How to Fix Corrupted Text When Printing Word or Excel Documents on Mac
Question details
The user is experiencing garbled or corrupted text when attempting to print documents from Microsoft Word or Excel to an HP printer.
- Product
- Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, HP Printer
- Device & OS
- macOS 11.5.1
- Scenario
- Printing physical documents from Microsoft Office applications to an HP PageWide Pro 477dw printer on macOS.
- Observed behavior
- The text on the printed physical pages appears corrupted, garbled, or unreadable, despite looking normal on the screen.
Ensure your printer is properly connected to your Mac and verify that the built-in Apple diagnostic test page prints correctly before modifying any software settings.
Isolate the Issue by Printing to PDF
Determine whether the issue lies with Microsoft Office's rendering engine or the physical printer driver by exporting the document to a PDF.
This diagnostic step is crucial for identifying the root cause. If the PDF file looks correct but the physical print is corrupted, the printer driver is failing. If the PDF itself contains corrupted text, the issue originates within Microsoft Office or the document's fonts.
Open the affected document in Microsoft Word or Excel and go to 'File' > 'Print' in the top menu bar.
At the bottom of the Print dialog box, click on the 'PDF' dropdown menu and select 'Save as PDF'.
Open the newly saved PDF document on your Mac. Check the text carefully to see if the corruption is visible in the digital file.
Update macOS, Microsoft Office, and HP Printer Drivers
Outdated software or drivers are a common cause of printing errors and rendering pipeline failures on macOS.
Reinstall the Printer and Test Fonts
Removing and adding the printer back can clear corrupted print queues, while testing a new font ensures the current font isn't damaged.
Easily Open and Print Word or Excel Files in WPS Office
If Microsoft Office rendering continues to cause corrupted text, WPS Office provides an excellent alternative. Its highly accurate rendering engine and seamless compatibility with Microsoft formats ensure that what you see on the screen is exactly what gets printed to your HP device.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office for Mac from the official website.
- 2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer or WPS Spreadsheet and directly open your existing corrupted Word or Excel file.
- 3. Access Print Settings: Go to 'Menu' > 'Print' or press Command + P on your keyboard.
- 4. Print Without Errors: Select your HP PageWide Pro printer and click 'Print' to output the document flawlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my printed text look like gibberish or symbols on my Mac?
This usually happens due to outdated printer drivers, incompatible or corrupted fonts, or a miscommunication between the word processor's rendering engine and the macOS print pipeline.
Can changing document fonts fix corrupted text when printing?
Yes. Sometimes specific downloaded or non-standard fonts become corrupted or are not properly supported by the printer's internal memory. Switching to a standard font like Arial or Calibri can resolve the issue.
How do I know if my HP printer or my Office document is causing the issue?
Use the 'Save as PDF' feature in the Mac print dialog. If the generated PDF looks correct but the physically printed page is corrupted, the printer driver or hardware is likely at fault. If the PDF itself is corrupted, the document or Office software is the cause.
