Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. 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: Page Layout Zoom Settings.

Page Layout Zoom Settings

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 12, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016


You may have noticed that when you are using Print Layout view, Word can change magnification levels (the zoom setting) automatically. There are a couple of rules of thumb to remember in regards to the zoom settings:

  • If you are opening an existing document that you previously viewed in Print Layout view, Word uses the zoom setting you were using when last viewing the document. This is because zoom settings are saved with the document.
  • If you are opening an existing document that you have never viewed in Print Layout view before, Word uses the zoom setting you were last using—period. This is because there was no last zoom setting for the document, so the last system setting was used.
  • If you are opening a new document, then Word uses the zoom setting last used for whatever document you were using.

You should note, as well, that you should check the zoom setting in your Normal template file. This can also have an effect on newly created files. Open the Normal template, set the zoom setting for Print Layout view, and then save the file again.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10363) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Page Layout Zoom Settings.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Determining if Overtype Mode is Active

Your macro may need to determine if the user has overtype mode turned on. You can find out the overtype status easily by ...

Discover More

Fitting Text Into Cells

Need a way to make sure your text fits within the space available in a table cell? Word has a handy setting that will ...

Discover More

Specifying a Default Building Block Location

When you create a Building Block in Word, it is saved in a particular location by default. If you want to change that ...

Discover More

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!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Changing Dialog Box Pull-Down List Item Order

When selecting options within dialog boxes, Word frequently uses drop-down lists to display the options. While ...

Discover More

Calculating Average Word Length

Word keeps track of many statistics about your documents. The problem, it seems, is getting exactly the statistics you ...

Discover More

Unwanted Font in Draft View

Word supports different ways of viewing your document as you work with it. One of those views, Draft, can use a specific ...

Discover More
Subscribe

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.

What is 4 + 8?

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.

Videos
Subscribe

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

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.