Hi, we recently encountered problems with printing multi-section documents. For example:a document with 3 sections, 10 pages each. I want to print pages from 5 to 15.Print >Settings > [Custom Print] > Pages: 5-15 > Print. Done. That always worked but it stopped now. The pages are not printed at all and there is no error message nor anything else. [Print All Pages] works. [Print Current Page] works. No problems with documents without sections. All other programs print normally as usual. The only solution I figured so far is to specify section numbers like p5s1-p15s2. But it is tedious and almost impossible with big documents having many sections. As a workaround it can be printed from a PDF export but there are some minor quality issues. The prints don't look the same. The same problem appeared on several computers. I don't know exactly when it started. Probably with some updates at the start of the year 2021. Is it some kind of intentional change or a bug?Is there any way to just print range of pages regardless of sections? Version: MS Office Professional Plus 2016 (16.0.13530.20132) 64bit Thanks.

I'm a developer with 40 years experience (everything from C++ to voice recognition).With 100% code coverage and test-driven design, the development team should not have made a BASIC error like this. Printing is a fundamental feature of the application. This bug is a major fail and Microsoft should ideally give users a refund of some sort.The refund will not happen - I know. The world is not perfect. Stefan_Blom

RalphMalph25 The bug hasn't been fixed yet. It has been recognized by Microsoft, though, and it is being investigated. Recently, it has been suggested that enabling "Update fields before printing" works around the issue (see https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/word-not-printing-selected-pages-when-page/d4d80f01-2740-493f-a114-fb31ddf15e1f).

As a work around until the bug is solved you can export the pages via File / Export / PDF and print the PDF file afterwards. You can specify a page range in the export options and strange as it may seem there it will work as expected.Above all I am happy its a bug and not a feature.

This just worked for me. Thanks!

johnpaul Hi John Paul, This may help in the interim. I found that the problem occurs for me when I have page numbering in the form 'page x of y'. I get around the problem by having just 'page x'. Good luck with your novel. Simon In more detail, here is how to trigger the problem and how to get around it (but not how to fix it) .Step 1.From scratch, create a simple document in Word. For example, the text ‘page One’, a page break, and the text ‘Page Two’.Insert, Page Number, Bottom of Page, Page X of Y (Bold Numbers 1).Save the document.Step 2.Attempt to print.Select to print just page 1.It will not. Nor page 2.Step 3.Edit the footer.Remove page number.Add page number.This time, just the plain number. (That is ‘page x’, not ‘page x of y’.)Save the document.Step 4.Attempt to print.Select to print just page 1.It prints.And also for just page 2.

Printing a range of pages in a multi-section document stopped working

Loulli
Copper Contributor
Sep 28, 2021
As a work around until the bug is solved you can export the pages via File / Export / PDF and print the PDF file afterwards. You can specify a page range in the export options and strange as it may seem there it will work as expected.
Above all I am happy its a bug and not a feature.
- johnpaul
  Copper Contributor
  Sep 28, 2021
  come on Loulli that pdf method ridiculous.
  You'd be much better off just highlighting the pages you want then use the selection option on the print menu.
  - Meg_W4
    Copper Contributor
    Oct 04, 2021
    johnpaul
    The problem of highlighting for printing a range is that the footer (where I put page number) doesn't get printed.
Doug_Robbins_Word_MVP
MVP
Jan 22, 2022
We have receive a report that this issue has been fixed, so if you are still having the problem, close ALL Office applications and then re-open Word.
- Loulli
  Copper Contributor
  Jan 22, 2022
  Doug_Robbins_Word_MVP Yes I can confirm that it's working for me again in Version 2201 (Build 14827.20088). Thanks.
Stefan_Blom
MVP
Jan 14, 2021
Alestos

Note that Word usually requires that you specify both the page and the section numbers when you are printing a range that spans more than one section. That said, recently a bug has been reported that concerns printing page ranges. See I can't print a range of pages with Word Office 365 - Microsoft Community.
Stefan_Blom
MVP
Jan 15, 2021
Alestos

The bug with the p#s# syntax should now be fixed. Update Office and restart the programs.

