How to Change the Print Area in Excel - 7 Methods

Method 1 – Using the Set Print Area Command to Change the Print Area in Excel

Select your Print Area —> Page Layout Tab —> Print Area —> Set Print Area

How to Change Print Area in Excel

The print area changed to B4:F14.

Go to the File tab and click Print.

Command to Show Changed Print Area in Print Preview

See the Print Preview.

Showing Changed Print Area in Print Preview

Method 2 – Changing the Print Area in Excel by Adding Cells

Define the print area: B4:E14 and see the Print Preview.

Print Preview Before Adding Cells

To add cells from B15 to E19 to that print area:

Select your Print Area —> Page Layout Tab —> Print Area —> Add to Print Area

Command Sequences to Add to Print Area

Press CTRL + P to see the Print Preview: B4:E14 are added to the print area.

Showing Additional Cells in Print Preview

Method 3 – Customize the Page Break to Change Print Area in Excel

Go to the View tab and click Page Break Preview.

Showing Page in Page Break Preview

Page 1 is separated from page 2 with a page break line. This line defines the print area of the first page.

Indicating Page Break Line in Page Break Preview

Click CTRL + P and see the print area in Print Preview.

Showing Print Preview

To change the print area, drag the page break line. Here, to the last column.

Dragging Page Break Line till Last Column

Go to Print Preview again to see the print area.

Final Changed Print Area

Method 4 – Change the Page Orientation to Change the Print Area in Excel

Go to Page Layout and select Portrait in Orientation.

Checking Page Orientation

In Print Preview, the print area comprises data till the F column (Date of Release).

Print Preview Before Changing Print Area

Change the Orientation to Landscape.

Changing Page Orientation to Change Print Area

In Print Preview the print area includes column G (Price).

Changed Print Area by Changing Page Orientation

Method 5 – Using the Page Setup Dialog Box Option to Change the Print Area

To open the Page Setup dialog box:

Go to Page Layout and select Print Titles.

Bringing Page Setup Dialog Box to Change Print Area

Click Sheet and define the range in Print area.
Click OK.

Defining Print Area

The area is displayed in Print Preview.

Showing Print Preview After Changing Print Area

Method 6 – Customize the Range in Name Manager to Change the Print Area

Select your Print Area —> Page Layout Tab —> Print Area —> Set Print Area

Command Sequences to Add Print Area

Click Name Manager in Formulas.

Command Sequence to have Named Ranges

Select the defined name and click Edit.

Showing Process to Edit Named Range

Enter your range in Refers to and click OK.

Changed Name Range Area to Change Print Area

See the print area in Print Preview.

Showing Print Preview After Changing Print Area

Method 7 – Using VBA to Change the Print Area in the Active Sheet in Excel

Select your Print Area —> Page Layout Tab —> Print Area —> Set Print Area

Adding Print Area for Active Sheet

Go to the Developer tab and click Visual Basic to open the Visual Basic Editor.

Opening Visual Basic Editor

Click Module in Insert.

Inserting a Module

Enter the following code and press F5 to run it.

Sub PrintAreaCustomization()
Dim Active_PrintArea As String
Active_PrintArea = ActiveSheet.PageSetup.PrintArea
For Each Worksheet In ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets
    If Worksheet.Name <> ActiveSheet.Name Then
        Worksheet.PageSetup.PrintArea = Active_PrintArea
    End If
Next
End Sub

VBA to Change Print Area as Active Sheet in Excel

Go to Print Preview and see the print area.

Print Preview After Changing Print Area

Problems in Changing the Print Area in Excel and Solutions

1. Unable to Set Print Area in Excel

Excel may not identify the defined print area.

Solution: Clean the previous print area and set a new one.

2. Columns aren’t Printed

The column width exceeds the paper width.

Solution: Adjust the columns to fit one page: set the Width and Height to 1 page in Page Layout.

Adjusting all Columns in One Page

3. The Print Area is Printed in Multiple Pages

Solution: Ensure cell ranges are adjacent.

How to Set specific Rows or Columns on Every Page While Printing in Excel

Go to Print Titles in Page Layout.

Bringing Page Setup Dialog Box to Fix Certain Column

Select the columns in Columns to repeat at left and click OK.

Defining Column to Set in All Pages

The column is displayed on both pages in the Print Preview.

Output of Column Fixation

How to Clear the Print Area in Excel

Go to:

Page Layout —> Print Area —> Clear Print Area

Clearing Print Area in Excel

How to Ignore the Print Area in Excel

Go to Print in File.
Click Print Active Sheets and choose Ignore Print Area.

Process to Ignore Print Area

Read More: How to Delete Extra Pages in Excel

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What to do when the Excel format is not printing?

Make sure the print area is correctly selected. Clear it and set a new print area.
Check the printer settings.
Check the page orientation and adjust your margins.
Save the Excel file in PDF format and print it.

2. How to Set Multiple Print Areas in Excel?

Select the first print area and press CTRL to select other print areas.

3. How to Set Multiple Print Areas on One Page in Excel?

Copy a print area and paste it as a Linked Picture in a new sheet using Paste Special.

4. How to Lock the Print Area in Excel?

Use the following VBA code and run it.

Private Sub Workbook_BeforePrint(Cancel As Boolean)
    Worksheets("Sheet_Name").PageSetup.PrintArea = "Print_Area"
End Sub

How to Change the Print Area in Excel – 7 Methods