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How to Fix Blank Envelope Previews in Microsoft Word for Mac
Question details
The user is experiencing an issue where standard number 10 envelopes display a blank preview before printing in Microsoft Word for Mac.
- Product
- Microsoft Word for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to print a standard size 10 envelope using Microsoft Word.
- Observed behavior
- The print preview displays completely blank for envelopes, despite labels and regular documents printing and previewing correctly.
Ensure your printer is properly connected to your Mac, loaded with the correct standard size 10 envelopes, and that your macOS printer drivers are up to date.
Enable Drawing Objects in Print Preferences
Envelopes in Word often use drawing objects and text boxes to position addresses. Enabling this setting ensures these elements are rendered during printing.
By default, Word for Mac might have certain print options disabled to speed up printing or conserve ink. Because return and delivery addresses on envelopes are typically contained within text boxes (which Word categorizes as drawing objects), you must instruct Word to include drawing objects when printing.
Launch Microsoft Word on your Mac. Click on the 'Word' menu in the top-left corner of the Apple menu bar, then select 'Preferences'.
In the Word Preferences window, locate the 'Output and Sharing' section and click on the 'Print' icon.
Look for the 'Include with document' section within the Print settings. Check the box next to 'Drawing objects' to enable it.
Close the Preferences window, return to your envelope document, and press Command + P to open the print dialog. The envelope preview should now display your addresses correctly.
Use WPS Office to Print Envelopes Seamlessly on Mac
If Microsoft Word for Mac continues to give you formatting and printing errors, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly compatible, free, and lightweight document editor that handles envelope printing effortlessly without the preview glitches.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite for your Mac.
- 2. Open Your Document: Open your existing .docx envelope file or use the built-in Envelope tool in WPS Writer to format a new one.
- 3. Preview and Print: Click the Print icon. WPS Writer will display an accurate print preview of your text boxes and addresses, ready for flawless printing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word print regular documents fine but leaves envelopes blank?
Regular documents generally consist of standard inline text, while envelopes rely on specialized text boxes to precisely place the delivery and return addresses. Word treats these text boxes as 'drawing objects.' If drawing objects are excluded in print preferences, the envelope will appear blank in the preview and on paper.
Will enabling drawing objects affect how my other documents print?
Enabling drawing objects simply tells Word to print any shapes, text boxes, or images you have inserted into your documents. For standard text documents, you won't notice a difference, but any document containing charts, shapes, or text boxes will now print correctly.
What if the drawing objects setting is already checked but the preview is still blank?
If the setting is already enabled, the issue might stem from an outdated printer driver or a conflict with the current macOS version. Try updating your Mac and printer drivers through 'System Settings > Printers & Scanners'. Alternatively, saving the document as a PDF and printing it from Mac Preview can act as a reliable workaround.
