Printing Problems

How to Print a Word Document Received by Email

Emma Brown Sep 29, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to know how to open and print a document that was sent to them as an email attachment.

How to Print a Document Received by Email in Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Printing a document received as an email attachment.
Observed behavior: The user wants to transition a digital email attachment into a physical printed copy using a word processing application.

Before you start

Ensure your printer is properly connected to your device, turned on, and has enough paper and ink before initiating the print job.

Solution 1Recommended

Download and Print the Attachment in Microsoft Word

This is the most reliable method to ensure the document's formatting is perfectly preserved when printing an emailed attachment.

Download the attachment

Open the email containing the document. Locate the attachment, click the download icon or choose 'Save As', and save the file to a recognizable folder on your computer such as your Downloads or Documents folder.

Open the document in Word

Navigate to the folder where you saved the file. Double-click the document to open it in Microsoft Word. If a yellow banner appears at the top stating 'Protected View', click 'Enable Editing' to unlock the print functionality.

Access the Print menu

Click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner of the Word interface, then select 'Print' from the left-hand menu panel.

Configure settings and print

Choose your preferred printer from the drop-down menu, adjust the number of copies or specify pages if needed, and click the large 'Print' button to send the document to your printer.

Download and Print the Attachment in Microsoft Word

Keyboard Shortcut: You can press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to instantly open the print menu once the document is open.

Solution 2

Print a PDF Attachment

Use this method if the document was sent as a PDF file instead of a standard Word document.

Print Easily with WPS Office

Effortlessly Print Any Emailed Document with WPS Office

WPS Office provides a comprehensive, fast, and free suite to open, view, edit, and print documents received via email. It handles both standard text documents and PDFs seamlessly.

1. Save the attachment: Download the document from your email to your desktop or documents folder.
2. Open with WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office, click 'Open', and select your downloaded document.
3. Print the document: Click the 'Menu' button, go to 'Print', choose your printer settings, and click 'Print' or press Ctrl+P.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx).Built-in PDF reader to easily open and print PDF attachments without needing extra software.Lightweight design ensures fast loading times for downloaded attachments.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I print a document directly from my email without downloading it?

Yes, many modern email clients like Gmail or Outlook allow you to preview the document directly in your browser. From the preview screen, you can often click a print icon to print the document without permanently saving it to your hard drive.

Why won't my downloaded Word document print?

Emailed documents often open in 'Protected View' for security reasons, which disables printing. Look for a yellow warning bar at the top of the Word window and click 'Enable Editing' before attempting to print.

How do I print multiple email attachments at once?

If you are using the Microsoft Outlook desktop application, you can select the email, right-click, and choose 'Quick Print'. This will print the email body along with any supported file attachments directly to your default printer.

Document & File Issues