How to Add Separate Printer Buttons to the Excel Quick Access Toolbar
Question details
The user wants to add separate buttons to the Quick Access Toolbar to quickly print to different specific printers (such as a black-and-white printer and a color printer) without manually opening the Print dialog.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Frequently printing spreadsheet documents to different printers and needing a customized, one-click printing shortcut to improve workflow efficiency.
- Observed behavior
- Excel does not offer built-in Quick Access Toolbar buttons assigned to specific individual printers, forcing users to manually select the printer each time.
Ensure the Developer tab is enabled in your Excel ribbon to access VBA features, and take note of the exact system names of your target printers.
Create VBA Macros and Assign Them to the Quick Access Toolbar
Use a VBA macro to define the ActivePrinter and print the worksheet, then assign each macro to a custom button on the Quick Access Toolbar for one-click access.
Because Excel's Quick Access Toolbar does not support assigning individual printers natively, you must use a VBA macro. By defining the active printer in the code, you can bypass the standard Print dialog and route the print job directly to your desired device.
Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon. In the right pane, check the box next to 'Developer' and click OK.
Navigate to the Developer tab and click 'Visual Basic'. Go to Insert > Module and write a macro that sets the 'Application.ActivePrinter' to your precise printer name and port (e.g., 'Color Printer on Ne01:'), followed by 'ActiveWindow.SelectedSheets.PrintOut'.
Go to File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar. In the 'Choose commands from' dropdown, select 'Macros'.
Select your new macro from the list, click 'Add' to move it to the QAT pane, then click 'Modify' to choose a recognizable icon (like a colored circle for the color printer). Click OK to save.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the exact printer name and port for my VBA code?
The easiest method is to use the 'Record Macro' feature. Start recording a macro, go to File > Print, select the desired printer from the dropdown menu, and stop recording. Press Alt+F11 to view the generated code, which will reveal the exact printer string Excel requires.
Will these custom printer buttons work on other computers?
Usually, they will not work immediately on a different computer. Windows dynamically assigns printer ports (such as 'Ne01:' or 'Ne02:'), which often vary from one machine to another, even if the printer model is identical.
Can I set a keyboard shortcut instead of a Quick Access Toolbar button?
Yes. After creating your printing macro, press Alt+F8 to open the Macro dialog box. Select your macro, click 'Options', and type a letter to assign a custom Ctrl+Key combination for instant printing.
