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How to print a document or web page on a Windows PC or Mac

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Need a paper copy of a letter, a recipe or a boarding pass? Printing takes the same few steps in almost every program, once you know where to look.

This guide covers printing from a Windows 11 PC or a Mac, including web pages in Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Safari. Phones and tablets work differently.

The quick answer

Open the document or page, then press Ctrl + P on a Windows PC or Command + P on a Mac. A print window opens with a preview. Check the printer name, then select Print.

Before you print

  • Make sure the printer is switched on and has paper and ink or toner.
  • If it is a wireless printer, it needs to be on the same Wi-Fi as your computer.
  • If this is the first time you have used this printer with this computer, it may need adding first. The printer’s own instructions explain how.

Print on a Windows PC

  1. Open the document, photo or web page you want to print.
  2. Press Ctrl + P. In most programs you can also select File, then Print. In Microsoft Edge, select the three dots at the top right (Settings and more), then Print.
  3. Check that the right printer is chosen under Printer. If you have more than one, pick from the list.
  4. Set the number of Copies if you need more than one.
  5. Look at the preview to make sure it is what you expect, then select Print.

Print on a Mac

  1. Open the document, photo or web page you want to print.
  2. Press Command + P, or choose File, then Print, from the menu bar at the top of the screen.
  3. Check the Printer menu shows the printer you want.
  4. Set the number of Copies if you need more than one.
  5. Check the preview, then click Print.

The options you see change a little from one program and one printer to the next. That is normal, and the steps above stay the same.

Print only the pages you need

A long web page can run to a dozen sheets when you only wanted the first. To save paper and ink, look in the print window for a setting called Pages (on Windows) or Print Range (on a Mac).

  • To print one page, type its number, for example 1.
  • To print a run of pages, use a dash, for example 2-4.

In Microsoft Edge, choose Custom under Pages before typing the numbers. The preview updates so you can check you have the right ones.

Print on both sides of the paper

Not every printer can do this. If yours can, on a Mac look for Double-Sided in the print window and choose On. On Windows the setting is usually under More settings or Printer Properties, and its name depends on the printer. If you cannot find it, your printer may only print on one side.

Save it as a PDF instead

No printer to hand? You can keep a copy on your computer and print it later. Our guide to saving a web page as a PDF shows how, and the same idea works for most documents.

If nothing comes out

Try these in order, and stop when it works.

  1. Check the printer name. The print window may have picked a different printer, or a PDF option, rather than the one on your desk.
  2. Restart the printer. Switch it off, unplug it, wait about 30 seconds, then plug it back in and switch it on.
  3. Check the Wi-Fi. The printer’s own screen or manual will show whether it is connected to your network.
  4. Clear stuck print jobs (Windows). Go to Start, Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners. Select your printer, choose Open print queue, then the three dots, then Cancel all. Then try printing again.
  5. Restart the computer. It is a dull fix, but it often works.

On Windows, the Get Help app also has a printer troubleshooter that checks for common problems for you. On a Mac, if your printer is missing from the Printer menu, it needs adding to your list of printers first.

Always printing to the wrong printer? (Windows)

Windows can pick your default printer for you, using the last one you printed to. If you would rather it always used the same one:

  1. Select Start, then Settings, Bluetooth & devices and Printers & scanners.
  2. Under Printer preferences, turn off Let Windows manage my default printer.
  3. Select the printer you want, then Set as default.

Printing out something you found online, like a form or a gift voucher? Our guide to finding downloaded files on Windows or Mac helps if you need to open it first, and our guide to downloading a Gmail attachment covers anything someone has emailed you.

Sources and scope

Checked on 15 November 2026 against Apple’s guide to printing documents on a Mac, Microsoft’s guides to printing in Microsoft Edge, setting a default printer and offline printer problems, and Google’s guide to printing from Chrome. The exact options depend on your program and printer. This is a documentation-based guide, not a claim of hands-on testing.

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