Why Word’s ‘Print Drawings’ Setting Doesn’t Affect SmartArt Output

If you have ever printed a Word document containing a SmartArt graphic and found that the graphic prints even though you turned off the Print Drawings setting, you are not alone. The Print Drawings option in File > Options > Display controls whether Word prints shapes, text boxes, and other drawing objects. However, SmartArt graphics are not classified as drawings in Word’s object model. This article explains the technical distinction between drawings and SmartArt, shows you how to verify the setting’s behavior, and provides alternative methods to suppress SmartArt output when needed.

Why SmartArt Is Not a Drawing Object in Word

Word stores different types of graphical content in separate containers inside the document file. The Print Drawings setting applies specifically to objects stored in the w:drawing element of the Office Open XML format. This element covers shapes created from the Insert > Shapes gallery, text boxes, WordArt, and ink strokes. SmartArt graphics, however, are stored in a different container called dgm:diagram. This container holds the layout logic, the text content, and the relationships between nodes. Because the Print Drawings option does not reference the diagram container, it has no effect on SmartArt output.

The distinction exists because SmartArt is not a single shape but a collection of linked shapes with built-in data flow. Each SmartArt element contains a data model that defines how text and formatting map to each node. Word treats this as a structured diagram, not as a set of independent drawing objects. Even if you ungroup a SmartArt graphic, the resulting individual shapes inherit properties from the original diagram, but the Print Drawings setting still does not control them because the ungrouped shapes are now stored in the drawing container. The default behavior is reversed: after ungrouping, the shapes do respond to the Print Drawings setting.

How Word Determines What to Print

Word uses a layered rendering pipeline when preparing a page for print. The pipeline checks each object type against the corresponding print option in the Display settings. The relevant options are:

• Print drawings created in Word — controls shapes, text boxes, ink, and WordArt
• Print background colors and images — controls page color, watermark, and image fills
• Print hidden text — controls text formatted as hidden
• Print field codes instead of their values — controls field code display

SmartArt is not listed in any of these categories. Word always renders SmartArt graphics during print preview and physical print, regardless of the Print Drawings checkbox state. This behavior is consistent across Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 2021, and Word for Microsoft 365.

Steps to Verify the Print Drawings Setting Does Not Affect SmartArt

You can confirm this behavior with a simple test document that contains both a shape and a SmartArt graphic.

1. Create a test document with a shape and SmartArt
   Open a blank document. Go to Insert > Shapes and add a rectangle. Then go to Insert > SmartArt and choose any layout, such as Basic Cycle. Type a short text in the SmartArt text pane.
2. Turn off the Print Drawings setting
   Click File > Options > Display. Under Printing options, clear the checkbox labeled Print drawings created in Word. Click OK to close the dialog.
3. Open Print Preview
   Press Ctrl+P to open the Print tab. Look at the preview pane. The rectangle shape disappears from the preview. The SmartArt graphic remains fully visible.
4. Test with ungrouped SmartArt
   Return to the document. Click the SmartArt graphic to select it. Press Ctrl+Shift+G twice to ungroup the SmartArt into individual shapes. Open Print Preview again. The individual shapes now obey the Print Drawings setting and disappear from the preview.

This test proves that the Print Drawings setting only affects objects stored in the drawing container. Ungrouping moves the SmartArt content into the drawing container, making it subject to the setting.

What to Do When You Need to Hide SmartArt During Printing

If you need to print a document without SmartArt graphics, the Print Drawings setting will not help. Use one of the following methods instead.

Method 1: Set SmartArt to Behind Text and Use Send Behind Text

1. Select the SmartArt graphic
   Click on the SmartArt to select it. The Shape Format tab appears on the ribbon.
2. Change text wrapping to Behind Text
   On the Shape Format tab, click Wrap Text and select Behind Text. This makes the SmartArt sit behind the document text layer.
3. Send the SmartArt behind the text layer
   With the SmartArt still selected, click Send Backward > Send Behind Text. The graphic now occupies the same space as the text but does not appear in print because Word cannot print objects that are positioned behind text if the text layer is opaque.
4. Print the document
   Press Ctrl+P and confirm that the SmartArt does not appear in the print preview. If it still appears, the text layer may have transparency. Add a white-filled shape behind the SmartArt to block it.

Method 2: Temporarily Replace SmartArt With a Placeholder Image

1. Take a screenshot of the SmartArt
   Press Alt+Print Screen to capture only the active window. Paste the screenshot into a graphics editor and crop to the SmartArt area.
2. Delete the original SmartArt and insert the screenshot
   Delete the SmartArt graphic from your document. Insert the screenshot image in its place. The image is a drawing object and will respond to the Print Drawings setting.
3. Print with Print Drawings turned off
   Clear the Print Drawings checkbox. The placeholder image will not print. After printing, delete the image and reinsert the original SmartArt.

Common Misunderstandings About Print Drawings and SmartArt

Does the Print Drawings setting affect SmartArt in Word Online or Word for Mac?

Word Online does not have a Print Drawings setting. All graphics, including SmartArt, print by default. Word for Mac has a similar setting called Print drawings under Word > Preferences > Print. The same limitation applies: SmartArt is not classified as a drawing and will always print.

Can I use VBA to hide SmartArt before printing?

Yes. A VBA macro can iterate through all SmartArt graphics in a document and set their visibility to false before printing. The macro then restores visibility after printing. This approach requires enabling macros and is not suitable for users who are not comfortable with VBA.

Will converting SmartArt to shapes fix the printing issue?

Converting SmartArt to shapes by ungrouping changes the object type from diagram to drawing. After conversion, the Print Drawings setting controls the shapes. However, conversion breaks the SmartArt layout logic and removes the text pane. You cannot edit the graphic as SmartArt after conversion.

Print Drawings Setting vs SmartArt Behavior Comparison

Item	Shape / Text Box	SmartArt Graphic
Object storage in OOXML	w:drawing container	dgm:diagram container
Responds to Print Drawings setting	Yes	No
Prints when Print Drawings is off	No	Yes
Can be hidden via Send Behind Text	Yes	Yes, with opaque text layer
Ungrouping changes behavior	N/A	Becomes shapes that obey Print Drawings

The Print Drawings setting in Word is designed to control shapes, text boxes, and ink objects. SmartArt graphics use a separate object model and are not affected by this setting. If you need to suppress SmartArt during printing, use the Send Behind Text method or temporarily replace the graphic with an image. For automated workflows, a VBA macro can toggle SmartArt visibility before each print job. Understanding this distinction saves time and prevents confusion when preparing documents for print.