Emails are a core part of modern communication whether for business, education or personal use. Yet there are still many situations where you may need a physical copy of an email. You might need to file correspondence with a client, attach a printed confirmation to an invoice, or simply want a paper copy for your records. Knowing how to print an email correctly ensures the document is clear, complete and usable. This article explains how to print an email from different platforms, what to check before printing and how to resolve common issues.
Why You Might Need to Print an Email
Printing an email is useful in a range of situations. Many offices still rely on paper documentation for legal or financial records. For example, a purchase order or contract confirmation sent by email may need to be attached to a paper file. In educational settings, students or tutors may want to keep hard copies of important correspondence or feedback. You might also want to print an itinerary, ticket or confirmation email for travel where internet access is not guaranteed.
Printed emails can also serve as proof of communication, especially when dealing with disputes or time-sensitive matters. For that reason, formatting the content properly and ensuring all relevant information is visible becomes an important step in the process.
Printing from Webmail Clients like Gmail and Outlook
The most common way to print an email is through a webmail interface such as Gmail or Outlook.com. To print an email from Gmail, open the message you want to print, click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of the email pane and select “Print.” This opens a printer-friendly version of the email and brings up your browser’s print dialogue. From there you can choose your printer, number of copies and whether you want colour or black and white output.
Outlook.com follows a similar process. Open the email, click the three-dot menu in the top right of the message window and select “Print.” It will then generate a printable version of the email. One tip to remember is that browser settings can affect how the final print looks, so it is worth checking the preview before sending the job to the printer.
Printing from Desktop Email Clients
If you use a desktop email client such as Microsoft Outlook or Apple Mail, the print process is also straightforward. In Outlook, select the email, then go to the File tab and choose “Print.” This gives you more control over printer settings, paper layout and the ability to include or exclude message headers.
Apple Mail works in a similar way. Open the email, click “File” from the top menu and then select “Print.” You will see a print preview along with standard print options such as page orientation and copies. Many desktop email clients allow you to choose whether to print the entire message thread or just the selected email which can help avoid unnecessary paper use.
Printing Emails from a Mobile Device
Many people now read and manage email on their smartphones or tablets. Fortunately, printing from mobile devices is also possible provided your printer supports wireless or cloud-based printing. On iPhone or iPad, open the Mail app, tap the reply arrow at the bottom of the screen and select “Print.” If you have an AirPrint-enabled printer on the same Wi-Fi network, it will appear as an option.
On Android devices, printing depends on the app you are using. In the Gmail app, open the email, tap the three dots in the top right corner and select “Print.” This opens a preview and allows you to choose a connected printer. Make sure the relevant print service plugin is installed if your printer brand requires one.
What to Check Before Printing
Before hitting the print button, take a moment to review the email. Make sure the sender’s name, subject line, time stamp and full message body are included. Some print previews hide these by default, but they are essential for context if you need the email for official or reference purposes.
If the email includes images or attachments that you need, remember that printing the email alone may not be enough. You might have to download and print the attachments separately. Always preview the print to confirm everything fits on the page and no text is being cut off due to margins or formatting issues.
Common Issues When Printing Emails
Occasionally, printing an email does not go as planned. The most common issue is misaligned formatting where the email appears squashed or missing key elements. This can be caused by embedded images, tables or poorly formatted HTML. In such cases, switching to a plain text version of the email before printing can help. In most clients, you can copy the email content into a word processor like Microsoft Word and adjust it before printing.
Another issue is that long email threads or chains can result in many unnecessary pages. If you only need a specific part of the conversation, copy and paste it into a new document or use the selective print range options to avoid wasting paper and ink.
Choosing the Right Printer Settings
For most email printing tasks, a standard A4 setting in portrait orientation will work best. Use black and white printing unless the email includes colour-coded information or branding that is important to retain. You may also choose double-sided printing to save paper especially for long emails or threads.
If your email includes tables, charts or signatures with logos, a higher print quality setting may improve clarity. Use the preview screen to check how these elements appear and adjust the layout if needed.
Saving Emails as PDFs Instead
If you are printing an email for record keeping or forwarding to someone else, consider saving it as a PDF instead of printing a paper copy. Most print dialogue boxes include a “Save as PDF” option. This preserves the layout and content without using ink or paper and allows for easy digital archiving.
PDF versions can also be emailed to others or stored in cloud folders for team access. It is a helpful way to reduce unnecessary printing while keeping important communications organised.
Final Thoughts
Printing an email is still a necessary task in many work and personal situations. Whether you are using a webmail client, desktop programme or mobile app, the key is to review your print settings and make sure the output includes all the important details. Taking a moment to preview the message, check formatting and confirm your printer setup will help avoid wasted paper and ensure you get a clean, readable copy every time.