How to Fix Excel Distorting Images and Shapes When Printing or Exporting to PDF
Question details
Users are experiencing an issue where images and shapes change their aspect ratio or become stretched during the printing or PDF export process.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Printing a workbook or exporting a spreadsheet to a PDF file.
- Observed behavior
- Pictures and shapes lose their original proportions and appear distorted in the final printed document or exported PDF file.
Ensure you save a backup copy of your original workbook so that your original shape sizes and image ratios are preserved while you test different printing methods.
Update Excel and Test Alternative Print Methods
Since this behavior affects multiple Office update channels and is often recognized as a product defect, updating your software and testing a different printer or PDF creator can serve as an effective workaround.
Microsoft frequently releases patches for rendering bugs in its update channels. Ensuring you are on the latest build is the most reliable way to receive the fix for aspect ratio distortions.
Open Excel, navigate to the 'File' tab, and click on 'Account'. Under 'Product Information', click on 'Update Options' and select 'Update Now' to install the latest build.
Go to 'File' > 'Print' and select a different printer from the dropdown menu to see if the distortion is caused by a specific printer driver.
Instead of using the 'Export' feature, go to 'File' > 'Print' and choose 'Microsoft Print to PDF' as your printer. Adjust the scaling settings if necessary, then click 'Print' to save the file.
Submit Feedback to Report the Defect
If updating and changing print methods do not resolve the issue, report the bug directly to Microsoft so their development team can investigate the defect in your specific Office channel.
Export to PDF Without Image Distortion Using WPS Office
If Excel continues to stretch your shapes and images due to unresolved bugs, try handling your final export in WPS Office. As a free and lightweight alternative, WPS Spreadsheet perfectly preserves original aspect ratios during printing and features a highly reliable built-in PDF exporter.
- 1. Download and install WPS Office: Get the free WPS Office suite from the official website and install it on your computer.
- 2. Open your Excel file: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open the .xlsx workbook that contains your images and shapes.
- 3. Export to PDF safely: Click 'Menu' in the top-left corner, select 'Export to PDF', and save your document. Your images will remain distortion-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel change the aspect ratio of my shapes when printing?
This issue is commonly caused by a conflict between how Excel renders visuals on your screen and how your printer driver interprets the layout. In Excel 365, it is also a known defect spanning across multiple update channels.
Can I lock the aspect ratio of an image to prevent distortion?
You can try locking the ratio by right-clicking the image, selecting 'Size and Properties', and checking the 'Lock aspect ratio' box. However, if the distortion is caused by the Excel printing bug, the image may still stretch upon export.
Does changing the default printer fix PDF layout issues in Excel?
Yes, it can. Excel uses your default printer's metrics to render the page layout on your screen. Changing your default printer to a high-quality virtual printer (like Microsoft Print to PDF) before formatting your document can sometimes prevent unexpected shifts and distortions.
