How to Print Slides to PDF and Save Paper and Ink

Why slides use so much ink

Slides are designed to be projected on a wall, not printed: they have large text, lots of empty space, and often a colorful or dark background. Printing one slide per page can mean a 60-page packet for a two-hour class, and a dark blue background can drain your cartridge halfway through.

Three settings solve most of the problem: multiple slides per page, no color, and, if possible, no background.

Step 1: Save your presentation as a PDF

If your instructor sent a PowerPoint file (.pptx), convert it with PowerPoint to PDF or, in PowerPoint, go to File › Export › Create PDF. In Google Slides, go to File › Download › PDF Document.

A PDF keeps fonts and layouts consistent across computers, and lets you use the tools below on any device, including your phone.

Step 2: Put multiple slides on each page

1. Open Multiple pages per sheet and select your PDF.
2. Choose how many slides to fit on each page. For widescreen (16:9) slides, 4 per page usually keeps text readable; 6 works when slides have little text; 9 or 16 are best for a quick review or visual index.
3. Leave the orientation on auto or choose it yourself. With 2 slides per page, portrait puts one above the other; with 4, landscape usually makes better use of the page.
4. Keep a border around each slide if you want to distinguish them, and adjust the margins and spacing.
5. Create the PDF and check that the text is readable on screen at 100% zoom before printing.

Step 3: Print without color and, if possible, without backgrounds

Convert PDF to grayscale turns pages black and white, saving color ink. Important: it turns colors gray, but doesn't remove backgrounds. A dark blue background becomes dark gray and can still use a lot of toner or black ink.

To remove the background, use the original program before creating the PDF:

• PowerPoint: Go to File › Print, then under color options choose Grayscale or Pure Black and White. These options remove many decorative backgrounds. Then print to PDF or directly to your printer.
• Google Slides: Go to File › Print settings and preview to hide the background and choose handouts with multiple slides per page.

If you only have the PDF with a dark background, you can still convert it to grayscale and use your printer's draft or economy mode.

Handout layout with lines for notes

PowerPoint has a Handouts option when printing: with 3 slides per page, each slide has lines beside it for notes. It's the best layout for taking to class and writing during the lecture. For someone else's PDF, another option is to use 2 slides per page with wider side margins, leaving room for notes.

Checklist before you print

• Print a test page and read the smallest text on it.
• Remove title, thank-you, and video slides that don't work on paper (use Remove PDF pages).
• Print double-sided: 4 slides per side means 8 per sheet.
• Use your printer's economy mode for study materials.

Do you really need to print everything?

Before using paper, consider what you really need to print. One strategy that works for many people is to print only slides with diagrams, formulas, and lists you want to write on, and study the rest on screen. Extract PDF pages creates a file with just the slides you choose, which you can then arrange multiple per page.

Another idea is to print 6 or 9 slides per page as a class overview, giving you a big-picture view of the material on one or two sheets. Then you can refer to the full PDF on your phone when you need more detail.

Frequently asked questions