See Problems printing page ranges - Microsoft Community.
- bbuerger
  Copper Contributor
  Sep 01, 2021
  Stefan_Blom
  Unfortunately the bug appears to happen again with an update-to-date version:
  Microsoft® Word 2016 MSO (16.0.14326.20062) 32-Bit
  - Stefan_Blom
    MVP
    Sep 01, 2021
    bbuerger
    
    That is certainly bad news. 😞 Make sure that you report the (new) bug via the feedback facility in Word (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-do-i-give-feedback-on-microsoft-office-2b102d44-b43f-4dd2-9ff4-23cf144cfb11).
- eLundquist
  Copper Contributor
  Sep 21, 2021
  This is apparently not a new issue.
  
  See this: https://www.howtogeek.com/367996/how-to-print-a-range-of-pages-in-a-multi-section-word-document/
  - Stefan_Blom
    MVP
    Sep 22, 2021
    eLundquist
    
    The bug is certainly new.
    
    What definitely isn't new is that you have to use specific syntax for printing a range of pages that span across multiple sections (see https://wordmvp.com/FAQs/Formatting/PrintMultipleSections.htm).
Stefan_Blom
MVP
Sep 09, 2021
Alestos

As reported in the Microsoft Community (see for example https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/microsoft-word-m365-specific-pagecustom-range/560ee184-32a7-4e2b-bab8-1f7b480bd15a), Microsoft has recognized this issue as a bug and it is being investigated.
- johnpaul
  Copper Contributor
  Sep 19, 2021
  Hi
  I'm writing a novel and thus I need to print off page ranges to give to agents and publishers. Can you tell me roughly when this page range bug will be sorted? Thankyou Stefan_Blom
  - Simon_Convy
    Copper Contributor
    Oct 07, 2021
    johnpaul
    Hi John Paul,
    This may help in the interim. I found that the problem occurs for me when I have page numbering in the form 'page x of y'. I get around the problem by having just 'page x'.
    Good luck with your novel.
    Simon
    
    In more detail, here is how to trigger the problem and how to get around it (but not how to fix it) .
    Step 1.
    From scratch, create a simple document in Word. For example, the text ‘page One’, a page break, and the text ‘Page Two’.
    Insert, Page Number, Bottom of Page, Page X of Y (Bold Numbers 1).
    Save the document.
    Step 2.
    Attempt to print.
    Select to print just page 1.
    It will not. Nor page 2.
    Step 3.
    Edit the footer.
    Remove page number.
    Add page number.
    This time, just the plain number. (That is ‘page x’, not ‘page x of y’.)
    Save the document.
    Step 4.
    Attempt to print.
    Select to print just page 1.
    It prints.
    And also for just page 2.
pmehit
Copper Contributor
Jan 05, 2022
Alestos I have the same problem, but one of the three computers in the family using Word. How bizarre is that?
- wcolbert
  Copper Contributor
  Jan 12, 2022
  Look at my recent response.
wcolbert
Copper Contributor
Jan 12, 2022
Alestos I have found a fix with this as I was working with an engineer from Microsoft as my MSP pays for support. What you will need to do is change the channel to semi-annual. Once I changed the channel and pushed it through our remote management tool, I was able to fix sectional printing for our end-user. Here is a doc on how to change the update channel:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/change-update-channels
It seems like once Microsoft rolls out a new update, we (end-users, techs, etc.) are the ones beta testing for them, so reverting to a previous channel gives them time to fix the more current bugs in their new updates. I hope this helps.
andrejnikolaj
Copper Contributor
Jan 21, 2022
I have this problem again with newest version of Word 16.0.14, it looks like they again broke it with some version

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Printing a range of pages in a multi-section document stopped working

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