Shrink Microsoft Word document to one page – Video Tip

I learned Microsoft Word in 1995 and still prefer Word 97 or 2000 over their newer editions, but unfortunately, those older versions no longer function well or at all with Windows 7 and 8.1. Furthermore, the upgraded editions of Word don’t always make things easier. An example is this tip on how to shrink a document that is a little too long to print on a single page to a single page. This tip I wrote in the late 90s had exactly 4 steps.

Since the advent of Microsoft Office 2007. 2010, and now 365, the function isn’t even available unless you enable it. This tip shows how to enable and use this helpful function.

BONUS TIP

Even if you don’t need to use this particular feature of Word, the steps to customize the Quick Access Toolbar and program Ribbons are applicable to all Microsoft Office programs!

The first step is adding a button to shrink your page to either the quick access toolbar or a ribbon category.

Adding the Shrink to Fit button to your Quick Access Toolbar

1. Click the dropdown arrow next to the Quick Access Toolbar
2. Click More Commands
3. Click All Commands in the Choose Commands from box
4. Scroll through Available commands to find the Shrink One Page option
5. Click the Add Button
6. Click OK

Adding the Shrink to Fit button to a Ribbon menu

1. Click the dropdown arrow next to the Quick Access Toolbar
2. Click More Commands
3. Click Customize Ribbon from options on the left side of screen
4. Click All Commands in the Choose Commands from box
5. Scroll through Available commands to find the Shrink One Page option
6. Before clicking the Add button, choose an existing Ribbon where you want the new button
7. Click New Group button at the bottom
8. Name the Group something (I used Shrink)
9. Select that Group
10. Click the Add button
11. Click OK

Now anytime you have a document that leaks onto a page by a few lines or so, you can use this button to shrink it to a single page or from 3 pages to 2 pages, etc.

There a lot of steps to to enable this command, but you can watch them being implemented in the short video below.

Enjoy!