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 Default Print Margins.

Setting Default Print Margins

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 22, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


When you first start Excel, the blank workbook that is opened has specific default values set. One of those defaults is the page margins, used when you print the worksheet. If you want to change the default page margins, you can do so by following these steps:

  1. Open a new Excel workbook.
  2. Change the page margins for all the worksheets in the workbook. Make sure they reflect the page margins you want used as your default.
  3. Make any other desired "default" changes in the workbook. This may include (but not be limited to) headers, footers, and the like.
  4. Choose Save As from the File menu. (You can also just press F12.) Excel displays the Save As dialog box.
  5. In the Save As Type pull-down list at the bottom of the dialog box, select Template.
  6. The file name you use should be Book.xlt.
  7. Save your newly created template in the XLStart folder. (Do not save it in the default template folder.)

That's it. Now, any time you create a new workbook, Excel uses your template (Book.xlt) as its model for what you want.

If you are unsure of where the XLStart folder is located (step 7), use Windows to search for the folder. Its exact location can vary depending on how Excel was installed on your machine, as well as the version you are using. You should note that if you are using Excel in a networked environment, you may not have the proper permissions to modify or save anything in the XLStart folder on the server. In that case, you should talk to your network administrator to see if you can save your workbook in the proper place.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2211) 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 Default Print Margins.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Creating a Hyperlink that Opens the Linked Object

Hyperlinks can be very helpful for loading and displaying external resources. But they are less useful for opening and ...

Discover More

Automatically Printing an Envelope

When you create a letter, you may want to have Word print a single envelope for that letter. You can do so by following ...

Discover More

Determining an ANSI Value

You may need to determine the numeric value of a character in a macro. You can do that using the Asc function, described ...

Discover More

Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2013 For Dummies today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Changing Page Margins

If your worksheet is destined to be printed, you'll need to be concerned with how it appears on the page. One layout ...

Discover More

Defining a Custom Paper Size

Need to print your worksheet on a non-standard paper size? Excel is rather limited in printing to such papers, and here ...

Discover More

Changing Paper Size for a Complete Workbook

If you need to change the size of paper on which your worksheets will be printed, it can be bothersome to make the change ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, 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.

What is 2 + 2?

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 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.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.