Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 23, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Kathy uses Print Preview all the time. There are small controls in Print Preview that allow you to control what page is displayed. Kathy wonders if there is a way to go forward or backward through the pages using the keyboard, rather than using the mouse.
Yes, there is a way. In fact, there are lots of ways. The trick, though, is to make sure that the Print Preview image is selected. (After you first press Ctrl+P, it is the Print button that is selected, not the image.) The easiest way to do this—after, of course, pressing Ctrl+P—is to press Alt+P, V. If you prefer, you could also press the Tab key repeated times (13 times on my system) until the image is selected. You can tell when the image is selected because it will have thin dashed line around it.
At this point you can use either Page Up, Left Arrow, or Up Arrow to move backward a page. Conversely, you can use Page Down, Right Arrow, or Down Arrow to move forward a page. You can also use Home to go to the first page and End to go to the last page.
Another way to move forward and backward through the pages is to press Ctrl+P to display Print Preview and then press Alt+P to activate the Print Preview shortcut keys. At this point you can repeatedly press F to move forward and B to move backward.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (13763) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021.
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2022-07-02 19:17:40
John Mann
I can't see the difference between Ctrl+p and Ctrl+F2 on my Excel 2010 running in Windows 10
2020-05-30 13:00:04
Henry
isn't CTRL + F2 = print preview the most direct way of launching the print preview image?
2020-05-24 14:29:26
Allen
Allan,
He is referring to this ExcelTip -- the one at the top of this very page.
When you press Ctrl+P in Excel, what you see depends, to a degree, on which version of Excel you are using. In the most recent versions, it brings up what is called the Back Office; it is the same as clicking the File tab of the ribbon and then choosing Print. On the resulting screen, you can see an "image" of what Excel is getting ready to print. This image is known as the Print Preview because it "previews" what you are getting ready to print.
I hope that helps.
-Allen
2020-05-24 14:22:36
Allan
J. Woolley,
What Excel tip are you referring to? When I do a CTL+p in either Word or Excel it brings up the Print menu which has nothing to do with Print Preview.
2020-05-24 10:16:39
J. Woolley
@Allan
Perhaps you didn't notice this comment is in the Excel Tips section of Tips.Net.
2020-05-23 14:39:28
Allan
Sorry, but none of the Ctl+P, etc worked with my Word 2007. Ctrl+P brought up the printer preferences.
I also use Print Preview often. The simplest way I have found to implement it is to add the Print Preview to the Menu Bar. Once Print Preview is opened can the scroll or Page up/Page down to view various pages.
I also found a way to make changes (Edit) to a document in Print Preview. In the Preview section, uncheck Magnifier. There is no way to do a Save here, but when Print Preview is closed the changes are saved.
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.
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