Fix Word Print Dialog Defaulting to OneNote Despite Default Printer Set

When you press Ctrl+P or click File > Print in Word, the print dialog sometimes shows Microsoft OneNote as the selected printer even though your default printer is set to a physical printer or PDF writer. This happens because Word stores a per-document or per-session printer preference that can override the Windows default printer setting. This article explains why Word defaults to OneNote and provides three methods to force Word to respect your actual default printer.

Why Word Shows OneNote as the Default Printer

Word has a feature called “per-document printer settings.” When you print a document and manually select a printer, Word saves that choice inside the document file. The next time you open that same document, Word tries to use the printer you last selected. If you ever printed a document to OneNote (or if a colleague or a template did), that setting is stored in the document. Even if you later change the Windows default printer, Word will still show OneNote for that document.

Another cause is the “Use Print” option in OneNote itself. When you install OneNote, it registers itself as a virtual printer. Some Office installations automatically set OneNote as the default printer during the setup process. Windows remembers this choice, and Word follows it unless you override it.

Finally, a corrupted Word options file or a stale registry key can cause Word to ignore the Windows default printer entirely. In those cases, every document — even new ones — opens with OneNote preselected.

Steps to Force Word to Use Your Default Printer

Use these methods in order. Start with the simplest and escalate to the registry fix only if needed.

Method 1: Change the Printer for the Current Document

1. Open the document in Word
   Make sure the document that shows OneNote as the default printer is active.
2. Go to File > Print
   The Print dialog opens. The printer dropdown at the top of the Settings panel shows OneNote.
3. Click the printer dropdown and select your default printer
   Choose your physical printer or “Microsoft Print to PDF” or any other printer you normally use.
4. Click the “Set as Default Printer” link below the dropdown
   This link appears only after you select a different printer. A confirmation message appears: “This printer will be used for all future print jobs for this document.”
5. Close the Print dialog without printing
   Press Escape or click the X button. The setting is saved to the document.

This fix works for one document at a time. It does not affect other documents or new documents you create later.

Method 2: Set the Windows Default Printer Correctly

1. Open Windows Settings
   Press Win+I on your keyboard.
2. Go to Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners
   A list of installed printers appears.
3. Find your desired printer in the list
   If the printer is not listed, click “Add device” and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Click the printer name, then click “Set as default”
   Windows moves the printer to the top of the list and marks it as default.
5. Restart Word
   Close all Word windows and reopen a document. Check File > Print to see if Word now shows your default printer.

If Word still shows OneNote, proceed to Method 3.

Method 3: Edit the Registry to Disable Per-Document Printer Override

1. Open Registry Editor
   Press Win+R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control.
2. Navigate to the Word Options key
   Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Options. Replace 16.0 with 15.0 if you use Word 2013, or 14.0 for Word 2010.
3. Create a new DWORD value
   Right-click the Options folder in the left pane. Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it NoPrintDefaultOverride.
4. Set the value to 1
   Double-click the new DWORD. In the Value data field, type 1. Click OK.
5. Close Registry Editor and restart Word
   Open any document. Press Ctrl+P. Word should now show the Windows default printer, ignoring any per-document printer setting.

After this registry change, Word will always use the Windows default printer. You can still manually select a different printer for a single print job, but Word will not save that choice to the document.

If Word Still Has Issues After the Main Fix

Word Still Shows OneNote After Registry Edit

If the registry edit did not work, the OneNote printer driver might be corrupted or set as the system default printer incorrectly. Open Windows Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Look for “Send to OneNote” or “OneNote (Desktop).” Click it and select “Remove device.” Restart Word. If you need OneNote printing later, you can reinstall it from the Microsoft Store or via the Office installer.

New Documents Also Default to OneNote

This indicates that the Normal.dotm template stores a printer setting. Open Word, go to File > Open, browse to %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates, and open Normal.dotm. Change the printer using Method 1, then save the template. Close and reopen Word. New documents should now use your chosen printer.

Print Dialog Shows No Printer or “None”

This usually means the print spooler service is not running or the printer driver is missing. Press Win+R, type services.msc, press Enter. Find “Print Spooler.” If it is stopped, right-click it and select Start. Set its Startup type to Automatic. Then reinstall your printer driver from the manufacturer’s website.

Word Print Behavior: Default Printer vs Per-Document Setting

Item	Windows Default Printer	Word Per-Document Printer Setting
Scope	All applications	Only the specific Word document
Where it is stored	Windows Registry	Inside the .docx file (XML)
How to override	Windows Settings > Printers & scanners	File > Print > Set as Default Printer
Effect on new documents	Word uses this unless Normal.dotm has a stored printer	No effect on other documents
Registry fix available	N/A	Yes: NoPrintDefaultOverride DWORD = 1

Use the per-document method when you want to keep different printer settings for different documents. Use the registry fix when you always want Word to follow the Windows default printer.