Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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 Color Separations with VBA.

Printing Color Separations with VBA

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 14, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


Word does not have the inherent capability to print color separations. Instead, you typically must use a full-featured desktop publishing program such as InDesign to accomplish this task. That being said, you can perform a rudimentary form of color separation by simply changing the text color you don't want to print to white, and then printing the document. Reversing the process will then print the other color.

For instance, the following VBA macro will allow you to print color-separated text for a document that contains both red and black text:

Sub PrintSeps()
    ActiveDocument.Save
    Selection.HomeKey Unit:=wdStory

    Selection.Find.ClearFormatting
    Selection.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting

    'Change Red to White
    Selection.Find.Font.ColorIndex = wdRed
    Selection.Find.Replacement.Font.ColorIndex = wdWhite
    With Selection.Find
        .Text = ""
        .Replacement.Text = ""
        .Forward = True
        .Wrap = wdFindContinue
        .Format = True
        .MatchCase = False
        .MatchWholeWord = False
        .MatchWildcards = False
        .MatchSoundsLike = False
        .MatchAllWordForms = False
    End With
    Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
    ActiveDocument.PrintOut

    'Change White back to Red
    Selection.Find.Font.ColorIndex = wdWhite
    Selection.Find.Replacement.Font.ColorIndex = wdRed
    Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll

    'Change Auto to White
    Selection.Find.Font.ColorIndex = wdAuto
    Selection.Find.Replacement.Font.ColorIndex = wdWhite
    Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll

    'Change Black to White
    Selection.Find.Font.ColorIndex = wdBlack
    Selection.Find.Replacement.Font.ColorIndex = wdWhite
    Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll

    'Change Red to Black
    'This is done so that Red will print as Black
    'On some printers, non-black colors always
    'print as a shade of gray. You want them only
    'as black
    Selection.Find.Font.ColorIndex = wdRed
    Selection.Find.Replacement.Font.ColorIndex = wdBlack
    Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll

    ActiveDocument.PrintOut

    ActiveWindow.Close SaveChanges:=wdDoNotSaveChanges
End Sub

Note a couple of things about the PrintSeps macro. First, it saves your document. This is done because when the macro is done running, it throws out the document. Saving allows you to load the document from disk at a later time. The other thing to note is that this works only for documents that contain only red and black text. If you have other colors, those colors will print on both passes. If you have white text, it will print with the red pass. If you have graphics, no separation is done on them. (If you have graphics and want them separated, you definitely should be using a desktop publishing program.)

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the WordTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11243) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Printing Color Separations with VBA.

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

Upside-Down Text with PostScript

Got a printer that understands PostScript? You can use some simple PostScript coding to turn text completely upside down ...

Discover More

Entering Data as Thousands

There are many different ways you may need to enter data in a worksheet. For instance, you might want to enter data in ...

Discover More

Viewing More of the Left Margin Area

When working in Draft or Normal view, you may want to view the area just to the left of the document's left margin. ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Transferring Fonts

Do you want to transfer fonts from one computer system to another? It is relatively easy to do, but there is one ...

Discover More

Printing a Short Selection

Want to print just a selection from within your document? It's easy to do when you print using the Print dialog box.

Discover More

Duplex Printing from Multiple Trays

Printing in duplex has not always been easy in Word, particularly when you want that printing to be controlled by a ...

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 7 - 7?

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.