Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Printing a Draft of a Document.

Printing a Draft of a Document

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 18, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365

Word allows you to print drafts of your documents. This can be very helpful in speeding up the printing process, particularly if you have a complex document with lots of fonts and graphics. When printing drafts, the final fonts are not used, nor are the graphics printed in place. To print a draft, follow these steps:

Display the Word Options dialog box. (In Word 2007 click the Office button and then click Word Options. In Word 2010 or a later version, display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
At the left side of the dialog box click Advanced.
Scroll through the available options until you see the Print section. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Print section of the Advanced options of the Word Options dialog box.

Make sure the Use Draft Quality check box is selected. (This is the first check box in the Print section.)
Click on OK.
Print your document.

Remember that the exact way in which draft printing is implemented is, in large part, up to your printer. Don't be surprised if you get different results doing a draft print on one printer as compared to another.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (6823) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Printing a Draft of a Document.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Enhancing Word Documents with Dynamic Fields (Table of Contents)

Add a field to your document and you add dynamic content. Word provides a wide variety of fields that can be used in a ...

Discover More

Fitting to a Single Page

It can be frustrating when a single-page document actually prints of two pages, depending on the system that is doing the ...

Discover More

Using the Fill Handle from the Keyboard

The fill handle can save a huge amount of time when you are editing a worksheet. If you are really good at using the ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Printing Custom Properties

Do you use custom document properties? They can be very helpful, but sometimes hard to get at. This tip shows a way you ...

Discover More

Printing Outside the Boundaries All the Time

If Word thinks you are going to print in an area of the page that isn't printable, it will let you know. If you don't ...

Discover More

Printing All Open Documents

Have a bunch of documents you need to print? If all the documents are open, you can use a handy little macro to print ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is 5 + 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.