How to Create a Print to PDF Button in Microsoft Excel on Windows 11

While you may Microsoft Excel to create spreadsheets, but not everyone would have the same Office version installed. That becomes crucial when you use built-in functions for data analysis in spreadsheets. So it’s a good idea to turn your Excel spreadsheet into a PDF so that anyone can open it on a variety of devices.

Since you might not be aware of which version of Microsoft Excel your colleagues, clients or students might be using, you can save the spreadsheet as a PDF. And if you have to do that often, you may create a Save As or Print to PDF button to directly get the spreadsheet in PDF format. Here’s how you can create a Print to PDF button in Microsoft Excel on Windows 11.

Create Print to PDF Button Using Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Excel

The Quick Access toolbar available for Microsoft Office apps lets you access actions and commands like Save, Home, Save As, Send File, and more. It can also be used to enable the Print to PDF function in Microsoft Excel. You can print any file as a PDF. That said, you’ll need a PDF reader program like Adobe Acrobat Reader to open your PDF file and its layout properly.

Here’s how to enable the function.

Step 1: Click the Start icon on the Taskbar to open the Start menu, type Microsoft Excel in the search box, and press Enter.

Step 2: Open the Excel workbook where you want to enable this function.

Step 3: Click on File from the top-left corner.

Step 4: Select Options at the bottom-left corner.

Step 5: Click on Quick Access Toolbar in the Excel Options window.

Step 6: Click the Popular Commands drop-down menu.

Step 7: Select All Commands.

Step 8: Scroll down and select Publish as PDF or XPS.

Step 9: Click the Add button to copy the command.

Step 10: Click on Save at the bottom right side to confirm.

After you close the window, you will see the Print to PDF icon in the Quick Access Toolbar.

Step 11: Click the icon after selecting the cells you want to be printed as the PDF.

Step 12: Enter the file name, select the location for saving your PDF file, and click on Publish.

Your Excel file will now open as a PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader or whichever program you have installed on your Windows 11 PC to open PDF files. You can now print that file.

You can also read our post if the Quick Access Toolbar is not working in Excel on your PC.

Create Print to PDF Button Using Macro Commands in Microsoft Excel

You can also create a PDF Macro Command button in your Microsoft Excel sheet to quickly send it for printing as a PDF file. A Macro Command Button lets you automate actions with the click. This advanced step and needs you to enable the Developer Tab in Microsoft Excel. Here’s how.

Step 1: Click the Start icon on the Taskbar to open the Start menu, type Microsoft Excel in the search box, and press Enter.

Step 2: Open the Excel workbook for which you want to enable this function.

Step 3: Click on File from the top-left corner.

Step 4: Select Options at the bottom-left corner.

Step 5: Under Customize The Ribbon, scroll down to the bottom and enable the Developer tab. Then, click on Save at the bottom-right corner.

After you enable the Developer tab in the Ribbon, here’s how to create a Macro Button for Print to PDF.

Step 1: Click the Developer tab at the top.

Step 2: Click on Insert.

Step 3: Select the icon for Command Button (ActiveX Control).

That’ll insert a command button inside your Excel sheet.

Step 4: Right-click on the command button and select Properties.

Step 5: Edit the Caption – the name of your macro command button. Name it something easy like Print to PDF.

Step 6: Close the Properties window, right-click on your command button again, and select View Code.

You will now see the Microsoft Visual Basic window.

Step 7: Copy the command and paste it into the Visual Basic window.

Dim PrintFile As String PrintFile = Application.DefaultFilePath & "\" & _ ActiveWorkbook.Name & ".pdf" Sheets("Sheet1").Select ActiveSheet.PageSetup.PrintArea = "B7:E17" ActiveSheet.ExportAsFixedFormat Type:=xlTypePDF, _ Filename:=PrintFile, Quality:=xlQualityStandard, _ IncludeDocProperties:=True, IgnorePrintAreas:=False, _ OpenAfterPublish:=True 

Do note that the VBA Sheets.Select statement has your sheet number that you need to print. You also need to specify the PrintArea by entering the selected cell numbers.

Step 8: Press Control + S to save the code.

Step 9: Close the Visual Basic window and click the macro command button to print your Excel as a PDF file.

If your command button doesn’t work, here’s how you can enable permissions for Macro Buttons in Microsoft Excel.

Step 1: In the same Excel file, click on File at the top-left corner.

Step 2: Click on Options at the bottom-left corner.

Step 3: Select Trust Center.

Step 4: Click on Trust Center Settings.

Step 5: Select Macro Settings from the left menu.

Step 6: Click the checkbox next to Enable VBA Macros, Enable Excel 4.0 Macros, and Trust Access to VBA Project Object Model.

Close the window, and your macro button should work now.

Print Your Excel File to a PDF

These steps will help you create a Print to PDF button in Microsoft Excel. You can also read our post to learn how to insert a PDF document into your Excel sheet on Windows 11.