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If a header or footer is not printing in Windows 11, first check whether it is missing from the app’s print preview or only from the paper copy. Then test another document or app. A problem limited to one app or file usually points to its layout or print settings; failures across apps—or a failed Windows test page—point more toward the printer or its driver.
First, find out where the header or footer disappears
- Check the print preview. In Word for Windows, select File > Print and inspect the preview. If the header or footer is already absent there, check the document and application settings. If it appears in the preview but not on paper, investigate the printer’s printable area and driver.
- Try another document or app. Print a different file, preferably from another app, and confirm that the intended printer is selected. If the other print job works, focus on the affected document or app. If several apps fail, check the printer connection and Windows printing path.
- Check the job’s basic settings. Verify the page size, orientation, layout and page range. A different paper size or selected page range can make the output differ from what you expect.
- Print a Windows test page. Microsoft recommends using a test page to help distinguish an app-specific problem from a printer or driver communication problem. If the test page fails too, continue with Windows and printer troubleshooting rather than changing document headers.
See Microsoft’s guidance for printing problems in Word, Excel, and other apps for these checks.
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If the document is in Word
Word for the web
Word for the web preserves headers and footers, but it does not let you edit them. Its editing view also does not show page formatting such as margins. Open the file in desktop Word if you need to edit the header or footer or adjust page layout for printing. Microsoft explains the differences between using a document in a browser and in Word.
Only the first page is different
If later pages print the header or footer but page one does not, inspect the document’s Different First Page setting. Word supports a distinct first-page header and footer, so page one may intentionally have different content—or none. Microsoft’s instructions for editing existing headers and footers in Word cover the relevant controls.
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If you are printing from Notepad
Notepad has its own header and footer fields. Open File > Page Setup and check that the Header and Footer boxes are not blank and contain the text or commands you want printed. Microsoft lists &f for the document title and Page &p for a page number. These values cannot be saved, so you must enter them again when needed. See Microsoft’s Notepad help.
If text near the top or bottom edge is clipped
Headers and footers placed too close to the paper’s edge may fall outside the printer’s printable area. Increase the document margin on the affected edge, then check the preview and print again. The exact printable area depends on the printer; consult its documentation if you need the supported margin limits. Microsoft identifies the printer’s minimum margin as the usual reason Word page borders fail to print and advises increasing the margin at the affected edge in its article on page borders that do not print. That guidance is relevant to edge clipping, but it does not mean margins explain every missing header or footer.
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If multiple apps cannot print
When printing fails across apps or the Windows test page does not print, use Windows 11’s automated printer diagnostic before making hardware changes. Open Get Help, search for printer troubleshooting, and run the Printer troubleshooter. If the issue persists, follow the connection and driver steps for the specific printer failure; Microsoft’s Windows printer connection and printing guide also covers the Print Spooler and updating or reinstalling printer drivers.
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