How to Print a Calendar at Full Size (No Cut-Off Edges)

You find the calendar you want, click print, and something goes wrong. It comes out tiny in the middle of the page. Or the last row of dates is missing. Or the right edge is cut off. Almost every one of these problems comes from two or three print settings, and they take about ten seconds to fix.

This guide shows you the settings that work, what to do when the edges get cut off, and how to pick the right paper and save ink.

Quick Answer

• Download the calendar as a PDF, not a screenshot of the web page.
• Set the layout to Landscape for monthly calendars.
• Choose Fit to page (or "Fit to printable area").
• Turn off borderless printing.
• Check the preview before you press Print.

Step 1: Start With the PDF

A PDF keeps the exact layout, the lines stay sharp, and it tells your printer the right page shape. A PNG image works too, but photo apps often crop images to fit a photo size like 4 x 6, which is how the edges go missing.

Printing the web page itself is the least reliable option. Your browser adds headers, footers and page breaks that were never meant to be there.

On any of our calendar pages, like the monthly calendar, the Download PDF button sits right under the calendar.

Step 2: Use These Print Settings

Open the PDF and press Ctrl + P on Windows or Command + P on a Mac. Then set these four things:

Where to find "Fit to page"

Each program calls it something slightly different:

• Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge: open "More settings", then set Scale to "Fit to printable area".
• Adobe Acrobat Reader: under "Page Sizing and Handling", click "Fit".
• Preview on a Mac: choose "Scale to Fit" and "Print Entire Image".
• Photo apps (for a PNG): pick an option with "Fit" in the name, not "Fill". "Fill" crops the edges to fill the paper.

Step 3: Check the Preview

Look at the preview for three things before you print:

1. All four edges of the calendar grid are visible.
2. The last row of dates is on the page.
3. There is only one page. If you see "Page 1 of 2", the orientation or scale is wrong.

It is much cheaper to fix a setting than to reprint.

Letter vs A4: Which Paper Size Should You Use?

Use the paper that is normal where you live. The two sizes are close but not the same:

A4 is a little narrower and a little taller than Letter. That small gap is why a file made for one size can lose a sliver of its edge on the other. "Fit to page" solves it, because the printer shrinks the calendar just enough to fit.

Why Are the Edges of My Calendar Cut Off?

This is the most common printing problem, and it usually has one of these causes:

• Printing at "Actual size" on the wrong paper. An A4 file on Letter paper, or the other way around, loses a strip at the edge. Switch to "Fit to page".
• Borderless printing is on. Most home printers leave a small margin they cannot print in. Borderless mode enlarges the page to cover it and cuts the edges instead.
• A photo app is cropping the image. If you print the PNG from a photo viewer, it may crop to a photo shape. Print the PDF instead.
• The paper size in the printer does not match the setting. Check both the print window and the printer's own settings.

How to Print a Calendar Without Wasting Ink

A calendar is mostly lines and numbers, so it does not need much ink. A few settings cut it down even more:

• Choose Grayscale or Black and White in the print window.
• Pick Draft or Economy quality for everyday copies. The lines stay readable.
• Use a light design. In our custom calendar maker you can pick the black theme with light grid lines and turn off weekend shading.
• Print a test page first when you need many copies for a class or office.

Which Paper Is Best for a Printed Calendar?

It depends on where the calendar will live and how much you will write on it.

Before you buy card stock, check your printer's manual for the thickest paper it takes. Many home printers handle light card stock through the rear or manual feed tray.

How to Print a Big Wall Calendar

A normal home printer tops out at Letter or A4. For something bigger:

1. Make the calendar in A3 or Tabloid size (Tabloid is 11 x 17 inches).
2. Choose Landscape.
3. Download the PDF.
4. Take it to a print shop or office supply store, or upload it to their website, and ask for that size on thick paper.

Because the file is a PDF, it stays sharp at the larger size.

Printing From a Phone

You can print straight from your phone if your printer is on the same Wi-Fi network.

• iPhone: download the PDF, open it from the Files app, tap the Share button, then tap Print. This works with AirPrint printers.
• Android: open the PDF, tap the three-dot menu, then Print, and pick your printer.

Phone print screens hide the settings under "Options" or "More". Check the orientation and paper size there before you print.

Still Not Printing Right?

Try these in order:

1. Download the PDF again, in case the first download was cut short.
2. Open it in a different program, such as your web browser instead of a PDF reader.
3. Update or restart the printer.
4. Print one test page on plain paper.

If it still goes wrong on one of our calendars, send us your device, browser and paper size through the contact page and we will look into it.