Printing with Help from an Adult
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What you will learn
- 1Follow the correct steps to print a document — open the file, use the File menu, choose Print settings, and collect the pages — with help from an adult
Mini Lesson
Printing turns the words and pictures on your screen into a real piece of paper that you can hold, read, and keep. It sounds simple, but there are a few important steps to follow — and a few things that can go wrong if you rush!
Before you print — ask an adult
- Always ask a parent or grown-up before printing — printers use paper and ink, which cost money.
- Make sure the printer is on and has paper loaded.
- Check that the printer is connected to the computer — either by a cable or Wi-Fi.
The four printing steps
- Open the document you want to print.
- Click File in the menu bar at the top, then choose Print — or press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac).
- A Print dialog box appears, often with a preview of your page. Check: the correct printer is selected, the number of copies is right, and the page range is correct (usually All pages).
- Click the Print button and wait. Go to the printer and collect your pages when they come out.
The print dialog box — what each part does
- Printer name — shows which printer will receive the job. Make sure it is the correct one!
- Copies — how many copies of the document to print. Set to 1 unless you need more.
- Page range — choose All (all pages), Current page (just the one on screen), or enter specific page numbers.
- Orientation — Portrait (tall) or Landscape (wide).
Common printing problems and solutions
- Nothing is printing — check that the printer is on and has paper.
- Wrong printer selected — go back to the dialog box and choose the correct printer.
- Printed too many copies — ask your grown-up to cancel the print job.
Words to know
To make a paper copy of something on the screen
e.g. I print my practice sheet to bring to the table.
Printer
A machine that puts the file onto paper
e.g. The printer made two copies of my page.
Print dialog box
A small window that appears when you choose Print
e.g. I check the print dialog box for the right printer.
Preview
A look at how a file will appear before you print it
e.g. The preview showed I had two pages.
Copy
One more of the same file or page
e.g. I made one copy for my grandma.
Ask yourself: "What is the very first thing I should do before pressing Print? What could go wrong if I skip the Print dialog box?"
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