Body
Issue
Microsoft Word for Mac will print the incorrect file while the print preview shows the correct file.
Environment
Managed macOS computer
Description
(quoted from the customer's help request)
I often have multiple Word documents open on my laptop at once (using the local app, not the web app). Frequently, when I try to print one of those documents, the preview in the print window will show the correct document, but the wrong document will print. This happens at least 50% of the time, if not more.
The only way to get it to print the correct document after one wrong printing is to close all other documents, which is very inconvenient. I've quit and restarted the app, reinstalled drivers, and nothing seems to make a difference. I don't know if this is consistent across printers, as I only use one UO printer in my department.
Resolution
This appears to be a known but rare bug for Word on Mac where the operating system flags the last focused document as the current one for printing instead of the one in the print preview.
There is no real fix, just some things that can be done to mitigate the issue:
Select the file as the current window
- Select the document body directly (not just the title bar or toolbar) of the file you want to print — you should see the cursor blinking in the text.
- Then go to the File menu, then select Print. Don't click on another document window at any point before selecting Print.
Other things that help
- Close other documents first when possible. With only one doc open, the wrong document bug can't happen.
- Use the print shortcut (Command-P, ⌘P) immediately after selecting into the document body, without touching anything else.
- Don't use the Print button in the toolbar if you have one set up — go through File > Print instead, as it's more reliable at capturing the active document context.
- Check the file name in the print dialog — at the top of the Mac print sheet, the document name is usually shown. Verify it matches what you intended before selecting Print.