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Excel Print Odd Even Pages: 2-Sided Guide

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Excel Print Odd Even Pages: 2-Sided Guide

You can print odd or even pages in Excel using the print dialog’s “Print Active Sheets� and a page-range trick, or by using the “Print� button in Backstage view with a specific page list. This article explains the exact steps for Windows and Mac, how to use it for duplex printing, and what to do when the option seems missing.

Why Print Odd or Even Pages?

Printing odd and even pages separately is the classic way to do two-sided printing on a printer that lacks automatic duplexing. You print all the odd pages first, flip the stack, then print the even pages on the backs. It also helps when you only need to reprint one side of a page that jammed or when you want to save ink by printing only the pages you need.

How to Print Odd or Even Pages in Excel (Windows)

  1. Open your workbook and go to File > Print (or press Ctrl+P).
  2. In the “Settings� section, click the dropdown that says “Print Active Sheets� and choose “Print Active Sheets� (it’s usually already selected).
  3. In the “Pages� field (next to “Print Active Sheets�), type the page numbers you want. For odd pages, type 1,3,5,7 (or use a range like 1-5 for all pages 1 through 5 – but that prints both odd and even). To print only odd pages, you must list them individually or use a trick: type 1,3,5,7,9.
  4. Click Print.

For even pages, type 2,4,6,8,10.

How to Print Odd or Even Pages in Excel (Mac)

  1. Press Cmd+P to open the print dialog.
  2. In the “Copies & Pages� section, click the “Pages� dropdown and select “Custom�.
  3. In the “From� and “To� fields, enter the page range. To print odd pages, you can’t specify “odd� directly – you must type the page numbers in the “Pages� field (if available) or use the “From/To� with a workaround: print pages 1-5, then manually remove the even pages? That’s not practical. Instead, use the “Pages� field in the “Custom� option and type 1,3,5,7,9.
  4. Click Print.

Note: The exact wording may vary slightly by Excel version, but the “Custom� option always allows a comma-separated list.

Using the Page Range Trick for Duplex Printing

If your printer doesn’t duplex automatically, follow this manual duplex workflow:

  1. Print all odd pages (e.g., 1,3,5,7).
  2. Take the printed pages out of the output tray and flip them so the blank side faces up (the direction depends on your printer – check the manual).
  3. Put them back into the paper tray.
  4. Print all even pages (2,4,6,8).

Make sure the page order is correct – some printers require you to reverse the order when reloading. Test with a small document first.

Common Problems and Solutions

  • The “Pages� field is grayed out. This happens when “Print Active Sheets� is not selected. Choose it from the dropdown.
  • Printing a range like “1-5� prints both odd and even. That’s correct – a range includes all pages. Use a comma-separated list for odd/even only.
  • Page numbers don’t match the printed page numbers. Excel counts pages starting from 1, regardless of the page number shown in the footer. Use the page count from the print preview.
  • You only see “Print All Pages� and no “Pages� field. In some Excel versions, you need to click “Print Active Sheets� first, then the “Pages� field appears.
  • Odd/even printing is missing from the printer settings. Some printer drivers have an “Odd/Even� option in the printer properties dialog. Look for “Layout� or “Finishing� tabs.

Alternative: Use Excel’s Built-in “Print� Dialog

Excel doesn’t have a dedicated “print odd pages� button, but you can use the “Pages� field to type a list. For a large document, typing every other page number is tedious. A macro can automate it, but that requires VBA knowledge. A simpler alternative is to use a PDF printer: print the whole document to PDF, then use a PDF reader’s “Print� dialog which often has an “Odd/Even� option. For example, Adobe Reader has that option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I print odd pages only in Excel 2016?

Yes, all modern Excel versions (2013, 2016, 2019, 365) allow you to type a comma-separated list of page numbers in the “Pages� field of the print dialog. There’s no dedicated checkbox, but the list works.

How do I print even pages in Excel on a Mac?

Press Cmd+P, choose “Custom� in the “Pages� dropdown, and type the even page numbers separated by commas (e.g., 2,4,6). Then click Print.

Why does Excel print blank pages when I print odd/even?

Blank pages usually appear because your worksheet has extra empty rows or columns that extend beyond the data. Set the print area to exclude them: select the data, go to Page Layout > Print Area > Set Print Area.

Is there a way to print odd pages without typing all numbers?

No built-in shortcut exists, but you can use a macro or a third-party add-in. Alternatively, print to PDF and use the PDF reader’s odd/even option.

Does Excel have a “print odd pages� option in the ribbon?

No, it’s not in the ribbon. You must use the print dialog’s “Pages� field. Some printer drivers add an odd/even option in their properties, but that’s printer-specific.

Related

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