Printing Problems

Fix Word VBA Printing Page 1 Instead of Current Page in Draft View

Nimra Malik Oct 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs a solution to ensure their Word VBA macro prints the currently selected page rather than defaulting to page 1 while working in Draft view.

Fix Word VBA Printing Page 1 Instead of Current Page in Draft View

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Running a VBA macro to print the current page using the Range:=wdPrintCurrentPage parameter while the document is displayed in Draft view.
Observed behavior: The VBA macro incorrectly prints page 1 instead of the currently selected page when executed in Draft view, although it functions correctly in Print Layout view.

Before you start

Ensure you have saved your current Word document and backed up your existing VBA macros before making modifications to the code.

Solution 1Recommended

Modify VBA Macro to Temporarily Switch to Print Layout View

By modifying your macro to temporarily change the document view to Print Layout before executing the print command, you bypass the Draft view bug and print the correct page.

Since the issue is isolated to Draft view across several recent Office updates, forcing the application into Print Layout view momentarily guarantees the wdPrintCurrentPage parameter identifies the correct page.

Open the VBA Editor

Press Alt + F11 in Microsoft Word to open the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor, then locate the module containing your existing print macro.

Store the current view state

Declare a variable at the start of your macro to remember the user's current view. Type: Dim currentView As Long, followed by currentView = ActiveWindow.View.Type on the next line.

Switch to Print Layout view

Insert the command ActiveWindow.View.Type = wdPrintView directly before your print command to force Word into Print Layout view.

Execute the PrintOut method

Keep your existing print command intact in the macro: Application.PrintOut Range:=wdPrintCurrentPage.

Restore the original view

Add the command ActiveWindow.View.Type = currentView immediately after the print command to seamlessly return the user to their original Draft view.

Modify VBA Macro to Temporarily Switch to Print Layout View

Optimizing for High-Volume Processes: If this macro is used in high-volume automated processes, add Application.ScreenUpdating = False at the beginning and Application.ScreenUpdating = True at the end of your macro to prevent screen flickering and improve execution speed.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Seamless and Reliable Document Experience

If you frequently encounter macro bugs or unexpected behaviors in Microsoft Word, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative with built-in PDF tools and familiar interfaces.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for your operating system.
2. Install the application: Run the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process.
3. Open your Word documents: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing .docx or macro-enabled documents to experience seamless editing and reliable printing.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsRobust macro and VBA support for uninterrupted workflow automationLightweight design ensures faster loading and processing speedsFamiliar user interface requires zero learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word VBA print page 1 instead of the current page in Draft view?

This is a known issue in certain Office updates where the wdPrintCurrentPage range parameter fails to accurately identify the active page in Draft view, causing the application to default to printing page 1.

Does this printing issue affect Print Layout view?

No, the Application.PrintOut command correctly identifies and prints the current page when the document is displayed in Print Layout view. The error is strictly isolated to Draft view.

How can I report this macro bug to Microsoft?

You can report this unexpected behavior directly to Microsoft by navigating to the Help tab on the Word ribbon and selecting the Feedback option to submit an issue report.

Can I prevent screen flickering when the macro switches views?

Yes. You can use the command Application.ScreenUpdating = False at the very start of your macro and set it back to True at the end. This hides the view switching from the user and speeds up the macro's execution.

Document & File Issues