Only the first page prints
You print a multi-page document but only page one comes out, or the printer stops partway. Check the page range, layout, PDF and spooling settings and memory.
Quick fix
In the print window, set the page range to all pages and check that the layout isn't set to several pages per sheet. If the rest still doesn't print, look for a message on your screen asking you to turn the paper over; it appears when manual two-sided printing is on and can hide behind other windows.
Didn’t work? Go to the full stepsYou might see
- Page one prints, then nothing else comes out
- The job disappears from the queue after the first page
- Only odd pages print, or every other page is missing
- All the pages print tiny on a single sheet
- Long or image-heavy documents stop partway, sometimes with a memory error
Usually caused by
- Page range set to the current page or a single page
- Pages per sheet or manual two-sided printing turned on
- Large or complex pages exceeding the printer memory
- A problem PDF or a single damaged page
- Spooling or advanced printing settings in Windows
Step-by-step fix
Work through the steps in order and check each one off. Most people are printing again before the last step.
Windows 11 / 10
0 of 7 steps tried
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Check the page range
In Word, choose File > Print and make sure the first setting says Print All Pages, not Print Current Page, Print Selection or Only Print Odd Pages, and that the Pages box is empty. In Excel, choose Print Entire Workbook or check the print area.
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Check pages per sheet
If everything prints shrunk onto one sheet, set pages per sheet (also called N-up or multiple pages) back to 1 in Printer properties or Preferences. In Word, also check the 1 Page Per Sheet setting on the print page.
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Look for a manual two-sided prompt
With Manually Print on Both Sides in Word, or a manual duplex option in the driver, the printer prints one side and then waits for you to reload the pages. Check the taskbar for a hidden prompt, or switch the option off.
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Print the PDF another way
If the problem is a PDF, open it in another app such as Edge, or in Adobe Acrobat Reader click Advanced in the print window and tick Print As Image. Printing a few pages at a time also shows whether one page causes the stop.
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Reduce what the printer has to process
Pages full of photos or graphics can exceed a printer's memory, especially on older lasers, and the job stops or prints an error page. In Printing preferences, lower the print quality or resolution, or print smaller page ranges.
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Change the spooling settings
Open Printer properties > Advanced, choose Spool print documents so program finishes printing faster with Start printing after last page is spooled, and try again. If that doesn't help, untick Enable advanced printing features and test once more.
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Try a different driver
Some printers offer both a PCL and a PostScript driver. If one stops after the first page, install the other for your model from the manufacturer's official website and print the same document.
macOS
0 of 4 steps tried
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Check the page range
Press Command + P and set Pages to All. In Preview, make sure you haven't chosen to print only the pages selected in the sidebar.
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Check layout and paper handling
In the Layout section, set Pages per Sheet to 1. In Paper Handling, set Pages to Print to all pages rather than odd or even only.
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Print from Preview
Save the document as a PDF from the PDF menu in the print window, open it in Preview and print it. If Preview prints every page, the original app is the cause.
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Switch drivers
If a manufacturer driver stops after the first page, remove the printer in System Settings > Printers & Scanners and add it again with AirPrint in the Use menu, or the other way round.
Did this fix it?
Good. To confirm everything is healthy, print a test page. It takes a minute and shows any quality problems early.
Try these next
Still stuck? Our printer assistant can walk you through it by live chat, free. . Or the The troubleshooter asks a few questions and narrows it down. If your printer is under warranty, the manufacturer can repair or replace it at no cost. Find their official support site on our brand pages.
Common questions
Why does my printer print page 1 and then cancel the job?
Usually the driver or printer couldn't process the next page, often because of a complex image, a damaged PDF page or limited printer memory. Printing as an image or at lower quality usually gets past it.
Why are all my pages printed on one sheet?
Pages per sheet is set above 1, often left over from an earlier job or saved in a preset. Set it back to 1 in the print window or printing preferences.