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: Printing without Opening.

Printing without Opening

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 17, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

If you need to quickly print the contents of a workbook without actually opening the workbook, you can do so by using one of the helpful features of Windows. Simply follow these steps:

  1. Use the Explorer, My Computer, or any Open dialog box to display the workbook that you want to print.
  2. Right-click on the file. Windows displays a Context menu.
  3. Choose the Print option from the Context menu.
  4. Windows loads Excel (if it is not already open), opens the workbook, and prints it. The workbook is then closed.

The only thing printed in the workbook is the single worksheet that was selected when the workbook was last closed. It is also printed to whatever you are using as the current printer. If you want to print using different specifications (i.e., a different printer or area of the workbook) then you must first open the workbook in order to print.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2515) 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: Printing without Opening.

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. ...

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