MacBook: Cannot select paper sizes other than Letter

Question

MacBook: Cannot select paper sizes other than Letter

DMc 0

In Word for Mac, I cannot change the paper size. If I select "Layout" from the heading and then select "size" the only option available is US Letter by default (there are no other options listed).

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3 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 437.7K

Paper Sizes are supplied by the printer's driver software based on the capabilities of that model, they are not supplied by the program. Do you have a printer installed?

The first consideration is that macOS & Office be fully updated. If you provide the specific Version Numbers that can be verified for you.

Once all is current use these instructions from Apple re printer issues:

Reset the printing system

Troubleshoot Printing

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Answer 2

Thomas4-N 21,930 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello DMc,

Just to clarify, when you go to File > Page Setup (or Print), do you also see only US Letter, or are sizes such as A4 available there?

The previous reply focused on changing the setting within Word, but if Page Setup itself only shows Letter, the issue is often related to the selected printer or printer driver in macOS rather than the document settings.

Could you also let us know:

• Whether this happens in a brand-new blank document

• What printer is currently selected in macOS

• Whether A4 appears in the Print dialog even though it does not appear under Layout > Size

Those details should help determine whether the issue is coming from Word's document settings or the Mac's printing configuration.

Thomas4-N 21,930 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-13T08:11:51.1566667+00:00

Hello DMc,
Just check in to see how things are going. Let me know if you need anything.
DMc 0 Reputation points

2026-09-13T13:55:16.7533333+00:00

Hi. I tried several times, but am still getting the single option of letter size.
Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 437.7K Reputation points

2026-09-13T14:17:57.6033333+00:00

Have you followed the directions in the links I provided earlier? Printer issues of this type are not controlled by the program.

Answer 3

On Word for Mac, set the paper size through Format > Document > Page Setup instead of Layout > Size.

Steps:

Open a blank document.
On the macOS menu bar, select Format > Document.
In the Document dialog, select Page Setup.
Set Paper Size to the size needed, such as A4.
Select OK.

If the goal is to make that size the default for new documents:

After setting the paper size, stay in the Document dialog.
Select Default....
When prompted to change the default settings for page setup, select Yes.

If only US Letter appears in the ribbon’s Layout > Size list, using Page Setup is the supported workaround shown for Word for Mac.