The Print Command vs. The Print Icon

With 99% of Windows functions, there is no difference between using the Toolbar icon or the menu command.  But did you know there is a difference when it comes to Printing?

There are two ways to tell Windows you want to print: by using the Print Command (File...Print or CTRL+P) or by using the toolbar printer icon.  However, ONLY using the print command will bring up the Print Dialog Box.  Bringing up this dialog box allows you to change the selected printer, number of copies, print quality, and range printed.  Pressing the toolbar icon tells Windows to print with the default settings, or the last settings used by the particular application.

In the screenshot above, I am printing a web page.  Thus, I am using the Print to PDF Function that is included with Windows 10.  (One no longer has to download a separate PDF printing plug-in.)  My personal system is set to print to PDF when I am using my web browser. If I want to change that setting, I am sure to hit CTRL+P, the keyboard shortcut for the Print Command.

Some newer versions of applications, like the latest LibreOffice, have begun to pop up the Print Dialog Box when a user hits the print icon on the toolbar.  However, most older applications still will use the last printer settings when that button is pressed, rather than show the dialog box.  MS Office applications are notorious for exhibiting this behavior.

I often get calls because a user is having "printing problems."  Many times, when I dig, I find out the printer itself is printing fine, it's just not printing the way the user wants.  When I ask the user how s/he is issuing the print command, he/she usually responds by saying s/he pressed the print button.  When I ask him/her to press CTRL+P, s/he usually responds with "That did it!"

So next time you are having issues with things printing the way you want, remember this little tip.  Try issuing the Print Command by using CTRL+P instead of a toolbar icon.  If you want to print only selected pages, or a selected block, use the Print Command instead of the Print Icon. Doing so should save you a lot of stress.