Fix Excel Text Boxes and Images Moving or Disappearing in Print Preview
Question details
The user needs Excel images and text boxes to retain their positions and appear fully in Print Preview and exported PDFs.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A workbook contains images and text boxes that need to print or export as a PDF as they appear on the worksheet.
- Observed behavior
- Images and text boxes move or are partially missing in Print Preview or exported PDFs. The workbook displays correctly for another user running Excel 2016.
Open the affected workbook and check File > Print to confirm which objects move or disappear. The Safe Mode and Office repair steps below apply to Excel on Windows.
Test Excel add-ins in Safe Mode
Use Safe Mode to check whether an add-in is affecting the workbook's print or PDF layout.
Close Excel, press Windows+R, enter excel /safe, and select OK.
Open the affected workbook, then select File > Print and check the images and text boxes. If the problem also occurs in Safe Mode, try repairing Office.
If the layout is correct in Safe Mode, close Excel and reopen it normally. Go to File > Options > Add-ins, select COM Add-ins in the Manage box, and choose Go. Clear the selected add-ins and select OK. Repeat for Excel Add-ins in the Manage box.
Restart Excel and check File > Print again. Re-enable add-ins one at a time through File > Options > Add-ins, checking the workbook after each change until the problem returns.
Repair the Office installation on Windows
Use Office repair if the layout problem persists in Safe Mode or disabling add-ins does not resolve it.
Review Spreadsheet Print Layouts in WPS Office
WPS Office is a free, lightweight alternative with a familiar interface for opening and editing Excel workbooks. You can review a spreadsheet's print layout in WPS Spreadsheets, though it does not repair Excel and complex objects may render differently.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I start Excel in Safe Mode?
On Windows, close Excel, press Windows+R, type excel /safe, and select OK. Open the workbook and check File > Print.
What should I do if the workbook looks correct in Safe Mode?
Reopen Excel normally and go to File > Options > Add-ins. Disable COM Add-ins and Excel Add-ins using the Manage box, then re-enable them one at a time while checking Print Preview.
Why does the workbook look correct on another computer?
Different Excel installations can have different add-ins or installation issues. Test the affected computer in Safe Mode and compare the result in File > Print.
Will repairing Office change my workbook?
Office repair targets the Office installation, not the workbook's contents. After repair and a Windows restart, reopen the workbook and check its print and PDF layout.
