How to Print Handouts in PowerPoint (Several Slides per Page)
Printing one slide per page uses a forest and nobody wants to carry it. Handouts put several slides on a page — with space to write notes if you like — and a couple of settings make them cheap to print and easy to read.
Quick reference
| What you want | How |
|---|---|
| Print dialog | Ctrl + P |
| Slides per page | Click Full Page Slides → choose under Handouts |
| Lines for notes | Handouts → 3 Slides |
| Save ink | Color drop-down → Grayscale or Pure Black and White |
| Leave out hidden slides | Print All Slides → untick Print Hidden Slides |
1. Choose a handout layout
1. Press Ctrl + P.
2. Click the box that says Full Page Slides.
3. Under Handouts, choose how many slides per page.
• 3 Slides — the only option with ruled lines next to each slide for notes. The classic.
• 6 Slides — the best balance of readability and paper for most decks.
• 4 Slides — a good choice for slides with small text.
• 9 Slides — only if the slides are very simple.
2. Click the box that says Full Page Slides.
3. Under Handouts, choose how many slides per page.
• 3 Slides — the only option with ruled lines next to each slide for notes. The classic.
• 6 Slides — the best balance of readability and paper for most decks.
• 4 Slides — a good choice for slides with small text.
• 9 Slides — only if the slides are very simple.
The preview on the right updates as you choose.
2. Print in black and white
The Color drop-down at the bottom of the settings has three options:
• Color — as on screen.
• Grayscale — shades of grey. Dark backgrounds become white so the text is readable and the ink lasts.
• Pure Black and White — no greys at all. Crisp text, but photos and gradients may vanish.
• Grayscale — shades of grey. Dark backgrounds become white so the text is readable and the ink lasts.
• Pure Black and White — no greys at all. Crisp text, but photos and gradients may vanish.
Grayscale is almost always the right choice for handouts.
3. Add a header, footer and page numbers
Click Edit Header & Footer at the bottom of the print settings. The Notes and Handouts tab lets you add the date, a header (the presentation title, say), a footer and page numbers to every handout page.
4. Leave out hidden slides
Click Print All Slides and untick Print Hidden Slides. The same menu lets you print the Current Slide, a Custom Range (type 1-5, 8) or a section.
5. Portrait or landscape
Below the handout choice is Portrait Orientation / Landscape Orientation. 3 Slides looks best in portrait; 4 and 6 often look better in landscape with wider slides.
6. Print notes pages instead
For your own copy, choose Notes Pages instead of a handout — one slide per page with your speaker notes underneath.
Troubleshooting
The slides are tiny. Use fewer slides per page, or switch to landscape.
Dark backgrounds are using all the ink. Choose Grayscale. PowerPoint drops the background to white automatically.
I want to change the handout layout itself. View → Handout Master lets you move the header and footer boxes and change the background for every handout page.
Wrapping up
Ctrl + P, Full Page Slides → 6 Slides (or 3 Slides for note lines), Grayscale, untick Print Hidden Slides. Cheap, readable, and nobody has to carry 40 pages.
