how to adjust visio default setting for new documents in landscape mode?

Create and save a custom Visio template with its page set to Landscape, then start future drawings from that template.

Create the landscape template

1. Open Visio and select File > New.
2. Choose the built-in template closest to the type of drawing you normally create, then select Create.
3. Select Design > Orientation > Landscape. This changes the current drawing page to landscape orientation.^1^
4. If necessary, select Design > Size and choose the required paper size.
5. For separate drawing-page and printer-paper settings:
   • Select the small Page Setup dialog launcher in the Design > Page Setup group.
   • Check both Print Setup and Page Size. Visio allows these settings to be configured independently.^2^
6. Select File > Save As.
7. In Save as type, choose Visio Template (*.vstx). Use Visio Macro-Enabled Template (*.vstm) only if the template contains VBA macros.^3^

The template can also retain your preferred stencils and other drawing settings.

Create future documents in landscape

In Microsoft 365 Visio:

1. Select File > New.
2. Select the Templates tab.
3. Scroll down and select New from existing > Create.
4. Browse to the saved .vstx file and select Open.^3^

In perpetual desktop editions, the equivalent path is generally:

1. Select File > New.
2. Under Categories, select New from existing > Create.
3. Open the saved template.

Visio creates a new, unsaved drawing based on the template; it does not overwrite the template.

Additional pages and printing

When a new page is inserted into an existing document, its print orientation defaults to that of the active page.^4^ Therefore, select a landscape page before inserting another page.

If the drawing canvas is landscape but printing remains portrait, open Design > Page Setup, select Print Setup, and set its orientation to landscape as well. Drawing-page size and printer-paper configuration can be independent.^2^

Some specialized templates already open in landscape—for example, Office Layout.^5^ For general diagrams, a custom template provides the reusable landscape starting configuration.

References

1. Change the page orientation to portrait or landscape in Visio
2. Change the page setup by using Auto Size or selecting size and orientation
3. Create and use custom templates
4. PrintPageOrientation Cell (Print Properties Section)
5. Create an office layout diagram