Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 24, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
If you are preparing worksheets that contain graphics, you may want to print the graphics on one version of the worksheet, but not print them on another. For example, you might be preparing a test for students, and the test requires them to draw a graph. You would want the printout of the student version of the test to leave space for drawing a graph, but the printout of the answer sheet should include the graphic showing how the students should answer.
The easiest way to handle this in Excel is to just turn off display of the graphics when you need to print the student test. In order to do this, create a single file that contains the questions and the answers. Assuming the answers are graphic files, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Advanced area of the Excel Options dialog box.
You can now print your document, as normal. (Excel prints it very quickly since it doesn't need to send the graphics to the printer.) When you later want to see the graphics, repeat the steps, but make sure you specify that Excel should display the objects, in step 5.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6124) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Hiding Graphics.
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