Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 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: Easily Changing Print Order.

Easily Changing Print Order

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 13, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365

Bob wonders if there is an easy way to switch from normal print order to reverse print order and back again. He understands it can be changed at printing time with the print settings, but he is looking for a command he can place on the Quick Access Toolbar, instead.

The easiest way to implement a macro approach would be to create two macros. One is used to set normal print order, and the other is used to set reverse print order:

Sub ForwardPrint()
    Options.PrintReverse = False
End Sub

Sub ReversePrint()
    Options.PrintReverse = True
End Sub

The macros are very, very simple and can be assigned to individual Quick Access Toolbar buttons. If you prefer to implement a solution that uses a single macro (so you only need to use one button), then the following may work just fine:

Sub SwapPrint()
    With Options
        If .PrintReverse = True Then
            .PrintReverse = False
            MsgBox ("Now printing in normal order")
        Else
            .PrintReverse = True
            MsgBox ("Now printing in reverse order")
        End If
    End With
End Sub

This approach toggles the PrintReverse property, so it switches between normal and reverse order. The macro also displays a dialog box that indicates the current printing order.

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 (12230) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Easily Changing Print Order.

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

Adjusting Center Across Selection with a Cell Value

One of the most common cell alignment settings I use is the one to center across a selection. If you want to vary how ...

Discover More

Determining Month Names for a Range of Dates

Given a starting date and an ending date, you may want to generate the names of all the months between those two dates. ...

Discover More

Keeping with British English

Getting languages to work correctly in Word can be a challenge at times. In this tip you'll find some ideas for how to ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Adding a Horizontal Watermark with a PostScript Printer

In Windows, printer drivers translate formatting into a printer control language, like PostScript, that the printer ...

Discover More

Generating a Font Sample Sheet

You can have quite a few fonts installed on your system, each of them managed by Windows. If you would like a document ...

Discover More

Sending Printer Commands

If you need to send a command directly to your printer, then you need to use the PRINT field. It allows you to send ...

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 five more than 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.