As the name implies, Print Preview is a way to preview how the document will look when printed on paper. This allows you to catch unexpected errors or make layout adjustments before printing.
In Microsoft Word, you cannot edit text in Print Preview mode. However, there are two options to enable text editing in this mode: adding the Print Preview Edit Mode feature to the Quick Access Toolbar and adding the Print Preview Edit Mode feature by customizing a ribbon.
Edit Text in Microsoft Word's Print Preview Mode
1. Adding Print Preview Edit Mode to the Quick Access Toolbar
- Launch Microsoft Word and select the File tab on the Ribbon.
- Next, click on Options in the left-hand panel.
- In the Word Options window, select Quick Access Toolbar and then press the arrow to expand Choose commands from, choosing All Commands.
- Click on Print Preview Edit Mode and press the Add button.
- Finally, click OK to complete the process.
2. Adding Print Preview Edit Mode by Customizing a Ribbon
- In the File menu, click on Options.
- Select Customize Ribbon > All Commands from the expanded list under Choose commands from.
- Click on Print Preview Edit Mode > Add.
- Finally, click OK.
In previous versions, you could edit documents in Print Preview mode. Simply click the magnifying glass icon on the Print Preview toolbar in Word 2003 and Word 2007 to disable this feature and easily proceed with text editing. However, this behavior has slightly changed in Word 2010, but you can bring back that experience with just a few simple steps as mentioned above.
