PPT: Slides Not Centered When Printing from HP DeskJet Printer (137602)

CAUSE

This problem occurs because of the unprintable region of the printer and the way PowerPoint prints slides.

For example, when set to landscape orientation, the HP DeskJet has the following unprintable regions:

   Left:     .33 inch
   Right:    .6 inch
   Top:      .2 inch
   Bottom:   .2 inch

This means that if a slide is too big to fit on a page, it is cropped unevenly.

Also, when PowerPoint positions slides on a page, it starts from the center of the page and works out equally in all directions. Some printer drivers do not provide the correct location for the center of the page.

RESOLUTION

Change HP DeskJet Paper Settings

If you change the paper settings in the printer driver to A4 (European size, 8.27 by 11.69 inches) but do not change the slide setup options, the slide looks more centered when it is printed. The printout is centered left and right with a slightly larger margin on the top than on the bottom. If you set the paper size to A4, the nonprintable region is set for A4 paper. The unprintable region is:

   Left:    .5 inch
   Right:   .5 inch
   Top:     .65 inch
   Bottom:  .33 inch

In some cases, you may have to change the settings to force A4 paper size in PowerPoint as well as on the printer. To do this, follow the steps appropriate for your version of Windows.

Changing Paper Settings in Windows 95

On the Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
Right-click the printer icon, and then click Properties.
Change the Paper Source or Paper Size option to A4.

Changing Paper Settings in Windows 3.x

Double-click the Control Panel icon in the Main Program group.
Double-click the Printers icon.
Select the printer and then click Settings.
Change the Paper Source option to A4.

You may also need to change the paper source or page size in PowerPoint.