Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Printing without Opening.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 18, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365
If you need to quickly print the contents of a workbook without individually opening the workbook yourself (manually), you can do so by using one of the helpful features of Windows. Simply follow these steps:
The only thing printed in the workbook is the single worksheet that was selected when the workbook was last closed. It is also printed to whatever you are using as the current printer. If you want to print using different specifications (i.e., a different printer or area of the workbook) then you must first open the workbook in order to print.
Note that even though you are don't need to manually open the workbook to print it, Windows does actually open it (step 4). The bottom line of the tip is that you don't need to manually open, press Ctrl+P, click on Print, and close the workbook; letting Windows do it is quicker.
The let-Windows-do-it approach becomes more valuable when you realize that you could create a selection set of files (select multiple workbooks) before you right-click on one and choose Print. Excel will dutifully print from each of the workbooks.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9839) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Printing without Opening.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
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