To print a Google Docs document in landscape orientation, change the document’s page setup before opening the browser’s print dialog. That way the document layout and the printer orientation agree.
- Open the document in Google Docs.
- Choose File > Page setup.
- Make sure the document is using a paged format if page-orientation controls are not visible.
- Select Landscape and apply the change.
- Choose File > Print.
- In the browser or system print dialog, confirm that landscape orientation is selected and preview the result before printing.
Landscape is useful for wide tables, charts, schedules, and other content that does not fit comfortably across a portrait page.
If the preview still clips content, reduce margins, adjust table widths, or use an appropriate print scaling option. Changing orientation alone does not guarantee that an oversized table will fit.
Google Docs can also support mixed page orientations in documents using section breaks and paged layouts. If only one portion needs to be landscape, use section-specific page setup rather than rotating the entire document.
Printer drivers sometimes override application settings, so always check the final print preview before sending a long document to the printer.
Check tables after changing orientation
Changing from portrait to landscape gives content more horizontal room but changes line wrapping and page breaks. Review tables, images, headers, footers, and manually inserted page breaks afterward. If the document will be exported to PDF, inspect that PDF too because it is often the version recipients actually print.
If you don’t see the orientation option
Documents in Pageless format don’t have page orientation. Go to File > Page setup, select the Pages tab at the top, and the Portrait and Landscape options appear.
Print only some pages in landscape
- Click where the landscape section should start and choose Insert > Break > Section break (next page).
- Add another section break where the landscape section should end.
- Click inside the middle section and open File > Page setup.
- Set Apply to to This section, choose Landscape, and click OK.
The rest of the document stays in portrait.
Print settings in the browser
| Setting | What to choose |
|---|---|
| Layout | Landscape (should match automatically) |
| Pages | All, or a range such as 2-4 |
| Margins | Default; use Minimum only if content is cut off |
| Scale | Lower it slightly (for example 90) if a wide table still doesn’t fit |
You can also choose Save as PDF as the destination to keep a landscape PDF copy.
Make landscape your default
In File > Page setup, choose Landscape and click Set as default. New documents will start in landscape.
On a phone or tablet
In the Google Docs app, tap the three-dot menu, choose Page setup, and set Orientation to Landscape. See how to switch to landscape in the Google Docs mobile app.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my printout still come out in portrait?
The printer driver’s own setting may override the browser. Check the printer’s preferences in the system print dialog and choose landscape there too.
How do I print a spreadsheet in landscape?
See how to change the orientation of a printed spreadsheet in Google Sheets. For more on the Docs setting itself, see how to switch to landscape orientation in Google Docs.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.