How to print an envelope from Microsoft Word 2003

Microsoft Word 2003 can print other things besides just documents.  If you need to print an address or return address (or both) on an envelope, you can use Word to do it by following the steps below.

Word can only print envelopes to the default printer.  So the first thing you have to do is make sure that the printer you want to print envelopes from is set as your default printer.  Go to Printers and Faxes (in newer versions of Windows, go to Devices & Printers) and change your default printer if you need to.  Right click on the printer and select Set As Default Printer.

Next, open Word 2003, go to the Tools menu and hover over Letters and Mailings.  A submenu should appear showing several options.  Click on Envelopes and Labels.  In the dialogue box that appears, make sure you are in the Envelopes tab.

There are two text boxes, one labeled "Delivery address" and the other, smaller one labeled "Return address."  Fill in the address or addresses you want to be printed on the envelope.  (If you have a Microsoft address book set up, you can click on the book icon to insert an address from your contacts.)  You can adjust the font, text size, or text style by highlighting the text you want to change, right clicking on it, and selecting Font.  Then, once you've made the changes you want to make, click OK to go back to the Envelopes screen.

Once you have the address filled in, make sure your printer is turned on and ready.  Place the envelope you want to print to in the paper tray in the correct orientation.  The orientation may vary by printer model.  Usually you can find this information in the user guide, but if not, you can click the picture of the envelope shown in the box labeled "Feed" in the Envelopes screen, and Word will show you how it recommends you set the envelope.  The orientation Word suggests isn't always right, so it's a good idea to run a test print first, either on an envelope or a plain piece of paper.

If you are using a non-standard envelope size, or if you want to change the alignment, click the envelope in the box labeled "Preview" and adjust any of the necessary settings.  Then click OK to save them.

Now that the envelope is in the tray and the address information is filled in, all you have to do is click Print.  If you've entered a return address, Word will ask you if you want to save this address as the default return address.  If you choose Yes, every time you go to print an envelope, the return address field will already be filled in for you.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, May 2010)