Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Setting Header/Footer Margins.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 4, 2026)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
When you create an Excel worksheet, you have the ability to change the margins used when the information in the worksheet is printed. This is done by choosing Page Setup from the File menu, then making adjustments on the Margins tab. The default left and right margin values are .75 inches, unless you change them as described in other issues of ExcelTips.
When you change the left and right margin values, and even if you change the default left and right margin values, there is no way to modify the left and right margins used by Excel to print headers and footers. These are apparently hard-wired to print at .75 inches, regardless of the settings you make within the Page Setup dialog box. They cannot even be changed via VBA.
Further information on this issue can be found in Microsoft's Knowledge Base:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/124751
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2191) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Setting Header/Footer Margins.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Excel allows you to specify an area of your worksheet that should be printed. Here's how to "lock" that area so it cannot ...
Discover MoreNeed to print more than one portion of your worksheet? If you use named ranges for the different ranges you want to ...
Discover MoreNeed to print several portions of a worksheet all on a single piece of paper? Here's an easy way you can get what you ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, 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 Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here:
Comments