Printing Problems

Fix Missing Pictures and Headers in Word Print Preview on Mac

Phi Hung Vo Oct 14, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to make images, headers, and drawing objects visible in Microsoft Word's Print Preview on a Mac.

How to Fix Missing Pictures and Headers in Word Print Preview on Mac

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: Preparing to print a document that contains visual elements like pictures and headers.
Observed behavior: Images, headers, and drawing objects do not appear in the Print Preview screen, leading to incomplete printed documents.

Before you start

Ensure that your document contains the actual images and headers in standard View mode before attempting to adjust print-specific settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable Drawing Objects in Print Preferences

Activating the 'Drawing Objects' setting within Word's preferences ensures all visual elements are rendered during printing and previewing.

Microsoft Word for Mac has specific output settings that can exclude certain objects from printing to save ink or processing time. Enabling drawing objects is the most direct fix for this issue.

Open Word Preferences

With Microsoft Word open, click on 'Word' in the top Apple menu bar, then select 'Preferences' from the dropdown list.

Access Print Settings

In the Word Preferences window, locate the 'Output and Sharing' section and click on 'Print'.

Enable Drawing Objects

Look for the 'Include' section within the Print menu. Check the box next to 'Drawing Objects' to ensure images and headers are included in your print preview.

Verify in Print Preview

Close the preferences window, return to your document, and press Command + P to open the Print Preview and verify the elements are now visible.

Enable Drawing Objects in Print Preferences

Settings Applied Automatically: You do not need to restart Word; the changes to your print preferences take effect immediately on your current and future documents.

Solution 2

Check View Settings and Test a New Document

Verifying basic view settings and testing a blank document can rule out file corruption as the cause of missing elements.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Print Documents Flawlessly with WPS Office

If Microsoft Word for Mac continues to have complex preference issues or display bugs, try WPS Office. It provides an intuitive, highly compatible environment that renders images, headers, and layouts exactly as intended for printing.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office for Mac from the official website.
2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing .docx file containing the images and headers.
3. Preview and Print: Click 'File' and select 'Print'. WPS Writer will accurately display all drawing objects and headers in the preview screen without requiring hidden preference adjustments.

Completely free and lightweight Office suite for Mac usersSeamless compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatting and layoutsAccurate print previews that display all images, headers, and drawing objects by defaultFamiliar user interface requiring no learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word on Mac hide my images when printing?

Word for Mac may hide images during printing if the 'Drawing Objects' option is unchecked in the Print Preferences, or if 'Draft output' is enabled, which intentionally skips images to print faster and save ink.

Should I uninstall and reinstall Word if preferences don't fix the preview?

Before reinstalling, ensure your macOS and Office suite are fully updated (Help > Check for Updates). Reinstalling is a last resort and is usually unnecessary if the issue is merely an unchecked setting in Word > Preferences > Print.

How do I ensure headers and footers always print on Mac?

Ensure your document margins are set within your printer's printable area. Additionally, check that 'White space between pages' is enabled in Word > Preferences > View, as hiding white space can sometimes obscure headers.

Document & File Issues