Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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 Color Separations with VBA.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 14, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365
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:
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 Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Printing Color Separations with VBA.
The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!
Word supports the use of styles (they are very powerful), but it doesn't provide a way to get a full-featured style sheet ...
Discover MoreGetting a list of fonts available in a document is not something you can easily do in Word. That is, unless you put the ...
Discover MoreWhen you create documents that rely on markup (tracked changes and comments), getting usable printed output that includes ...
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments