How To Print Smarter, Waste Less

If you've ever printed a two-paragraph recipe and watched your printer spit out ten pages of ads, photos and comments, it's a familiar annoyance. Most websites are built for scrolling, not printing, and your printer faithfully reproduces every bit of the clutter. 

A few seconds of preparation can save paper and ink, regardless of which browser or printer you use. 

Start By Cleaning Up the Page 
The easiest fix may already be on the website. Many recipe sites and news outlets have a "Print" button or printer icon that removes unnecessary clutter. 

If there's no print button, try your browser's 'Reader' mode. It focuses on the main text and images while removing menus and ads. In Safari, look for Reader in the address bar. In Microsoft Edge, press F9 to open Reading mode. Firefox users can click the Reader View icon in the address bar. 

Chrome also has a Reading mode, but for more control over exactly what gets printed, try the free PrintFriendly (https://www.printfriendly.com) extension. It lets you remove individual photos, advertisements, and paragraphs before printing. 

Reader modes aren't perfect, so make sure nothing important disappeared before you press the print button. 

Use Print Preview 
Press Ctrl+P in Windows or Command+P on a Mac to examine the preview before printing. 

That last page containing nothing but a copyright notice, can be eliminated by selecting just the pages you need. Turn off "Background graphics" to avoid printing colored backgrounds and shaded boxes. 

Reducing the scale to 80 or 90 percent may fit more text on fewer sheets. You can also choose two pages per sheet, although the smaller type may be harder to read. 
 
If you only need part of a page, highlight the text with your mouse, then right-click and look for "Print" or "Print selection." Not all browsers offer this option, and in Chrome and Edge, you can also choose "Selection only" under ‘More settings’ in the print window.  

Turn Off the Color Ink 
Color cartridges can make routine printing expensive, so look for a Black & White or Grayscale option in the print window. Additional settings may be under Printer Properties in Windows or Printer Options on a Mac. 

Here's an important distinction: grayscale doesn't always mean black ink only. Some inkjets mix color inks to produce gray tones. If your printer specifically offers "Black Ink Only," choose it for ordinary text documents. 

For some printers, paper type and two-sided printing can also affect which inks get used. Plain Paper is generally the appropriate setting for everyday documents. 

Switching to Draft, Fast or Economy quality can reduce ink use further while keeping text readable. 

Or Don't Print at All 
The cheapest page is the one you never print. After cleaning up the page, select "Save as PDF" instead of your printer. You'll have a digital copy to keep, share or print later. 

If you print lots of documents, consider a monochrome laser printer when it's time to replace your current one. If you need color regularly, refillable ink-tank models are another option worth comparing. 

A little preparation before you hit Print can make a surprising difference in what you spend on paper and ink.