Printing emails in Outlook is a straightforward process whether you’re using the desktop application or the web version. This guide will walk you through the steps to effectively print your emails, including entire threads, ensuring you have a hard copy or a PDF version when needed.
Printing from Outlook Desktop Application
The Outlook desktop application offers robust printing options. Here’s how to print an email or an entire email thread:
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Open Outlook: Launch the Microsoft Outlook application on your computer.
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Select the Email: Navigate to your Inbox or any folder containing the email you wish to print. Open the specific email you want to print by double-clicking it.
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Access Print Options: Once the email is open, go to the “File” tab located in the top-left corner of the Outlook window.
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Choose Print: From the File menu, select “Print”. This will open the Print dialog box.
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Configure Print Settings: In the Print dialog box, you’ll find various settings to customize your print job:
- Printer Selection: Ensure your desired printer is selected from the dropdown menu. To save as a PDF, choose “Microsoft Print to PDF” or a similar PDF printer if you have one installed.
- Print Range: Specify if you want to print “All pages”, “Current page”, or a “Custom range”. For a single email, “All pages” is usually appropriate.
- Print Style (for Email Threads): To print an entire email conversation, look for options like “Memo Style” or “All messages in conversation”. Selecting this will compile all emails in the thread into a printable format. The exact wording may vary depending on your Outlook version. Choose the option that best suits printing the complete thread.
- Number of Copies: Set the number of copies you require.
- Page Setup: For further customization, explore “Page Setup” to adjust paper size, orientation, margins, and header/footer options.
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Print or Save as PDF: After configuring your settings, click “Print” to send the job to your physical printer. If you selected a PDF printer, clicking “Print” will prompt you to save the email as a PDF file.
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Save PDF File (if applicable): If you are printing to PDF, a “Save As” dialog box will appear. Choose a location on your computer to save the PDF, enter a file name, and click “Save”.
Printing from Outlook Web (Outlook on the Web)
If you are using Outlook on the web through a browser, the printing process is slightly different but equally simple:
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Open Outlook Web: Access Outlook on the web by logging into your Outlook account through your web browser.
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Select and Open Email: Navigate to the email you want to print and open it by clicking on the subject line.
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Find the Print Icon: Look for the print icon within the email viewing pane. It’s typically represented by a printer symbol and is often located in the toolbar above or beside the email content. In some versions, you may find it under the “…” (More actions) menu.
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Click the Print Icon: Click the print icon. This action will usually open your browser’s print dialog box.
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Configure Browser Print Settings: Your browser’s print dialog will appear, offering options similar to the desktop application, though potentially with fewer advanced Outlook-specific styles:
- Destination Printer: Choose your physical printer or “Save as PDF” to create a PDF file.
- Pages: Specify the page range if needed. Usually, “All” is selected for emails.
- More settings: Explore “More settings” for options like paper size, layout, margins, and background graphics if you want to include them.
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Print or Save as PDF: Click “Print” in the browser’s print dialog to print to your selected printer. If you chose “Save as PDF”, follow the prompts to save the email as a PDF file on your computer.
By following these steps for either the Outlook desktop application or Outlook on the web, you can easily print your emails for offline access, record-keeping, or sharing information in hard copy format. Remember that specific menu names and icon locations may slightly vary based on your Outlook version and browser.
