Printing Problems

How to Make Word Use the Printer's Default Tray and Paper Size

Elise Williams Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to configure Microsoft Word so it defaults to the printer's tray and paper size settings rather than the embedded document settings.

How to Make Word Use the Printer's Default Tray and Paper Size

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Printing documents where the saved page setup conflicts with the physical printer's default configuration.
Observed behavior: Word overrides the printer defaults with paper source and size settings stored within the document, causing it to pull from the wrong tray or request the wrong paper size.

Before you start

Verify that your printer is powered on, connected, and that the default tray is loaded with the correct paper size.

Solution 1Recommended

Modify Page Setup to Use Automatic Paper Source

Change the document's paper source settings to automatically select the printer's default tray.

Word documents can store individual paper source and paper-size settings that override your printer defaults. Changing this setting to 'Automatically Select' ensures Word hands control back to the printer.

Open Page Setup

Open your document in Word, navigate to the 'Layout' tab, and click the small dialog box launcher arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Page Setup group.

Configure Paper Size

In the Page Setup dialog, click on the 'Paper' tab. Check the Paper size dropdown and ensure it matches the physical paper loaded in your printer (e.g., A4 or Letter).

Set Paper Source

Under the Paper source section, select 'Automatically Select' or 'Default Tray' for both 'First page' and 'Other pages'.

Apply Settings

Click 'OK' to apply this to the current document. If you want this to apply to all future documents, click 'Set As Default' before clicking 'OK'.

Modify Page Setup to Use Automatic Paper Source

Enterprise Deployment: Changing this setting manually for every user in a large organization can be difficult. Consult your IT department to deploy a centralized Word template or printer configuration if this affects multiple users.

Solution 2

Update Printer Drivers and Verify Office Version

Ensure that outdated software isn't causing communication errors between Word and your printer.

Print Seamlessly with WPS Office

Print Documents with Correct Tray and Paper Size in WPS Office

WPS Office provides an intuitive and highly compatible word processor (WPS Writer) that makes it easy to manage page setup and printing preferences, fully supporting Microsoft Word document formats.

1. Open Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your Word document.
2. Access Page Setup: Navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab and click on the 'Page Setup' icon.
3. Adjust Paper Settings: In the dialog box, switch to the 'Paper' tab, select your preferred paper size, and set the Paper Source to 'Auto Select'.
4. Print Document: Go to 'Menu' > 'Print', ensure the correct default printer is selected, and click 'Print'.

Easily configure default printer trays and paper sizes to prevent printing errors.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) formats, ensuring your layouts stay intact.Free, lightweight, and features fast document loading.Familiar user interface with no steep learning curve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Excel print correctly but Word uses the wrong tray?

Word documents often save specific page setup and paper source settings within the document file itself, which can override your system's global printer defaults. Excel generally relies more heavily on the default printer driver settings.

How do I change the default paper size for all future Word documents?

Open the Page Setup dialog, select your desired paper size on the Paper tab, and click the 'Set As Default' button at the bottom. Confirm the prompt to update your Normal template.

What does 'Automatically Select' mean in the paper source settings?

'Automatically Select' instructs the word processor to let the printer decide which hardware tray to pull from based on the requested paper size and the printer's own default configuration.

Document & File Issues