How to Fix Excel Printing Blank Columns When Print Preview is Correct
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where Microsoft Excel prints documents with blank columns, even though the print preview displays the data correctly.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Printing a spreadsheet document with specific formatting and scaling.
- Observed behavior
- The physical printed output contains blank columns that are not visible or expected based on the accurate print preview on the screen.
Ensure your printer is turned on, has sufficient ink or toner, and is loaded with the correct paper size. It is also highly recommended to save your spreadsheet before adjusting page layout and print settings.
Reset the Print Area and Adjust Print Scaling
Clearing the existing print area and forcing the sheet to scale properly usually resolves missing or blank column issues caused by Excel formatting.
Often, Excel retains an outdated or excessively large print area that extends into empty columns. By resetting this area and using built-in scaling features, you can force the software to print exactly what you see.
Navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab on the Excel ribbon, click on 'Print Area', and select 'Clear Print Area'.
Use your mouse to highlight only the specific cells and columns you want to print. Go back to 'Print Area' and click 'Set Print Area'.
Click on the 'File' menu and select 'Print' to open the print preview and settings window.
Under the Settings section, click the scaling dropdown (usually displaying 'No Scaling' by default) and select 'Fit All Columns on One Page'. This ensures no columns spill over as blank spaces.
Perform a Test Print and Update Printer Drivers
Determine if the issue is specific to Excel or a system-wide printer driver problem.
Inspect Hidden or Empty Columns
Hidden columns with leftover formatting or empty columns included in the print area can cause blank spaces on the printed page.
Print Spreadsheets Flawlessly with WPS Office
WPS Spreadsheet offers an intuitive Page Layout and Print Preview interface, ensuring that what you see on your screen is exactly what you get on paper without frustrating blank columns.
- 1. Open your file in WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and open your existing .xlsx workbook.
- 2. Define your Print Area: Highlight your data, navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab, and click 'Print Area' to lock in your exact data boundaries.
- 3. Access Print Preview: Click the 'Print Preview' icon to visually inspect your document and adjust page margins directly on the preview screen.
- 4. Apply column scaling: Use the 'Page Zoom' dropdown in the preview window to select 'Fit All Columns on One Page' to guarantee no blank columns are printed.
- 5. Print your document: Click the 'Print' button to send the perfectly formatted document directly to your printer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Excel print preview look different from the actual printed page?
This discrepancy is often caused by outdated printer drivers communicating incorrectly with Excel, or a mismatch in the paper size settings between the software and the physical printer tray.
How do I remove blank pages that keep printing at the end of my Excel file?
Blank pages usually occur because the active Print Area extends far beyond your actual data into empty cells. Go to Page Layout > Print Area > Clear Print Area, then manually highlight only your data cells and click Set Print Area again.
Can print scaling settings cause blank columns in Excel?
Yes. If scaling is set to exactly 100% and your columns slightly exceed the physical paper width, the remaining blank space of the adjacent columns might be forced onto a new page, resulting in printed pages that look like blank columns.
What should I do if updating the printer driver doesn't fix the blank columns?
Try saving your Excel file as a PDF first (File > Save As > PDF). Open the resulting PDF and print it from your PDF viewer. This simple workaround often bypasses Excel's specific print spooler quirks entirely.
