You want Word to automatically embed document properties such as title, author, subject, and keywords into the metadata of a printed document or a PDF you export from Word. By default, Word does not include these properties when you print or save as PDF unless you change a specific setting. This article explains how to configure Word so that document properties are embedded during printing or when creating a PDF, ensuring your metadata survives the output process.
Key Takeaways: Embedding Document Properties via Print in Word
- File > Options > Display > Printing options > Print document properties: Tells Word to include document metadata such as title, author, and subject when printing or exporting to PDF.
- File > Info > Properties > Advanced Properties: The central location where you enter and edit document metadata fields like title, author, company, and keywords.
- File > Export > Create PDF/XPS > Options > Document properties: An alternative method to embed metadata when saving as PDF, independent of the Print command.
What Are Document Properties and How Does the Print Setting Work?
Document properties, also called metadata, are descriptive fields attached to a Word file. These include the title, author name, subject, keywords, company, and comments. You can view and edit these fields through File > Info > Properties > Advanced Properties. When you print a document or save it as a PDF, Word can embed this metadata into the output file. The Print command in Word has a dedicated option called “Print document properties” that controls whether this metadata is included. When enabled, Word inserts the document properties as a separate page at the end of the print job. For PDF export, a similar option exists under the PDF creation settings.
The feature is useful when you need to distribute printed documents or PDFs that retain author and title information for filing, archiving, or compliance purposes. Without this setting enabled, the output file contains only the visible text and graphics from the document body. The metadata fields remain empty or missing in the output file.
Prerequisites
Before configuring the print setting, ensure your document already has populated metadata fields. If the fields are blank, enabling the print option will embed empty values. Also, note that the “Print document properties” feature works with physical printers and with the Print to PDF or Microsoft Print to PDF virtual printers. It does not apply when you use File > Save As and choose PDF — that path uses a different metadata option explained later in this article.
Steps to Configure Word to Embed Document Properties When Printing
Follow these steps to enable the print metadata setting in Word. This method works for Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 2021, and Word for Microsoft 365.
- Open Word and go to File > Options
Click the File tab in the ribbon, then select Options at the bottom of the left navigation pane. The Word Options dialog box opens. - Click the Display category
In the Word Options dialog, click Display in the left sidebar. This section controls what Word shows on screen and includes printing options. - Find the Printing options section
Scroll down to the section labeled Printing options. It is near the bottom of the Display pane, below the Always show these formatting marks on the screen area. - Enable the Print document properties checkbox
Check the box next to Print document properties. This tells Word to include the document metadata as a separate page at the end of the printed output. - Click OK to save the setting
Click the OK button at the bottom of the Word Options dialog. The setting is now active for the current document and all future documents until you change it.
After enabling this option, print a test page using Ctrl+P or File > Print. Check the printed output — the last page should contain the document properties including title, author, subject, and any other fields you populated.
Alternative Method: Embed Metadata When Saving as PDF
If you export the document as a PDF using File > Export > Create PDF/XPS, the Print document properties setting does not apply. Instead, use the PDF options dialog.
- Go to File > Export > Create PDF/XPS
Click File, then Export, then Create PDF/XPS Document. Click the Create PDF/XPS button. - Click Options in the Publish as PDF or XPS dialog
In the dialog that opens, click the Options button near the bottom-right corner. - Check Document properties under Include non-printing information
In the Options dialog, locate the Include non-printing information section. Check the box labeled Document properties. You can also check other boxes such as Document structure tags for accessibility. - Click OK and then Publish
Click OK to close the Options dialog, then click Publish to create the PDF. The resulting PDF will include the document metadata in its file properties.
Common Mistakes and Limitations
The Print Document Properties Setting Does Not Embed Metadata Into the PDF Body
When you use File > Print and select a PDF printer such as Microsoft Print to PDF, the Print document properties option adds a separate page at the end of the PDF containing the metadata. The metadata is not embedded into the PDF’s native metadata fields (like Author or Title under Document Properties in Acrobat Reader). If you need the metadata to appear in the PDF’s file properties, use the File > Export > Create PDF/XPS method with the Document properties checkbox enabled instead.
Metadata Fields Are Blank in the Output
If the printed properties page shows empty fields or missing values, the document properties were not filled in before printing. Open File > Info, click on Properties at the top, select Advanced Properties, and fill in the Title, Author, Subject, and Keywords fields. Then reprint with the Print document properties setting enabled.
The Setting Is Global and Affects All Documents
The Print document properties checkbox in Word Options applies to all documents you print from that Word session. You cannot enable it for only one document. To temporarily disable it for a specific print job, uncheck the option before printing, then re-enable it afterward.
Word Online Does Not Support This Feature
Word for the web (Word Online) does not include the Print document properties option. Metadata embedding during print is only available in the desktop version of Word. If you use Word Online, download the document to the desktop app, configure the setting, and then print.
Print Document Properties vs PDF Export Metadata: Key Differences
| Item | Print Document Properties Option | PDF Export Document Properties Option |
|---|---|---|
| Location of setting | File > Options > Display > Printing options | File > Export > Create PDF/XPS > Options |
| Output type | Physical print or virtual PDF print | PDF file created via Export |
| Metadata format | Separate page appended to end of document | Embedded into PDF file properties (Author, Title, etc) |
| Works with physical printer | Yes | No — only for PDF export |
| Works with Save As PDF | No | No — Save As PDF does not use export options |
You can now configure Word to embed document properties when printing or exporting to PDF. Start by enabling File > Options > Display > Print document properties for physical print jobs. For PDF files that need native metadata, use File > Export > Create PDF/XPS and check Document properties in the Options dialog. To verify the metadata, open the printed page or PDF properties in Adobe Acrobat Reader and check the Description tab.