Printing Problems

How to Stop an Excel Footer Image from Covering Worksheet Data

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to prevent an inserted image in the Excel footer from overlapping and obscuring the actual worksheet data when printing or exporting to PDF.

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Preparing an Excel spreadsheet for printing or exporting to PDF that includes a logo or image in the footer area.
Observed behavior: The footer image appears behind cells normally in Page Layout view, but it unexpectedly covers the worksheet content in Print Preview and the final printout or exported PDF.

Before you start

Verify that your printer drivers are up to date and take a moment to check your current page margins in the Page Setup dialog before adjusting the footer elements.

Solution 1Recommended

Resize the Footer Image and Adjust Page Margins

Scale down the inserted footer image and increase the bottom margin to ensure the worksheet data ends before the footer section begins.

In Excel, elements in the header and footer do not automatically push worksheet data out of the way. If the image is too large or the bottom margin is too small, the footer will overlap the bottom rows of your spreadsheet during printing.

Access Page Layout View

Click the 'View' tab on the Excel ribbon and select 'Page Layout' to see your headers and footers.

Select the Footer Image

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click inside the footer section containing the image to activate the Header & Footer tools.

Format and Resize the Picture

Click 'Format Picture' in the Header & Footer tab on the ribbon. In the dialog box, scale the image height and width to a smaller percentage, then click 'OK'.

Adjust Bottom Margins

Go to the 'Page Layout' tab, click 'Margins', and select 'Custom Margins'. Increase the 'Bottom' margin measurement so there is enough empty space for the newly sized image.

Verify in Print Preview

Press 'Ctrl + P' to open Print Preview. Confirm that the last row of your worksheet data is now clearly separated from the footer image.

Rely on Print Preview: Always trust Print Preview over the standard Page Layout view when checking for overlap, as Page Layout view can sometimes inaccurately render footers behind cell contents.

Efficient Spreadsheet Management

Easily Manage Headers and Footers with WPS Office

WPS Spreadsheet provides an intuitive Page Setup interface, allowing you to easily adjust margins, scale footer images, and accurately preview your print layouts to prevent data overlap.

1. Open your file in WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and open your existing spreadsheet document.
2. Insert the Footer Image: Navigate to the 'Insert' tab and click 'Header and Footer'. Click the footer area and use the 'Picture' icon to insert your logo.
3. Format the Image Size: With the footer image selected, use the picture formatting options on the right-hand panel or ribbon to scale the image down.
4. Adjust the Margins: Switch to the 'Page Layout' tab, click 'Margins', and increase the bottom margin until it accommodates the picture's height.
5. Preview and Print: Click the 'Print Preview' icon in the quick access toolbar to ensure the worksheet text and footer image are perfectly separated before printing.

Seamless compatibility with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formatsIntuitive Header/Footer insertion and image formatting toolsAccurate and true-to-life print preview to avoid layout issuesFree and lightweight alternative for daily office tasks

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my footer image look fine in Page Layout view but cover text when printing?

Excel's Page Layout view sometimes incorrectly renders footer images as sitting behind cell layers. The Print Preview represents the true output behavior, where footer elements will overlap and sit on top of cell data if the print margins aren't adequately spaced.

Can I send the footer image to the back of the worksheet data?

No, Excel does not support standard Z-order (Bring to Front/Send to Back) for images placed inside headers and footers. You must either adjust your margins or resize the image to prevent it from overlapping the cell content.

How do I insert a watermark that sits behind the text instead of in the footer?

While Excel lacks a dedicated Word-style Watermark feature, you can create one by inserting a picture directly into the worksheet (not the footer), increasing its transparency, and placing it behind your data. Alternatively, you can use the 'Background' option under the Page Layout tab.

Document & File Issues