key and open the Device Manager from the menu.

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Step 2: Scroll down and expand the Print queues listing.

Step 3: Right-click on the printer with which you have the issue and select Uninstall device from the context menu. This will also Uninstall the driver.

Alternatively, follow this guide to remove the printer and uninstall the driver .

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Step 4. Confirm your decision and restart the PC. Once you log into your account, Windows will install the default driver for the driver. Check if you can print from Outlook.

Fix 5. Wait for Emails to Download Completely

If an email contains too many elements, such as images from external sources or linked documents, and you start printing as soon as it arrives, it might cause an issue.

It’s best to wait for the download to complete; you can see no broken images, etc. For such emails, it’s best to wait for the download to be complete and then print it.

Fix 6. Troubleshoot Outlook Com-Addins And Extensions

Some Com-Addins and extensions can interfere with the print experience. It would be best to remove and disable them and troubleshoot.

Step 1: Open the Run prompt using Win + R, type Outlook /safe , and press Enter .

Step 2: Once Outlook launches, check if you can print. If it works, check which extension is causing the problem.

Step 3: Launch Outlook the usual way > go to File > Options > click on Add-ins .

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Step 4: Click the Go button next to COM Add-ins to open a list of installed Addons and extensions .

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Step 5: Select the one to uninstall from the checked list and click the Remove button. Once you’ve done this, try to print. Repeat the steps until you find the one causing the issue.

Fix 7. Delete the OutlPrnt file (Print Settings)

The OutlPrnt file stores printer settings. If the file becomes corrupt, the print function will not work as intended. However, if you delete the file, it will be recreated.

Step 1: Go to %AppData%/Microsoft/Outlook using the Run prompt.

Step 2 : Locate the OutlPrnt file and permanently delete it.

Step 3: Relaunch Outlook and check if you can print a file.

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