How to Set Print Area in Excel: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Printing in Excel can be deceptively complex. Unlike word processors, Excel spreadsheets often contain large grids of data, formulas, charts, and notes that do not always fit neatly onto a printed page. One of the most effective tools for controlling how your worksheet prints is the Print Area feature. Learning how to set a print area allows you to specify exactly which cells should appear on paper, saving time, ink, and frustration.

In this detailed guide, you will learn what a print area is, why it matters, and how to set, modify, and clear print areas in Excel. We will also cover advanced tips, common mistakes, and best practices to ensure your printed worksheets look professional and readable every time.

What Is a Print Area in Excel?

A print area is a defined range of cells that Excel prints when you send a worksheet to the printer. Instead of printing the entire worksheet—which may include unused cells, hidden data, or irrelevant sections—Excel prints only the cells you specify.

Once set, the print area remains active until you change or clear it, even after saving and reopening the workbook.

Key Characteristics of Print Areas

• Applies to individual worksheets, not the entire workbook
• Can include one or multiple ranges
• Overrides Excel’s default print behavior
• Works alongside other print settings like margins, orientation, and scaling

Why Setting a Print Area Is Important

Setting a print area is not just about convenience—it directly improves clarity, efficiency, and presentation.

Benefits of Using Print Areas

1. Cleaner Printouts Only relevant data is printed, eliminating empty cells or distractions.

2. Reduced Paper and Ink Usage Printing less content means lower costs and environmental impact.

3. Improved Readability Focused printouts are easier to read and interpret.

4. Professional Presentation Especially important for reports, invoices, and business documents.

5. Time Savings Avoid repeated trial-and-error printing.

Understanding When You Should Set a Print Area

You should consider setting a print area when:

• Your worksheet is larger than one printed page
• You want to exclude formulas or helper columns
• Only part of the worksheet is needed for reporting
• You plan to print the same range multiple times
• You are sharing printed documents with others

How to Set a Print Area in Excel (Basic Method)

Let’s start with the most common and straightforward method.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open Your Worksheet Ensure the data you want to print is finalized.

2. Select the Cells to Print

   • Click and drag to highlight the desired range
   • Include headers if needed

3. Go to the Page Layout Tab Located on the Excel Ribbon.

4. Click Print Area Found in the Page Setup group.

5. Choose “Set Print Area” Excel immediately saves the selected range as the print area.

That’s it. Excel will now print only the selected cells.

How to Preview Your Print Area

Before printing, always preview the layout.

Using Print Preview

1. Click File
2. Select Print
3. Review the preview pane on the right

This step helps you catch issues like clipped columns, awkward page breaks, or missing headers.

How to Set a Print Area Using Page Break Preview

Page Break Preview provides a visual way to define what prints.

Steps

1. Go to the View tab
2. Click Page Break Preview
3. Blue lines appear showing page boundaries
4. Drag the blue lines to adjust the printable area
5. Return to Normal View

Excel automatically updates the print area based on your adjustments.

How to Set Multiple Print Areas

Excel allows you to print non-adjacent ranges, which is useful when your worksheet contains separate sections of data.

Steps to Set Multiple Print Areas

1. Select the first range
2. Hold down the Ctrl key
3. Select additional ranges
4. Go to Page Layout → Print Area
5. Click Set Print Area

Each selected range will print on a separate page.

Important Notes

• All ranges must be on the same worksheet
• Each area prints independently
• Page order follows selection order

How to Modify an Existing Print Area

If your data changes, you may need to update the print area.

Option 1: Reset the Print Area

1. Select the new range
2. Go to Page Layout → Print Area
3. Click Set Print Area

Excel replaces the previous print area.

Option 2: Add to the Existing Print Area

1. Select the additional cells
2. Go to Page Layout → Print Area
3. Choose Add to Print Area

This expands the current print area instead of replacing it.

How to Clear a Print Area

Sometimes Excel prints only part of your worksheet unexpectedly—this is often because a print area is still set.

Steps to Clear the Print Area

1. Go to Page Layout
2. Click Print Area
3. Select Clear Print Area

Excel will revert to printing the entire worksheet.

How Print Area Interacts with Other Print Settings

Print area works best when combined with other print tools.

Orientation

• Portrait: Best for narrow data
• Landscape: Ideal for wide tables

Scaling

Use Scale to Fit to shrink or expand content:

• Fit all columns on one page
• Fit all rows on one page
• Fit entire print area on a single page

Margins

Adjust margins to maximize usable space:

• Narrow margins allow more data per page
• Custom margins offer precise control

Setting Print Area for Charts and Tables

Printing Charts Only

1. Click the chart to select it
2. Go to File → Print
3. Excel prints only the selected chart

Printing Excel Tables

• Tables automatically adjust to print areas
• Headers repeat if set correctly
• Works well with “Print Titles”

How to Set Print Area Using Named Ranges (Advanced)

Named ranges can make print areas easier to manage.

Steps

1. Select the desired range
2. Go to Formulas → Define Name
3. Name the range
4. Use the named range when setting the print area

This approach is especially useful in large or frequently updated workbooks.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Problem: Excel Prints Blank Pages

Cause: Print area includes empty rows or columns Solution: Re-select only the populated cells

Problem: Content Is Cut Off

Cause: Columns too wide Solution: Change orientation or scale to fit

Problem: Excel Ignores New Data

Cause: Print area not updated Solution: Reset or expand the print area

Problem: Only One Section Prints

Cause: Print area is still active Solution: Clear print area if needed

Best Practices for Using Print Areas

• Always preview before printing
• Include headers and totals in the print area
• Avoid excessive scaling (can reduce readability)
• Combine print area with page breaks for better control
• Clear print areas before sharing workbooks

Print Area vs Print Selection: What’s the Difference?

Use Print Selection for one-time prints and Print Area for recurring tasks.

When Not to Use Print Area

Although powerful, print areas are not always necessary.

Avoid using print areas when:

• Printing the entire worksheet
• Sharing files where others may need full access
• Using dynamic data that changes frequently

Final Thoughts

Setting a print area in Excel is a simple yet powerful skill that dramatically improves how your spreadsheets look when printed. By defining exactly what appears on paper, you gain control over layout, clarity, and professionalism. Whether you are printing a small report, a financial table, or a multi-section worksheet, mastering print areas saves time and ensures consistent results.

As part of your Excel workflow, setting a print area should be one of the final steps before printing or sharing documents. Combined with print preview, scaling, and page layout tools, it allows you to produce clean, polished printouts that reflect the quality of your work.