Outlook Printing Problem

Question

All of a sudden when I try to print an email, everything has shifted to the right. The left side of the page is all white space and the far right side of the content is cut off.

Answer 1

Hello Connie Sullivan, 

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A.

Have you had an opportunity to review the suggestions previously provided in the Microsoft Q&A? If those initial steps have not resolved the issue, please try the following troubleshooting methods. 

Step 1: First, please try printing a few different emails to see if the issue applies to Outlook as a whole or just a specific message. 

• If it only happens with one specific email, it is likely due to the formatting of that individual message. 
• If the alignment issue happens with all of your emails, please proceed to the steps below. 

Step 2: Verify your margins and paper size 

Occasionally, Outlook's page setup can be altered unexpectedly. 

1. Select any email and go to File > Print. 
2. Click the Print Options button. 
3. Under the Print style box, ensure Memo Style is highlighted, then click the Page Setup button next to it. 
4. Click the Paper tab and verify that the Paper Size is correct (e.g., Letter or A4). 
5. Click the Margins tab. Make sure the Left, Right, Top, and Bottom margins are all set to a standard number, such as 0.5". If the Left margin was inadvertently set to a large number (like 3.0"), this is what is pushing your text off the page. 
6. Click OK to save any changes and try printing a test page. 

Step 3: Reset the Outlook print cache 

If your margins are correct but the page is still printing improperly, your print settings file may be corrupted. We can resolve this by forcing Outlook to build a clean print cache. 

1. Close Outlook completely. 
2. Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. 
3. Copy and paste the following path into the box and press Enter: %appdata%\Microsoft\Outlook 
4. In the folder that opens, locate the file named Outlprnt. 
5. Right-click the file, select Rename, change the name to Outlprnt.old, and press Enter. 
6. Close the folder and reopen Outlook. A new print file will be generated automatically the next time you print. 

Please let me know if these steps help resolve the formatting issue, or if you need further assistance. 

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Answer 2

In Outlook for Windows this behavior is typically caused by page/print settings rather than Outlook itself. Use Outlook’s print options to control what portion of the message is printed and how it is positioned.

To correct the shifted and cut‑off content:

1. Open the email so it is in its own window.
2. Select File > Print > Print Options.
3. In Print Options:
   • Verify the correct printer is selected.
   • Check Page Range and ensure it is set to print the pages needed.
4. Select Preview to see how the message will print and adjust settings (such as orientation or margins, if exposed by the printer driver) until the content is centered and no longer cut off.
5. Select Print when the preview looks correct.

If the issue persists only in Outlook and not in other apps, follow the general Windows printing troubleshooting steps:

1. Try printing another email or a different file from another app (for example, Notepad) to confirm the printer itself works.
2. In Outlook, verify the intended printer is selected and not a virtual printer like Microsoft Print to PDF.
3. Confirm page size, orientation, and layout in the printer’s dialog match the paper in the printer.
4. Print a test page from Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer, then Printer properties > Print Test Page to verify Windows can print correctly.

If printing works elsewhere but not from Office apps, repair Office from Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft 365 > Advanced options, then run Quick Repair and test again.

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References:

• Print a page or part of an email message
• Fix printing problems in Word, Excel, or other apps