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

Presentations often include important speaker notes that help explain each slide. However, when you print a PowerPoint presentation, the notes do not appear by default. If you want printed slides with notes for meetings, studying, or presenting, you need to choose the correct print settings.

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This guide explains how to print PowerPoint with notes step-by-step on both Windows and Mac, along with troubleshooting tips, common mistakes, and helpful printing tips.

Why Print PowerPoint With Notes?

Printing slides with notes is helpful for several reasons:

• Presenter reference – Keep key talking points while presenting.
• Study material – Students can review slides along with explanations.
• Meeting handouts – Participants can follow along with detailed information.
• Training sessions – Trainers can distribute notes for better understanding.

PowerPoint includes a special print format called Notes Pages, which prints each slide with its associated speaker notes underneath.

How to Print PowerPoint With Notes on Windows

If you’re using PowerPoint on a Windows computer, printing notes is simple once you select the correct layout.

Step 1: Open Your PowerPoint Presentation

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

Before printing, make sure your speaker notes are added to each slide in the Notes pane at the bottom of the editing window.

Step 2: Open the Print Menu

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

This opens the PowerPoint print settings panel where you can choose layout and printer options.

Step 3: Select “Notes Pages”

Under Settings:

1. Click the dropdown that usually says Full Page Slides.
2. Choose Notes Pages.

PowerPoint will now display a preview showing:

• The slide image at the top
• The speaker notes below the slide

Step 4: Choose Printer Settings

Next, select your preferred printing options:

• Printer – Choose your connected printer.
• Color or Grayscale – Save ink by selecting grayscale if needed.
• Paper Size – Usually Letter or A4.
• Orientation – Portrait works best for notes pages.

Step 5: Print the Presentation

After confirming the preview:

1. Click Print.
2. Wait for your slides with notes to print.

Each page will include one slide plus its notes.

How to Print PowerPoint With Notes on Mac

The process on Mac is similar but the print menu looks slightly different.

Step 1: Open the PowerPoint File

1. Launch Microsoft PowerPoint.
2. Open your presentation.

Make sure your notes are already written in the Notes section below each slide.

Step 2: Open the Print Window

1. Click File in the top menu.
2. Select Print.

You can also press:

Command + P

to open the print settings quickly.

Step 3: Change the Layout to Notes

In the print dialog:

1. Look for the Layout dropdown menu.
2. Select Notes or Notes Pages.

You will see a preview showing slides with notes underneath.

Step 4: Adjust Print Preferences

Choose the settings that work best for you:

• Printer selection
• Color or black and white
• Paper size
• Number of copies

Step 5: Print the Slides

Click Print to start printing your slides with notes.

Your printer will produce pages showing:

• Slide image
• Speaker notes
• Page formatting optimized for reading

Tips for Printing Multiple Slides With Notes

Sometimes you may want to print more efficiently or adjust how slides appear.

Tip 1: Reduce Notes Length

If notes are too long, they may be cut off. Keep notes short and structured for better printing.

Tip 2: Use Portrait Orientation

Notes pages are designed for portrait orientation, which leaves enough space for notes.

Tip 3: Print Selected Slides Only

To print specific slides:

1. Go to Print settings
2. Choose Custom Range
3. Enter slide numbers (e.g., 1–5)

This saves paper and ink.

Tip 4: Convert to PDF First

If formatting looks strange, try:

1. Export as PDF
2. Print the PDF

This often fixes layout problems.

Tip 5: Use Grayscale to Save Ink

Notes pages include text-heavy sections, so grayscale printing usually looks just as good.

Troubleshooting: PowerPoint Notes Not Printing

If your notes do not appear when printing, try these fixes.

Notes Section Is Empty

Sometimes the notes area contains no text.

Solution:
Check the Notes pane under each slide and add your speaker notes.

Wrong Print Layout Selected

The most common issue is choosing the wrong layout.

Solution:

Select:

Print Layout → Notes Pages

instead of:

• Full Page Slides
• Handouts
• Outline

Notes Cut Off When Printing

Long notes may extend beyond the printable area.

Solution:

• Shorten the notes
• Adjust margins
• Export to PDF before printing

Printer Formatting Issues

Occasionally printer drivers cause layout problems.

Solution:

• Update your printer driver
• Print using Microsoft Print to PDF
• Then print the PDF file

PowerPoint Version Differences

Older versions of PowerPoint may display different menus.

Solution:

Look specifically for Notes Pages in the print layout options.

Common Mistakes When Printing PowerPoint Notes

Many users run into problems because of simple mistakes.

1. Printing “Full Page Slides”

This option prints slides only, not notes.

Always choose Notes Pages.

2. Forgetting to Check Print Preview

The preview shows exactly what will print.

Always verify:

• Slide
• Notes text
• Page layout

before clicking Print.

3. Writing Notes That Are Too Long

Extremely long notes may be truncated.

Break them into:

• Bullet points
• Short paragraphs

4. Printing Without Checking Paper Size

Using the wrong paper size can distort the layout.

Make sure:

• Letter or A4 matches your printer settings.

5. Ignoring Printer Margins

Some printers cannot print to the edge of the page.

Always leave reasonable margins around notes.

FAQ: Printing PowerPoint With Notes

Can I print slides with notes and slide thumbnails?

Yes. When you select Notes Pages, PowerPoint prints the slide at the top and the notes beneath it.

Can I print multiple slides per page with notes?

No. The Notes Pages layout prints only one slide per page. If you need multiple slides per page, use Handouts, but notes will not appear.

How do I print notes without the slide?

PowerPoint does not directly support this. A workaround is:

1. Copy notes from the Notes pane
2. Paste them into Word
3. Print from Word.

Can I edit notes formatting before printing?

Yes. Go to:

View → Notes Page

Here you can adjust layout, font size, and spacing before printing.

Can I save PowerPoint notes as a PDF?

Yes.

1. Click File
2. Select Export
3. Choose Create PDF
4. Select Notes Pages in the export settings.

This creates a printable PDF with slides and notes.

Conclusion

Printing PowerPoint with notes is a simple but extremely useful feature for presentations, training sessions, and studying. By selecting the Notes Pages layout, PowerPoint automatically prints each slide along with the speaker notes beneath it.

Whether you are using Windows or Mac, the process is similar: open the print menu, choose Notes Pages, review the preview, and print. Checking the correct layout and keeping notes concise will ensure your printed pages are clear and easy to read.

With the steps, troubleshooting tips, and best practices in this guide, you can confidently print PowerPoint slides with notes whenever you need professional presentation handouts.