To print a check from Microsoft Word, set up a US Letter document with zero or narrow margins, place text boxes at the exact positions of the date, payee, amount and signature fields on your check stock, type the details, print a test on plain paper, align it to your stock, and print. Word handles the layout, but it cannot create a real MICR line, convert amounts to words, or keep a register.
This article shows how to do it and where Word stops being practical. If you use a spreadsheet instead, see how to print checks from Excel; for a comparison of all the methods, see how to print a check from your computer.
What are your options in Word?
- A template. Microsoft's online template library and many third-party sites offer check-style layouts you can open and edit. Quality varies, and none knows your bank's stock, so test before trusting one.
- Your own layout. Build the check with text boxes positioned to match your stock. It takes longer but fits your paper exactly.
- Mail merge. Link a document to a list in Excel to print many checks. This helps with repetition but adds setup.
How do you build a check layout in Word?
- Open a blank document. On the Layout tab, set Size to Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) and Orientation to Portrait.
- Set Margins to Narrow, or choose Custom Margins and enter 0.25 inch for all sides. Your printer's own minimum margin may override smaller values.
- Measure your check stock with a ruler. Note how far the date, payee line, amount box, words line, memo line and signature line sit from the top and left edges of the sheet.
- Use Insert, then Text Box, then Draw Text Box, and add one box per field. Select a box and use Shape Format to set its exact Height and Width.
- For each box, open Layout, Position, More Layout Options and set the horizontal and vertical position in inches relative to the Page.
- Remove the fill and outline from each box: Shape Format, Shape Fill, No Fill, and Shape Outline, No Outline.
- Choose a clean font at 10 to 12 points. Keep all fields on the same style so the check reads naturally.
- Type the date, payee, amount, amount in words and memo into their boxes.
- Print a test page on plain paper, then hold it over your stock against a light and adjust box positions by small fractions of an inch.
What settings should you use when printing?
- Paper size: Letter. A4 shifts the output up or down.
- Scale to paper size: No scaling. Choose Print, then under Settings leave Scale to Paper Size on No Scaling.
- Margins in the printer driver. Avoid options that add a margin of their own.
- Print Background Colors and Images. Word's default is to print only text. If you use a background or border, enable this under File, Options, Display.
- Single copy and portrait. Check the Copies box and orientation before pressing Print.
What can Word not do?
| Feature | Word | Check printing software |
|---|---|---|
| Amount in words | Type it yourself every time | Generated from the number |
| Check numbers | Edit by hand | Assigned and tracked automatically |
| MICR line | No E-13B font by default | Can print the MICR line |
| Saved payees | Copy and paste from an old file | Saved vendor list |
| Register of printed checks | None | Searchable register |
| Alignment saved per bank | Your own file copy | Stored per account |
| Voiding and reprinting | Manual | Built in |
The MICR line deserves a closer look. Word has no E-13B font installed, and the line is traditionally printed with magnetic ink or MICR toner on a laser printer. A normal font will not do the job, and a Word document is usually limited to pre-printed stock that already carries the MICR line. Read what is MICR and why is it used on checks for the details.
Can Word write the amount in words?
Not on its own. Word has no formula that converts 1,250.00 to "One thousand two hundred fifty and 00/100." You type the words by hand, which makes it easy to introduce a mismatch between the number and the words. The rule of thumb is to read both lines aloud after typing. Our guide to writing the amount in words gives the conventions, including how to write cents.
How do you add a signature?
The safest approach is to sign by hand on the printed check. If you insert a signature image, store it securely, because anyone with the file can reproduce your signature. See how to print a check with a signature for the trade-offs, and consider restricting who can open the document.
Common mistakes when printing checks from Word
- Letting Word reflow the layout. Text boxes can shift if you change the font or add lines. Group the boxes so they move together.
- Reusing an old file without updating the number. Duplicate check numbers confuse reconciliation.
- Printing the real check first. Always test on plain paper.
- Leaving the template unprotected. A file with your bank details should be password-protected or stored in a secure folder.
- No record. Word does not remember what you printed. Keep a separate register.
When should you move to dedicated software?
Word works for a few checks on pre-printed stock when you do not mind typing the words and keeping your own log. Consider moving on when you write checks monthly, need check numbering you can trust, use blank stock, handle more than one bank account, or want a record to reconcile against. See best check printing software for what to look for.
If you outgrow Word, Check Writer 123 is a browser-based alternative that generates the amount in words, assigns check numbers and keeps a register. It prints on blank stock (with the MICR line), pre-printed stock or plain paper. It is made by the publisher of this site, so compare it with other tools. There is a 14-day free trial with no card needed.
Putting it together
Word can produce a clean check with careful text box positions, Letter paper and no scaling. Accept its limits: no automatic words, no numbering, no register and no real MICR line. For occasional use that is enough. For regular use, step up to dedicated software and keep Word as a fallback.