Fix Word Margins Are Too Small Error When Printing on Mac
Question details
The user receives a warning in Word that margins are outside the printable area when trying to print after a macOS update.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- macOS Monterey
- Scenario
- Printing a document in Microsoft Word after updating the macOS operating system.
- Observed behavior
- Word displays a warning that margins are too small and outside the printable area, even though they haven't been changed and printing to PDF still works.
Ensure your printer is turned on and properly connected to your Mac. Having your exact printer model number ready will also help if you need to download updated drivers from the manufacturer's website.
Allow Word to Auto-Adjust the Margins
Letting Word automatically correct the margins is the quickest way to ensure the document fits within your specific printer's hardware limits.
This warning is directly tied to the printable-area limits defined by your printer's driver. Because most standard printers cannot physically print completely to the edge of the paper, they mandate a minimum margin.
When Word detects that your text or formatting crosses this hardware limit, it provides a warning to prevent parts of your document from being cut off.
Open your document in Microsoft Word and press 'Command + P' to initiate the printing process.
When the prompt warns that margins are too small, click the 'Fix' button to let Word automatically adjust the margins to the printer's minimum printable area.
Check the document layout, as one or more margins may have shifted slightly. Adjust any images or tables if the page flow has changed.
Update or Reinstall Your Printer Driver on macOS
Since margin limits are dictated by the printer driver, an outdated or generic driver resulting from a macOS update can cause false warnings.
Print Word Documents Without Margin Errors Using WPS Office
If Microsoft Word continues to struggle with macOS printer driver conflicts, you can use WPS Office to easily open, layout, and print your documents. It provides a highly compatible and streamlined printing experience for Mac users.
- 1. Open your document in WPS Office: Launch WPS Writer on your Mac and open the .docx file that is experiencing the printing issue.
- 2. Verify the page layout: Navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab and click on 'Margins' to ensure your text is arranged exactly as you want it.
- 3. Open the Print dialog: Click on 'Menu' and select 'Print', or press 'Command + P' on your keyboard.
- 4. Print the document: Select your printer, adjust any necessary paper size or scaling options in the print dialog, and click 'Print' to finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word say my margins are outside the printable area?
Most physical printers require an unprinted border to feed the paper through the machine. The printer driver reports these minimum margin limits to the operating system and Word. If your document's margins are smaller than these physical limits, Word triggers a warning to prevent content from being cut off.
Why did this margin error start after updating to macOS Monterey?
Major macOS updates often change how the operating system communicates with peripheral devices. The update may have reverted your printer to a generic driver (like AirPrint) instead of the manufacturer's specific driver, altering the default margin settings and causing Word to detect a conflict.
Can I print edge-to-edge (borderless) in Microsoft Word on Mac?
Borderless printing depends entirely on your printer's hardware capabilities. If your printer supports it, you must go to File > Page Setup in Word, click on the 'Paper Size' dropdown, and select the 'Borderless' variant of your paper size (e.g., US Letter Borderless). This tells Word that zero margins are allowed.
Will saving the document as a PDF fix the margin warning?
Yes, exporting or saving the document as a PDF bypasses Word's interaction with the printer driver. You can then open the PDF in Preview or any PDF reader and print it, as most PDF readers will automatically scale the document to fit the printable area without throwing margin errors.
