Set a custom print area so Excel prints only the cells you choose

The print area in Excel is the range of cells that will print when you send the spreadsheet to your printer. By default, Excel prints everything on the sheet with data in it. If you want to print only a specific table, a single section, or multiple separate ranges, you set a custom print area instead of printing the whole sheet.

You do this through the Page Layout tab in the ribbon (or Sheet menu on Mac). Once you define a print area, Excel remembers it until you clear it or change it again. This saves you from having to select cells every time you print the same report or table.

Key Takeaways

  • Select the cells you want to print, then go to Page Layout > Print Area > Set Print Area to lock in that range.
  • You can add more separate ranges to the same print area by holding Ctrl while selecting, then using Add to Print Area instead of Set Print Area.
  • Clear a print area by going to Page Layout > Print Area > Clear Print Area, which returns Excel to printing all data on the sheet.
  • Use Print Preview (File > Print) to see exactly what will print before you send the job to your printer.

How to select and set a single print area

Start by clicking on the first cell of the range you want to print. Then drag to the last cell, or click the first cell and hold Shift while clicking the last cell. The selected cells will highlight in blue.

Once your range is selected, go to the Page Layout tab in the ribbon at the top. Click the Print Area button (it looks like a small rectangle with a dotted border), then select Set Print Area from the dropdown menu. Excel will now print only those cells when you print the sheet.

If you are on a Mac, the process is the same but the tab is called Sheet instead of Page Layout. Look for Print Area in that menu.

How to add multiple separate ranges to one print area

Sometimes you need to print two or three tables that are not next to each other on the same sheet. You can add them all to a single print area so they print together in one job.

Select your first range the way you normally would. Go to Page Layout > Print Area > Set Print Area. Now select your second range by holding down the Ctrl key (or Command on Mac) while clicking and dragging. With the second range still selected and Ctrl still held down, go back to Page Layout > Print Area and this time click Add to Print Area. Repeat for any additional ranges you want to include.

When you print, Excel will print all the ranges you added, in the order they appear on the sheet from left to right and top to bottom.

How to clear or change a print area

If you want to go back to printing the entire sheet, or if you want to set a completely different print area, you need to clear the old one first. Go to Page Layout > Print Area > Clear Print Area. Excel will remove the custom print area, and the next time you print, it will include all cells with data.

To change the print area to a different range without clearing it first, straightforward select the new range and go to Page Layout > Print Area > Set Print Area. This replaces the old print area with the new one.

How to check what will print before sending to your printer

Before you actually print, it is a good idea to see what the page will look like. Go to File in the top left, then click Print. The Print window will open on the right side of the screen, and in the center you will see a preview of your page.

Scroll through the preview to make sure only the cells you want are showing. If the print area is wrong, close this window (press Escape or click the back arrow), adjust your print area, and check the preview again. Once it looks right, click the Print button to send the job to your printer.

On a Mac, the preview appears in the lower left of the print dialog. The process is the same: check it before you print.

How to print a specific number of rows or columns

If you want to print the first 50 rows of a sheet, or columns A through D, you can set that as your print area just like any other range. Select row 1 by clicking the row number on the left, then hold Shift and click row 50. Now go to Page Layout > Print Area > Set Print Area.

For columns, click the column letter at the top (for example, A), hold Shift, and click the last column you want (for example, D). Then set it as your print area the same way. This is faster than dragging through hundreds of cells if you know exactly which rows or columns you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set a print area that spans multiple sheets?

No. A print area only works within a single sheet. If you need to print data from two different sheets, you will need to set a print area on each sheet separately, then print each sheet in its own job. Alternatively, you can copy the data from one sheet to another temporarily, set one print area, and print.

What happens to my 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. If you delete the entire print area, it clears. If you delete some cells within it, the print area shrinks to exclude the deleted rows or columns. Always check your print area after making large changes to the sheet.

Does setting a print area affect what shows on screen?

No. A print area only controls what prints. Everything on your sheet remains visible on screen. The print area is purely a printing setting and does not hide or change any data you see while working.

Can I save a print area with my file?

Yes. When you save your Excel file, the print area is saved with it. The next time you open that file, the same print area will still be set. If you share the file with someone else, they will see the same print area unless they change it.