Web page size for printing

Why is printing important? How long can a web page be for printing? Why web page width is critical for printing Printable width - the basic facts Maximum printable width of a web page

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Why is printing important?

Many people print web pages which they find interesting:

• They may wish to use them away from their computers.
• They may not know how to bookmark the pages.

How long can a page be for printing?

Page length is hardly ever an issue - unless you're publishing a complete book on-line.

It's generally easier to print one large page than several small ones about the same subject.

Why page width is critical

Page width is even more critical for printing than for reading on-line:

• When reading, users can scroll horizontally, although they won't like it.
• A page which is too wide for the printer will be clipped - most current browsers will not print the rightmost part of the page at all!

If you want to see for yourself, try printing one of our over-sized page examples .

Printable width - the basic facts

The commonest paper sizes are:

The major browsers' default left and right margins are:

Users can change the margins, but few of them do.

Web pages are printed at about 96 pixels per inch (37.5 pixels per cm) of paper.

Fortunately user actions like resizing the browser window or opening the Favourites pane do not affect printing!

OK, get your calculator out! From the facts given above, what's the maximum width of a table or image in pixels if you want it to print without clipping?

Work out the answer before you read the next section.

Maximum printable width of a web page

The maximum width of a table or image if you want it to print is 648 pixels:

• The narrower common paper size is A4 - 8.25" (21cm) wide.
• Internet Explorer's default margins are wider than Netscape's - 0.75" (2cm).
• So you should assume a printable width of 6.75" (17.3cm).
• At 96 pixels per inch (37.5 pixels per cm) this allows you 648 pixels.

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