Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 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: Working with Multiple Printers.
You already know that Windows supports multiple printers. Using Word with multiple printers can be a bother, however, since you must display the printing options, change the printer, and then print the document. There is a way that you can have one-click printing of your documents on a designated printer. To do this, simply record a macro that changes the printer and then prints the document. The following is an example of a macro that will accomplish the task:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 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: 
Sub GoodPrinter()
Dim sCurrentPrinter As String
sCurrentPrinter = ActivePrinter
ActivePrinter = "HP LaserJet"
Application.PrintOut Range:=wdPrintAllDocument, _
Item:=wdPrintDocumentContent, Copies:=1
ActivePrinter = sCurrentPrinter
End Sub
The one thing to note with this macro is the line that sets the ActivePrintere. Change the line so it reflects, exactly, the name of the printer you want to use for your output. In this example, it is set to a printer named "HP LaserJet".
It should be noted that this macro was not actually recorded; it was written from scratch. The reason is so that the name of the printer in use could be stored in the sCurrentPrinter variable. When the printing is completed, the printer can then be set back to whatever printer it was before your macro changed it.
The trick is to create a macro for each of the printers you use. You can then put each of the macros on the Quick Access Toolbar so that each printer has its own print button. When you then click on the button, the appropriate macro is run and you get output on the desired printer.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8560) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Working with Multiple Printers.
Do More in Less Time! Are you ready to harness the full power of Word 2013 to create professional documents? In this comprehensive guide you'll learn the skills and techniques for efficiently building the documents you need for your professional and your personal life. Check out Word 2013 In Depth today!
We click the button to print our document and seldom think of what is happening behind the scenes. Word prints documents, ...
Discover MoreNeed to stop the printing of a long document? Here's how to stop Word, along with why stopping Word may not be the only ...
Discover MoreWhen you are printing a document, it is not unusual to see messages (dialog boxes) periodically. When you want the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2020 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments