Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, 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: 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, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021

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, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021. 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...

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