How to Print an Email From Outlook (and Its Attachments)

Paper still has its moments. A delivery note for the warehouse, a booking confirmation for an event venue, travel details for a relative who doesn't do email, or a long brief you'd rather scribble notes on with a pen. Printing from Outlook is quick, but the Print button hides in different places depending on which Outlook you use, and attachments need their own step.

Here are Microsoft's steps for each version, how to get attachments onto paper, and the print options worth knowing in classic Outlook.

Which Outlook am I using?

If your Outlook window has a toggle at the top right labelled New Outlook that's switched on, you're in new Outlook. If you see a File tab at the far left of the ribbon, you're in classic Outlook. If it's in a web browser tab, you're on Outlook on the web or Outlook.com. Pick the matching section below. Layouts shift a little between updates, so if a button has moved, look for the printer icon or try the keyboard shortcut.

Printing an email in new Outlook for Windows

1. Select the email in your message list.
2. On the Home tab, select Print.
3. In the Print dialog box, choose your printer.
4. Pick a layout and the pages you want.
5. Select Print.

Microsoft notes these steps may not match if you haven't moved to new Outlook yet, so check the toggle first.

Printing an email in classic Outlook

1. Select the email.
2. Choose File, then Print. A preview appears on the right.
3. Choose a printer if the right one isn't already selected.
4. Select Print Options if you want to change settings.
5. Select Print.

Microsoft also says you can press Ctrl+P to print items, which skips straight to the print screen.

Printing an email from Outlook on the web

1. Open the email so it shows in the reading pane.
2. Select Print at the top of the message.
3. In the Print dialog box, choose a printer, layout and pages.
4. Select Print.

Printing Outlook attachments as well as the email

This is where most people get stuck, because printing the message doesn't automatically print what's attached in every version.

Outlook version	How to print the attachment
Classic Outlook, attachment only	Hover over the attachment, open its dropdown and choose Quick Print
Classic Outlook, email and attachments together	File, Print, Print Options, then tick Print attached files
New Outlook for Windows	Attachment dropdown, Preview, then Print, or Open and print from the file's own program
Outlook on the web	Attachment dropdown, Preview, then Print, or Download, open and print

Two things to know. Microsoft says Quick Print isn't available in new Outlook for Windows, and in classic Outlook it only uses your default printer. And the Print attached files tick in classic Outlook stays on until you switch it off, so you may find yourself printing every attachment on later emails too.

Classic Outlook print settings worth changing

• Print style: Memo style prints a single email in a readable layout, while Table style prints a list view.
• Page Setup: change fonts, paper, headers and footers.
• Page range: print only the pages you need rather than the whole thing.
• Copies: set how many copies you want and whether they're collated.
• Properties: change orientation or paper settings for your printer.

The page range is the only built-in way Microsoft describes for printing part of a message, so for a long email thread, check the preview and print just the pages with the bit you need.

Saving paper when printing from Outlook

Before you print, ask whether a digital copy would do. Choosing a PDF printer in the same print window creates a file instead of a page, and it's handy for records. If you only need to keep the email somewhere safe, my walkthrough on archiving Outlook emails keeps it out of your way without paper. And if the printout is really for someone else, it may be quicker to forward the email from Outlook to them.

Printed Outlook emails in a small business

Plenty of small businesses still keep paper trails, and that's fine. A few ways printed emails come in handy:

• Packing slips and order emails for whoever packs and posts the parcels.
• Event or venue confirmations to hand over at the door.
• Long briefs or contracts you want to read slowly and annotate before a call.
• Instructions for a team member who works away from a screen.

Whatever you print, shred anything with customer details once you're done with it. A printout left on a desk is far easier to lose than an email in a password-protected inbox.

Staying safe when printing Outlook attachments

Microsoft warns against opening attachments from senders you don't trust, as attachments are a common way to spread viruses. Using Preview where you can is the safer choice. If an attachment can't be previewed, Outlook may ask you to open or save it first, which means the matching program, such as Word for a document, needs to be installed.

If Outlook won't print your email

• Check the printer is switched on and selected in the Print dialog box.
• Try Ctrl+P from the open email.
• If an attachment won't preview, open it in its own program and print from there.
• If you're in new Outlook and can't find Quick Print, use Preview or Open instead, as Microsoft says Quick Print isn't available there.
• On a work computer, ask your IT team if printing is restricted.

Frequently asked questions

What's the shortcut to print an email in Outlook?

Microsoft says you can use Ctrl+P to print items in Outlook.

How do I print an email with its attachments in Outlook?

In classic Outlook, go to File, Print, Print Options and tick Print attached files. In new Outlook and on the web, open each attachment with Preview and print it separately.

Why can't I find Quick Print in new Outlook?

Microsoft says Quick Print is unavailable in new Outlook for Windows. Use the attachment's Preview or Open option instead.

Can I print only part of an Outlook email?

Microsoft describes choosing a page range, so check the preview and print only the pages you need.

Where is the Print button in new Outlook?

Select the email, then select Print on the Home tab.