Forum Discussion
Unable to remove print area from Excel worksheet
- Oct 22, 2021
I found a solution to this and posting in case it helps anyone. In my case, my page setup was set to 100% of actual size. Once I changed this to "Fit to 1 page" it allowed me to set a custom print area. I'm guessing if it's set to 100% it won't allow it to shrink to the area you are trying to print on a page.
Would be nice for Microsoft to change this setting automatically whey you try to set a custom print area instead of just not working.
- Riny_van_EekelenMar 23, 2020Platinum Contributor
idarow It's strange that you can not clear the current print area. But, I trust it is like that for you. Or you perhaps have multiple sheets selected? I have read that this can also cause issues with clearing print areas.
In stead of trying to clear a print area that is wrong, you can perhaps select the entire sheet and set that as the new print area. This should over-ride the previous print area.
- idarowMar 23, 2020Copper ContributorI do not have multiple sheets selected.
I tried your advice and selected the entire sheet as the print area, but I still had the dotted lines where Excel broke the sheet into printable pages.
Again, I was unable to clear this via the standard method.
What I finally did was COPY the entire sheet>
Opened a new sheet>
Selected the same range of cells as the original>
PASTE without formatting (WINDOWS KEY + V)
This did the trick. I suspect something was just messed up (or as computer people say, "corrupt") in that original sheet. In any case, I'm up and running.
Thank you all for your responses.- njdesign27Oct 22, 2021Copper Contributor
I found a solution to this and posting in case it helps anyone. In my case, my page setup was set to 100% of actual size. Once I changed this to "Fit to 1 page" it allowed me to set a custom print area. I'm guessing if it's set to 100% it won't allow it to shrink to the area you are trying to print on a page.
Would be nice for Microsoft to change this setting automatically whey you try to set a custom print area instead of just not working.
- debrisenoJan 24, 2022Copper Contributor
Riny_van_Eekelen ...or you can select the entire sheet, click on [Page Layout], then click on [Breaks] then [Remove Page Break].
- Lucy_LucydeBoxerMar 21, 2022Copper ContributorEXCELLENT! This one worked.
- Lucy_LucydeBoxerMar 21, 2022Copper Contributor
Riny_van_Eekelen I selected the entire worksheet then set the print area. Unfortunately, this did not clear the print area that I was trying unsuccessfully to reset.
- SergeiBaklanMar 23, 2020MVP
Clear Print Area removes print areas. If that doesn't work try to repair your office app.
- Bobby_RayFeb 17, 2022Copper Contributor
idarow I also could not remove the obnoxious print area boxes by going to the Page Layout tab and choosing 'clear print area' from the Print Area selector button - BUT what DID work was going to File and going down to Print Area and clicking on Remove Print Area.