How to Fix Double-Sided Printing in Word After Installing Microsoft 365 on Mac
Question details
The user needs to stop their printer from automatically printing double-sided in Microsoft Word after installing or upgrading to Microsoft 365.
- Product
- Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365)
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Printing documents from Microsoft Word after a recent Microsoft 365 installation or update.
- Observed behavior
- The printer defaults to duplex (two-sided) printing, and the expected options to disable this feature are either missing or do not match the usual instructions in the Word print dialog.
Ensure your Mac is connected to the printer and that you have administrator privileges, as you may need to adjust system printer presets or reinstall printer drivers.
Adjust macOS Printer Settings and Save a Single-Sided Preset
Duplex printing is controlled by the macOS print subsystem rather than Microsoft Word. You can disable it directly from the system print dialog and save the setting as a default preset.
Because Microsoft Word relies on Apple's macOS print drivers, application-specific updates (like installing Microsoft 365) can sometimes reset your default printing preferences. Changing the system-level preset will force Word to print single-sided.
Open your document in Microsoft Word and press Command+P on your keyboard to launch the macOS print dialog.
Scroll down to locate the 'Two-Sided' checkbox and ensure it is unchecked. If you don't see this checkbox, click on the 'Copies & Pages' or 'Layout' dropdown menu and turn off the two-sided or duplex option.
Click the 'Presets' dropdown menu at the top of the dialog and select 'Save Current Settings as Preset'. Name this preset 'Single Sided'.
Ensure your new 'Single Sided' preset is selected before clicking the 'Print' button. Word will now remember this setting for future print jobs.
Update or Reinstall Your Mac Printer Drivers
If the two-sided printing option is completely missing from the print dialog, your current printer driver may be incompatible with the new Microsoft 365 installation.
Experience Hassle-Free Printing with WPS Office
Tired of confusing settings and print driver conflicts after updating Microsoft 365? WPS Office offers a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative with an intuitive printing interface that seamlessly integrates with macOS.
- 1. Download and Install: Download the free WPS Office suite for Mac from the official website and complete the quick installation.
- 2. Open Your Documents: Right-click your existing .docx files and choose to open them with WPS Writer. Your formatting remains perfectly intact.
- 3. Print Without Headaches: Press Command+P to access a clean, conflict-free print dialog where you can easily toggle two-sided printing on or off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did installing Microsoft 365 change my Mac printer settings?
Major software installations or updates can sometimes cause macOS to reset application-specific print profiles or create temporary communication glitches with the printer driver, reverting the system to the printer's factory default (which is often double-sided to save paper).
Where exactly is the two-sided option located in Word for Mac?
Microsoft Word does not have its own separate two-sided setting; it uses the macOS print dialog. Press Command+P, click 'Show Details' if the dialog is minimized, and look for the 'Two-Sided' checkbox below the orientation options, or inside the 'Layout' dropdown menu.
What should I do if my Mac print preset keeps reverting to double-sided?
You need to explicitly create and save a new default preset. In the print dialog, turn off two-sided printing, click the 'Presets' dropdown menu, select 'Save Current Settings as Preset', and use this new preset for your next print job to lock it in.
Can I turn off duplex printing globally for all applications on my Mac?
Yes. By accessing the CUPS interface on macOS via your web browser (http://localhost:631), you can modify the default printer options at the root level. However, simply saving a 'Single Sided' preset in the standard print dialog is much easier and usually resolves the issue for all apps.
