How to Change Your Print Area in Excel

What the print area does and why you'd change it

The print area in Excel is the section of your spreadsheet that will actually print when you hit the print button. By default, Excel prints everything on your sheet — but most of the time you only want certain columns or rows on paper. Changing the print area lets you pick exactly which cells get printed, so you don't waste paper on data you don't need.

You might change the print area because you have a large sheet but only want to print a summary table, or because you have notes in columns to the right that shouldn't appear on the page. Once you set a print area, Excel remembers it until you clear it or change it again.

Key Takeaways

Select the cells you want to print, then go to the Page Layout tab and choose Set Print Area to lock in that selection.
You can add more cells to an existing print area by selecting new cells and clicking Add to Print Area instead of Set Print Area.
Clear the print area entirely by going to Page Layout, clicking Print Area, and choosing Clear Print Area.
Use Print Preview (Ctrl+P or File > Print) to see exactly what will print before you send it to the printer.
Print areas stay saved with your file, so the next time you open the spreadsheet, the same cells will be set to print.

How to set a print area in three steps

Start by selecting the cells you want to print. Click on the first cell in the range you need, then drag to the last cell, or click the first cell and hold Shift while clicking the last cell. If your range is not connected — for example, you want columns A through D and column G but not E and F — select the first range, then hold Ctrl and click-drag to add the second range.

Once your cells are highlighted, go to the Page Layout tab at the top of the ribbon. In the Page Setup group, you'll see a button labeled Print Area. Click it and select Set Print Area from the dropdown menu. Excel will now print only the cells you selected.

To check your work, press Ctrl+P to open the Print preview. You'll see exactly what will print on each page. If it looks wrong, close the preview, select a different range, and set the print area again — the new selection will replace the old one.

Adding more cells to an existing print area

If you've already set a print area and want to include additional cells without losing the original selection, use Add to Print Area instead of Set Print Area. Select the new cells you want to add, go to Page Layout > Print Area, and click Add to Print Area.

This is useful when you realize mid-project that you need one more column or a summary row included. Each time you add cells, they join the existing print area as one connected region. If the cells you're adding are not adjacent to the original print area, Excel will print them on a separate page or pages.

Removing or clearing the print area

To go back to printing the entire sheet, you need to clear the print area completely. Go to the Page Layout tab, click Print Area, and select Clear Print Area. Excel will forget your selection and return to the default behavior of printing everything.

If you want to change the print area to a different set of cells, you don't have to clear first — just select the new cells and click Set Print Area. The new selection will replace the old one automatically.

Using print area with page breaks and scaling

When you set a print area, Excel still respects your page break settings. If your print area spans multiple pages, you can adjust where the page breaks fall by going to Page Layout > Breaks and choosing where to insert manual page breaks. This keeps your data organized across printed pages the way you want it.

If your print area is too wide or tall to fit on one page, Excel will automatically scale it down or split it across multiple pages. You can control this behavior in the Page Layout tab under Scale to Fit — for example, you can force the print area to fit on one page by width and let it run to multiple pages by height.

Print area settings in different Excel versions

The steps above work in Excel 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365 on Windows. On a Mac, the Page Layout tab is called Layout, but the Print Area button is in the same location and works the same way. In older versions of Excel (2010 and earlier), the button may be in a slightly different spot on the ribbon, but the menu option names are identical.

If you're using Excel Online (the web version), you can see and edit print areas, but the ribbon layout is simplified. Look for File > Print, then scroll down to find the print area option. The process is the same, but the interface is more compact.

Saving and reusing print areas

Once you set a print area, Excel saves it with your file. The next time you open that spreadsheet, the same cells will still be marked as the print area. This is helpful if you print the same report regularly — you set it once and it stays set.

If you share the file with someone else, they'll see your print area too. If they need a different print area, they can change it without affecting your original file — as long as they save their version separately. If they save over your file, their print area settings will replace yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set multiple separate print areas on the same sheet?

No, Excel allows only one print area per sheet. If you select non-adjacent cells and set them as the print area, they will all print, but Excel treats them as a single print area. If you need to print completely separate tables, put them on different sheets and set a print area on each one.

What happens to the print area if I delete rows or columns?

If you delete cells that are part of your print area, Excel adjusts the print area automatically to exclude the deleted cells. If you delete cells outside the print area, the print area stays the same. Always check Print Preview after making major changes to your sheet to confirm the print area is still correct.

How do I print just one row or column?

Select the entire row or column by clicking its number or letter on the left side of the sheet, then go to Page Layout > Print Area > Set Print Area. Excel will print that entire row or column. If you want only part of a row or column, click and drag to select just those cells instead.

Can I set a print area that includes hidden rows or columns?

Yes, hidden rows and columns are included in the print area if they fall within your selection. If you don't want them to print, unhide them first, exclude them from your selection, then set the print area again. Or go to the sheet, right-click the hidden row or column header, and choose Unhide before setting the print area.

Why does my print area look different in Print Preview than on screen?

Excel adjusts the view in Print Preview to show how the cells will actually fit on a printed page, including margins and scaling. Zoom level on screen doesn't affect printing. Use Print Preview to see the real result, and adjust your print area or page setup if needed before printing.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.