When only half a page prints, the printer usually has a paper-size mismatch, printable-area problem, driver bug, or a complex page that exceeds what the printer can process cleanly.
Does this affect you?
Use this for inkjet or laser printers on Windows or Mac when the document looks complete on screen but prints missing the lower half or a large section.
Match paper size to what is loaded
Wrong paper size is the most common cause.
- Open File > Print or press Ctrl + P / Command + P.
- Open Printer Properties, Preferences, or the Paper Size menu.
- Choose the exact paper in the tray, such as Letter, A4, or Legal.
- Check Page Setup inside the app too because it may have its own size.
- Print a test page.
Adjust margins and scaling
The printer can only print inside its printable area unless using supported borderless mode.
- Set margins to at least 0.25 inches unless your printer supports borderless for that paper.
- If the design uses zero or tiny margins, increase them and test.
- Use Fit to Page, Shrink to Fit, or Fit to Printable Area in the print dialog.
More control
Complex pages can overwhelm older printers
High-resolution images, gradients, and many fonts can exceed limited printer memory. Lower quality from Best to Normal or print the document in smaller sections.
Update the driver
Old drivers can calculate paper size or printable area incorrectly. Install the current full driver for the exact model.
Try another app or PDF
If the same file prints correctly from a PDF, the original app settings are likely the cause.
Sources
- HP Support – Print Job Is Cut Off or Missing Content (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Fix printer connection and printing problems in Windows (2025)
- Canon Support – Part of the Page Is Not Printed (2025)