If you’ve chosen to work on Google Docs instead of Microsoft Word because of its collaborative features, the word processor has likely proven to be efficient.
Fortunately, Google Docs is full-featured like Word, especially when it comes to printing. But in case you’ve never had to print a file from Google Docs before, you might not even be sure how to do it.
On top of that, the Google cloud print feature was permanently disabled at the beginning of 2021. Google apps users were able to print web-based documents from anywhere, but that’s not possible anymore. That said, you can still print your Google document or spreadsheet from a computer.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the entire process of how to print from Google Docs. Plus, we’ll touch on all the relevant options you’ll have on the way. All you need to have is a functional printer connected to your device.
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How to Print From Google Docs: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
You can print a Google doc file regardless of whether you’re using Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides. The process is nearly identical for all the Google apps, but we’re going to stick to how to print from Google Docs specifically for this guide. Here are the steps you need to take to print a document successfully:
Step 1
The first thing to do is to locate the file you want to print. That means signing into your Google account. Then open Google Drive and search for your file.
If you don’t have a Google Account and need to open a Google Docs file someone shared, you don’t have to create a brand-new Google account.
You’ll still be able to view it or even edit it and print it. However, if the document owner has put editing restrictions on it, you won’t be able to print even if you have a Google account.
Step 2
Once you’ve opened the Google doc you want to print, you have to locate the print settings. There are two ways to do this. The first is to click on the print button or the shortcut on the main toolbar in Google Docs.
It’s located in the left upper corner of the screen. Alternatively, you can navigate to “File” on the main menu, and from the drop-down menu, select “Print.” Both options will prompt the print settings pop-up window.
Step 3
The pop-up print settings window is where you do all the printing prep. Google Docs will automatically load the print preview of your document on the left side of the window. There, you will have several printing options.
Next to “Destination,” depending on your browser, you will be able to choose from printing directly from OneNote for Windows or saving the file first as a PDF and then printing it.
You might still see the “Save to Google Drive” option, but if you click on it, you’ll get a notification that it was disabled.
Step 4
If you don’t use Microsoft OneNote as a destination, choose the “Save as PDF” option. You can also customize the page settings first and decide how many copies of the document you need.
You can also decide if you want the document to be printed in color or black and white. Finally, click “Save” at the bottom of the pop-up window. The document will download to your device.
Keep in mind that when you’re saving a spreadsheet for printing, there will be another configuration step, and you’ll be prompted to click “Next” before you can export the file.
Step 5
If you want to print from a file format other than PDF, you can first download the file by going to “File” and then clicking on “Download.” From there, select the file format that you prefer.
And under “File,” you can also access “Page Setup” to ensure everything is as you need it to be before you go to printing.
Choose the page orientation which you can apply to either the whole document or selected content. You can change the page color, paper size, and even customize the margins by writing the number you want. Once you’re done, click “OK” and then go back to the printing settings.
Printing From Google Docs Made Easy
The discontinuation of the cloud print feature made printing from Google Docs a bit more complicated, but not impossible.
When figuring out how to print from Google Docs, the most critical thing to keep in mind is that you’ll be prompted to save the file as a PDF first.
You can choose to save it to Microsoft Word instead, and you’ll have additional printing options. Either way, a quick few clicks on the computer will deliver a physical copy of your document to use.
