How to set print area in Excel

A print area in one or more range of cells that you want to print on paper. If you do not want to print the entire worksheet, of course, you need to set the print area. While saving your excel file your print area is also saved. you can set multiple print areas in a single spreadsheet each will be printed on a different paper. As you can set the print area you are able to clear the print area too. This content will guide you on how to set the print area in Excel.

Read More: How to print large excel sheet on one page

What is the print area?

A spreadsheet contains huge data but a print area is one or more range cells that you want to print out on paper. It is nothing but selecting one or more range of cells to be printed out on paper. When you go to see the print preview on the computer screen you will see only the selected area that you set as the print area.

Remember, whenever you go for print out you must set the print area. You can set multiple print areas in a single worksheet but will be printed on a separate page.

[All the screenshot taken for this tutorial is taken in Excel 2019. Other versions also will work in the same way.]

How to set print area in Excel

Before sharing how to set the print area I want to introduce you to the tool that helps you to set the print area. Go to the Page Layout menu of the Page Setup group and click Print Area you will find a drop-down menu for the Print Area.

Solution one: The fastest way to set the print area

• Select the area of cells you want to be printed.
• Go to the Page Layout menu of the Page Setup group, and click on Print Area> Set Print Area.

Solution one: Dialog Launcher to set the print area

I say this is the dialog launcher method. Maybe you already noticed that under all groups there is a small arrow sign, it is called the dialog launcher icon. Click on the Page Layout dialog launcher icon. A new dialog box Page Setup will appear.

• Go to the Sheet tab. you will find the Print area option there.
• Click and select your print area from the worksheet.
• Click OK to complete.

You can see the print preview and take a printout from here.

Multiple print areas set up in Excel

Sometimes you may need to set print areas for multiple areas of your worksheet. Though it will be printed separate page you may need it. any of the above solution will work for this method.

• Select the first cell range, hold the Ctrl key, and select the other cell range.
• Go to the Page Layout tab, Print Area> Set Print Area.

It is done, Multiple print area is set on a separate page.

Remember, it works only when each print area’s cells are different. If you overlap two print areas it will not work. Multiple print area selected example shown in the below screenshot.

How to clear the print area

As I told you before print areas are also to be saved with your worksheet. That is why you may need to clear the print area.

Go to the Page Layout tab, and Click Print Area> Clear Print Area.

How to add to print area

If you already set the print area and furthermore you want to add more cells to the print area you don’t need to clear the print area and set the print area again. You can just add an additional print area to the previous print area set.

How to view your print areas

Sometimes, it is essential to view your print areas at a glance. Do you have any idea how to view it? I will show you how to view your print area at a glance.

First, set a print area as you already know how to set a print area.

Go to the View tab, and click on Page Break Preview. You can see the page preview of your print areas. I have set up multiple print areas to show you. See the below screenshot.

Why it is important to set the print area

An Excel workbook size you can not imagine. When you go for print without setting up the print area it does not sound good. It will not give you a smart organized printout hard copy. On the other hand, if you set a print area and see the print preview it will give you a smart organized hard copy.

That is why knowing how to set print area in Excel is important. If you have learned from our website please comment in below comment boxes. If you still have any queries please let me know I will try my best to reply to your comment. Thank You.