How to Troubleshoot Excel Printing Errors on a Brother Printer
Question details
The user is unable to print Excel workbooks to a Brother printer (such as the HL-L2395DW), even though other applications can print successfully.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Attempting to print an Excel document to a connected Brother printer.
- Observed behavior
- Excel fails to send the print job or print the document, whereas other applications on the same computer print to the Brother printer without any issues.
Before making software changes, restart both your computer and your Brother printer, and ensure the printer is connected to the same network and set as the default printer in your system settings.
Verify Print Settings and Test a Blank Workbook
Determine if the printing failure is caused by a corrupted workbook or incorrect print area settings by testing a completely new file.
Often, a specific workbook's formatting or page settings can cause the print spooler to fail. Testing a blank workbook helps isolate whether the issue is with the file or the Excel application itself.
Open Excel, create a new blank workbook, type some test text into the first cell, and try to print it. If it prints successfully, your original file may have issues.
Open the original Excel file that failed to print. Navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab, click on 'Print Area' in the Page Setup group, and select 'Clear Print Area'.
Go to 'File' > 'Print' and verify that the correct Brother printer is selected. Check the print preview to ensure the content is fitting on the page correctly before trying to print again.
Update or Reinstall the Printer Driver
An outdated or corrupted printer driver can cause communication errors specifically with complex software like Microsoft Excel.
Run a Quick Repair for Microsoft Office
If Excel still refuses to print any files, the Microsoft Office installation itself may be corrupted and requires a built-in repair.
Switch to WPS Office for Seamless and Error-Free Printing
If Microsoft Excel continues to experience printing glitches with your Brother printer, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight, and user-friendly alternative that boasts exceptional compatibility with Microsoft Office formats and stable hardware communication.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the 'Download WPS Office Free' button.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded executable file and follow the quick on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
- 3. Open Your Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and easily open your existing .xlsx workbooks.
- 4. Print Without Errors: Navigate to 'Menu' > 'Print', select your Brother printer, and print your documents effortlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Brother printer print perfectly from Word but not Excel?
This commonly happens due to Excel-specific document settings. Corrupted workbook formatting, an improperly defined Print Area, or a conflict between Excel's rendering engine and the printer driver can cause Excel to fail while Word prints normally. Testing a blank workbook helps identify if the issue is file-specific.
How do I completely clear the Print Area in Excel?
To clear the Print Area, open your spreadsheet, navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab on the ribbon, click 'Print Area' in the Page Setup group, and choose 'Clear Print Area' from the drop-down menu.
What should I do if a Quick Repair doesn't fix the Excel printing issue?
If the Quick Repair fails, you can try selecting the 'Online Repair' option in the Microsoft Office repair menu, which performs a more thorough fix. Alternatively, downloading and installing the latest official printer firmware and drivers directly from the Brother support website often resolves lingering communication issues.
