Printing Problems

Fix Microsoft Office Printing Text in the Wrong Position

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users are experiencing an issue where Microsoft Word and Excel print previews appear correct, but the actual printed text is misaligned, appearing too far to the left or running off the page.

How to Fix Microsoft Office Printing Text in the Wrong Position

Product: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Printing a document or spreadsheet from Microsoft Office applications to a local or network printer.
Observed behavior: The print preview displays the document correctly, but the physical printout has text positioned far to the left or off the page. The printing process is also noticeably slower than usual, even though non-Office applications print normally.

Before you start

Verify if the issue is isolated to Microsoft Office by printing a test page from another application, such as a web browser or Notepad. Ensure your printer has sufficient ink and paper properly aligned in the tray.

Solution 1Recommended

Update or Reinstall Your Printer Driver

Outdated or incompatible printer drivers are the most common cause of misalignment between the Office print preview and the physical printout.

Microsoft Office relies heavily on the printer's driver to translate layout data. If the driver is outdated, particularly for older printer models like certain Epson devices, it may misinterpret margins and text positioning.

Updating to the latest driver from the manufacturer or using a generic Windows driver can resolve these translation errors.

Open Device Manager

Right-click the Windows Start menu and select 'Device Manager'. Expand the 'Printers' or 'Print queues' section to locate your printer.

Update the Driver

Right-click your printer's name and select 'Update driver'. Choose 'Search automatically for drivers' to let Windows find the best available update.

Reinstall if Necessary

If updating does not work, right-click the printer, select 'Uninstall device', and restart your computer. Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver upon reboot.

Discontinued Printers: If your printer model is no longer supported by the manufacturer and no new drivers are being supplied, you may need to install a generic printer driver or contact the manufacturer for a compatible alternative.

Solution 2

Verify Settings in the Print Backstage View

Checking the paper size and margin settings directly within the Office Print Backstage view ensures that the software is sending the correct dimensions to the printer.

Solution 3

Install Pending Windows and Office Updates

System updates often contain patches for known print spooler vulnerabilities and software rendering bugs that can cause text misalignment.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless and Accurate Printing

If Microsoft Office continues to struggle with printer driver compatibility causing misaligned text, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight, and fully compatible Office suite that often processes documents and handles older printer drivers flawlessly.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office installer.
2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer or WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing Microsoft Office files without losing any formatting.
3. Print Accurately: Go to Menu > Print (or press Ctrl+P) to print your document with exact layout alignment.

Completely free and lightweight Office suiteHigh compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx) formatsRobust printing engine that accurately renders layouts on older or discontinued printersFamiliar user interface for a seamless and easy migration

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Print Backstage view in Microsoft Office?

The Backstage view is the screen that appears when you click the 'File' tab and select 'Print' (or press Ctrl+P). It replaces traditional menus and allows you to manage printer properties, margins, and paper sizes while viewing a real-time print preview.

Why does my printed document look different from the print preview in Word or Excel?

This discrepancy is typically caused by an outdated, corrupt, or incompatible printer driver failing to correctly translate the exact layout and margin data sent by Microsoft Office to the printer hardware.

Why is Microsoft Office printing slower than other applications?

Office applications often send more complex formatting and layout instructions to the print spooler. If there is a driver conflict or spooler error, it can severely delay the processing time compared to simpler apps like Notepad.

What should I do if my printer manufacturer no longer provides driver updates?

If your printer model is discontinued and lacks new drivers, you can try using generic Windows printer drivers. Alternatively, you can use the 'Print to PDF' feature first, and then print that PDF using a standard PDF reader.

Document & File Issues