Printing the Entire Document

Basic Word printing is as simple as it gets. Click the Print button in the Standard toolbar. Word sends one copy of your entire document to your current printer.

NOTE

To print from Word or any Windows application, you must have at least one printer connected to your PC with the appropriate configuration files (called "device drivers") installed that allow it to work with Windows.

Much of the time, this is all you need to know about printing. At other times, however, you'll want to take advantage of Word's more sophisticated printing options, which require more than clicking the Print button. This chapter covers those other times.

TIP

You can print a Word document without opening Word. In Windows Explorer (or in a folder window you've opened on the Windows Desktop, such as My Computer or My Documents), locate and right-click on the file you want to print, and choose Print from the shortcut menu. Word opens, displaying the document you asked to print and then prints one copy of the document on your default printer. When finished sending data to the printer, Word closes.

To print only selected headings from a document outline, use the buttons on the Outlining toolbar to display the document at the level of detail with which you want to print, and then click the Print button on the Standard toolbar.

Creating a document outline is discussed in Chapter 18, "Outlining: Practical Techniques for Organizing Any Document."