Printing documents from your Mac is a straightforward process, allowing you to easily get your digital files onto paper. Whether you need to print a simple text document, a vibrant photo, or a detailed presentation, your Mac offers a range of options to customize your print jobs. This guide will walk you through the essential steps of printing from your Mac, ensuring you get the results you need every time.
To begin, it’s important to ensure your printer is properly connected and set up with your Mac. If you haven’t already done this, you can refer to Apple’s guide on adding a printer to your printer list for detailed instructions. For troubleshooting any issues you might encounter with your printer, Apple also provides resources to help you check if a printer is working or has a problem, or you can always consult your printer manufacturer’s documentation for specific guidance.
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Open the Print Dialog:
The first step in printing from your Mac is to access the Print dialog. With the document you wish to print open on your Mac, navigate to the menu bar at the top of your screen. Click on “File” and then select “Print” from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command-P to quickly open the Print dialog.
Upon opening the Print dialog, you’ll be presented with a preview of your document as it will appear when printed, along with various print options.
Note: The exact options you see in the Print dialog may vary slightly depending on the printer you are using and the application you are printing from. If the steps outlined below do not perfectly match what you see on your screen, it’s always a good idea to check the help documentation for the specific application you are using. You can usually find this by clicking “Help” in the menu bar of the application.
The Print dialog showing print options and a preview of your print job.Tip: For a larger, more detailed preview of your document before printing, click on the “PDF” pop-up menu located in the bottom left corner of the Print dialog. From this menu, select “Open in Preview”. This will open a full-size preview of your document in the Preview application, allowing you to examine it closely before sending it to the printer.
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Confirm or Adjust Print Settings:
If the default settings displayed in the Print dialog are suitable for your needs, you can simply click the “Print” button to proceed with printing your document. However, to customize your print job, you’ll want to review and adjust the available options.
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Customize Your Print Options:
The Print dialog offers a range of settings to tailor your print job. Here’s a breakdown of the most common and useful options:
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Printer Selection: At the top of the Print dialog, you’ll find a dropdown menu labeled “Printer”. This menu allows you to choose which printer you want to use for your current print job. If you use multiple printers with your Mac, ensure you select the correct one from this list. For users with multiple Apple devices logged into the same Apple ID, macOS Sequoia, iOS 18, and iPadOS 18 (or later) offer a convenient feature where recently used AirPrint printers will automatically appear in the printer list across all devices. If your desired printer is not listed, you may need to add it to your printer list by following the instructions in Add a printer to your printer list.
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Presets for Printing: The “Presets” menu allows you to select saved groups of print settings. Presets are useful for quickly applying specific configurations you frequently use. While the “Default Settings” option is suitable for most print jobs, you can also create and save your own custom presets for recurring tasks. To learn more about saving and using presets, see Save frequently used print settings.
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Number of Copies: Specify the number of copies you need in the “Copies” field. If you are printing multiple copies of a multi-page document and want them collated (printed in complete sets), click on “Paper Handling” below the Presets menu and then check the “Collate Sheets” option. More information on page ordering can be found in Print pages in normal order.
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Page Range Selection: You can choose to print all pages of your document or specify a specific range of pages using the “Print Range” options. Select “All Pages” to print the entire document. To print a specific set of pages, choose “From” and enter the starting and ending page numbers. For printing non-consecutive pages, you can use the “Selection” button. In the preview sidebar, click on the page labels of the pages you want to print. You can select individual pages to print from anywhere within the document.
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Color or Black and White Printing: If your printer has color capabilities, you can choose to print in color by ensuring the “Print in Color” option is selected (the label might vary depending on your printer driver). Deselecting this option will print your document in black and white, even on a color printer.
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Double-Sided Printing (Duplex Printing): To save paper, you can print on both sides of the page if your printer supports double-sided printing. From the “Double-Sided” pop-up menu, choose “On” to enable duplex printing. Some printers also offer an “On (Short Edge)” option, which is designed for documents that will be bound at the top, like calendars or booklets. This option flips the content on the back side of the page to be correctly oriented for short-edge binding.
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Paper Size Settings: Select the appropriate paper size for your print job from the “Paper Size” menu. Common options include “US Letter” (8.5 x 11 inches), “US Legal”, and various international paper sizes like “A4”. Ensure the selected paper size matches the paper loaded in your printer for optimal printing.
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Orientation: Portrait or Landscape: Choose between “Portrait” (vertical) and “Landscape” (horizontal) orientation using the orientation buttons. The preview in the sidebar will update to reflect your orientation choice, allowing you to visualize the layout before printing.
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Scaling Options: The “Scaling” option allows you to adjust the size of the printed image relative to the paper size. Enter a percentage value to scale your document up or down. For example, entering a value less than 100% will reduce the size of the printed content, while a value greater than 100% will enlarge it. The preview sidebar will reflect the scaling changes you make.
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Finalize and Print:
Once you have reviewed and adjusted all the print settings to your satisfaction, click the “Print” button in the Print dialog to send your print job to the selected printer.
Troubleshooting Print Margins and Clipping
Occasionally, when printing documents, you might notice unexpected margin sizes or text being clipped at the edges of the page. This issue often arises from a conflict between the margin settings defined in your application and the non-printable area settings for your chosen printer and paper size.
To resolve this, you can try setting the non-printable area for your selected paper size to “0” (zero). For detailed instructions on how to adjust non-printable area settings and create custom paper sizes, refer to Apple’s guide on printing on unusual sized paper by creating a custom paper size.
Further Resources for Printing on Mac:
- Choose a paper size for your printed document on Mac
- Add a printer to your printer list so you can use it on Mac
- Check on a printer or print job using the Dock on Mac
- Solve printing problems on Mac
