How to Print PowerPoint with Notes (Step-by-Step Guide for Windows & Mac)

Printing PowerPoint slides with notes is useful when you want a physical copy of your presentation along with your speaker notes. Instead of looking at notes on a screen while presenting, you can print slides with the notes section underneath each slide.

How To Print ON Post It Notes

The quickest way to do this is by using the Notes Pages print layout in Microsoft PowerPoint. This option prints one slide per page with the corresponding speaker notes below it.

This guide explains exactly how to print PowerPoint with notes on Windows and Mac, along with troubleshooting tips, common mistakes to avoid, and helpful printing tips for better results.

Why Print PowerPoint Slides with Notes?

Printing slides with notes can make presenting and studying presentations much easier.

Common reasons people print PowerPoint with notes include:

• Using notes as a speaker guide during presentations
• Reviewing lecture slides with explanations
• Sharing presentation notes with colleagues or students
• Creating study materials for training sessions
• Keeping a backup copy of presentation talking points

Instead of printing slides alone, printing notes gives you the full context of the presentation.

How to Print PowerPoint with Notes on Windows

If you’re using PowerPoint on Windows, follow these steps to print slides with notes.

Step 1: Open Your PowerPoint Presentation

1. Launch Microsoft PowerPoint.
2. Open the presentation file you want to print.

Make sure your speaker notes are already added in the Notes pane below each slide.

Step 2: Click the File Menu

1. Click File in the top-left corner.
2. Select Print from the menu.

This opens the PowerPoint printing interface where you can configure print settings.

Step 3: Choose the Notes Pages Layout

Under Settings, you will see a dropdown that usually says:

Full Page Slides

Click that dropdown and choose:

Notes Pages

This layout prints:

• One slide per page
• Speaker notes beneath the slide

Step 4: Select Your Printer

Make sure the correct printer is selected in the Printer section.

You can also adjust:

• Number of copies
• Page orientation
• Color settings
• Paper size

Step 5: Click Print

After reviewing the preview, click Print.

PowerPoint will now print each slide along with the notes section.

How to Print PowerPoint with Notes on Mac

The process is very similar on macOS, but the menu layout is slightly different.

Step 1: Open the Presentation

Open your PowerPoint file on your Mac.

Confirm that your speaker notes are written in the Notes section below each slide.

Step 2: Open the Print Window

1. Click File
2. Select Print

Or use the shortcut:

Command + P

Step 3: Open Layout Options

In the print window:

1. Look for Layout
2. Open the dropdown menu

Choose:

Notes

This tells PowerPoint to print the slide with the notes underneath it.

Step 4: Adjust Print Settings

You can configure additional settings such as:

• Printer selection
• Page range
• Copies
• Color or grayscale printing
• Two-sided printing

Step 5: Print the Slides with Notes

Click Print.

Each page will contain:

• The slide image
• The speaker notes below it

How to Add Speaker Notes Before Printing

If your slides don’t yet have notes, you should add them before printing.

To add notes in PowerPoint:

1. Open the presentation.
2. Select a slide.
3. Click the Notes pane at the bottom.
4. Type your speaker notes.

Repeat for each slide that needs notes.

These notes will automatically appear when printing Notes Pages.

Tips for Printing Multiple Slides with Notes

Printing slides with notes can use a lot of paper if your presentation is large. Here are some ways to optimize printing.

1. Print Only Selected Slides

Instead of printing the entire presentation:

1. Go to File → Print
2. Enter slide numbers in Slides
3. Example: 1-5, 10, 12

This saves paper and ink.

2. Print in Grayscale

Color printing uses more ink.

Choose:

Color → Grayscale

This keeps slides readable while saving ink.

3. Export Notes to Word for More Flexible Printing

PowerPoint allows you to export notes to Microsoft Word.

Steps:

1. Click File
2. Choose Export
3. Select Create Handouts
4. Open in Word

In Word you can:

• Print multiple slides per page
• Adjust note spacing
• Add extra annotations

4. Use Two-Sided Printing

For large presentations, enable Duplex Printing.

This prints on both sides of the paper and reduces paper usage.

5. Adjust Notes Font Size Before Printing

If notes appear too small:

1. Go to View
2. Select Notes Page
3. Increase the font size

This improves readability in printed copies.

Troubleshooting: PowerPoint Notes Not Printing

Sometimes PowerPoint doesn’t print notes correctly. Here are common fixes.

Problem: Notes Are Missing in the Printout

Solution:

Check the print layout.

Go to:

File → Print → Settings

Make sure Notes Pages is selected instead of Full Page Slides.

Problem: Notes Are Cut Off

If part of the notes are missing:

Try these solutions:

• Reduce the note font size
• Adjust page margins
• Print in Landscape orientation

Long notes may exceed the printable space.

Problem: Printer Prints Blank Pages

Possible causes:

• Printer driver issue
• Incorrect print layout
• PowerPoint bug

Try:

1. Restart PowerPoint
2. Update the printer driver
3. Export slides to PDF and print the PDF

Problem: Slides Print but Notes Don’t

This usually happens when:

• Notes were added in Presenter View but not saved
• The print layout is set incorrectly

Reopen the presentation and confirm notes appear in the Notes pane.

Common Mistakes When Printing PowerPoint Notes

Many users run into problems because of small mistakes.

Avoid these common issues.

1. Printing the Wrong Layout

The most common mistake is leaving the default setting Full Page Slides.

Always switch to:

Notes Pages

2. Forgetting to Add Notes

If notes were never written, PowerPoint prints blank space below the slide.

Double-check the notes pane before printing.

3. Ignoring Print Preview

Always review the print preview.

It helps catch issues like:

• Cropped notes
• Incorrect layout
• Wrong orientation

4. Printing Too Many Slides

Large presentations can produce 50–100 pages when printing notes.

Print a test page first.

5. Using the Wrong Paper Orientation

Sometimes portrait orientation makes slides appear small.

If needed, switch to:

Landscape orientation

FAQ: Printing PowerPoint with Notes

1. Can I print multiple slides per page with notes?

Not directly in PowerPoint. The Notes Pages layout prints one slide per page.

However, you can export notes to Microsoft Word and adjust the layout there.

2. Why are my speaker notes not showing when I print?

This usually happens because the print layout is set to Full Page Slides.

Change the setting to Notes Pages in the print menu.

3. Can I save PowerPoint with notes as a PDF?

Yes.

Go to:

File → Export → Create PDF

Make sure the Notes Pages layout is selected before exporting.

4. How do I make printed notes larger?

Use the Notes Page view:

1. Click View
2. Select Notes Page
3. Increase the note text size.

5. Can I print notes without the slides?

PowerPoint doesn’t offer this option directly.

You can copy notes into Microsoft Word and print them as text.

Conclusion

Printing PowerPoint with notes is a simple but powerful way to make presentations easier to deliver and review. By selecting the Notes Pages layout in the print settings, PowerPoint prints each slide along with the speaker notes underneath it.

Whether you’re using Windows or Mac, the process takes only a few steps: open the print menu, choose the Notes Pages layout, review the preview, and print.

For better results, remember to review print previews, adjust note formatting, and consider exporting notes to Word if you need more flexible layouts. These small steps help ensure your printed presentation is clear, organized, and easy to follow.

With the right settings, printing PowerPoint slides with notes becomes a quick and reliable way to prepare for meetings, lectures, and presentations.