Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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: Working With Multiple Printers.
You already know that Windows supports multiple printers. Using Excel with multiple printers can be a bother, however, since you must display the Print dialog box (Excel 2007) or the Print information (Excel 2010 or a later version), change the printer, and then print the worksheet.
There is a way, however, that you can have one-click printing of your worksheets on a designated printer. To do this, simply create a macro that changes the printer and then prints the worksheets. Here is a macro that will accomplish the task:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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: 
Sub GoodPrinter()
Application.ActivePrinter = "HP LaserJet"
ActiveWindow.SelectedSheets.PrintOut Copies:=1
End Sub
When you create this macro on your system, make sure you change the printer name in the second line of the macro. It must exactly match the name of a printer on your system. (In this example the printer name is set to "HP LaserJet". You should change it to match the name of the printer you want used.)
The trick is to create one of these macros for each of the printers you use. You can add a command for each printer to your Quick Access Toolbar so that each printer has its own print button. When you then click on the command or button, the appropriate macro is run and you get output on the desired printer.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (12578) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Working With Multiple Printers.
Program Successfully in Excel! John Walkenbach's name is synonymous with excellence in deciphering complex technical topics. With this comprehensive guide, "Mr. Spreadsheet" shows how to maximize your Excel experience using professional spreadsheet application development tips from his own personal bookshelf. Check out Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA today!
Got a bunch of worksheets and you want to save paper by printing multiple worksheets on a single piece of paper? There ...
Discover MoreNeed to have your print settings always be a certain way? Tired of resetting the settings after others use the workbook ...
Discover MoreEver printed out a worksheet only to find that you have text only at the left side of each page? You can use more of each ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2022-05-31 04:45:41
Ken Varley
if this macro is run as it is currently written, it will leave the newly selected printer as the active printer.
I would suggest that this might not be desirable: Presumably the different printer was selected just to print a single document.
Consequently, I would capture the original printer settings before changing printers, then return the settings to the original printer after printing.
As follows:
Sub GoodPrinter()
Dim OriginalPrinter
'Capture original printer
OriginalPrinter=ActivePrinter
'Change to new printer & print document
Application.ActivePrinter = "HP LaserJet"
ActiveWindow.SelectedSheets.PrintOut Copies:=1
'Return to original printer
Application.ActivePrinter = OriginalPrinter
End Sub
2018-03-18 06:58:01
Willy Vanhaelen
@Clinton
Why didn't you try it? Then you would have seen that if a print area is set only that print area is printed. :-)
2018-03-17 12:30:34
Clifton
Will this work if you have a "print area" set on the worksheet, or would you have to change the macro? I have a worksheet I want to print as a PDF and on my system "Adobe Acrobat " is listed as a printer, so I think I can use this. I only want to print the "print area".
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2022 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments