Creating a personalized funeral program or order of service at home is a beautiful way to honor a loved one. However, when it's time to print what you've carefully designed, it can be frustrating if the result doesn't look quite the same on paper. If you're using a home or office printer, there are a few simple settings you can check to ensure your tribute prints correctly to match your design.
First Things First: Know the Limits of Home Printers
Most home printers cannot print edge-to-edge (also known as "borderless printing"). This means you may notice a small white margin around the edge of your paper. If you're aiming for a professional, full bleed finish with vivid colors going right to the edge, you will need to use a professional print shop. Customers in the United States can order prints and delivery directly through Eulogize. For more information about our print and delivery services, please visit this page.
Common Printing Pitfall: The "Shrink to Fit" Setting
One of the most common reasons a printed tribute may look off-center or too small is because of a printer setting called "Shrink to Fit" or "Fit to Page." Many printers have this option selected by default. While it might work for casual printing, it can throw off the careful formatting of your funeral tribute.
What to do:
Note: The specific steps will vary slightly depending on your printer and the software you're using, but generally:
1. Open your downloaded PDF and access print settings (CMD+ P Or CTL +P)
2. In your printer settings, look for a section called "Page Sizing" or "Scaling."
3. Select "Actual Size" This will ensure the tribute prints exactly as designed. The common default settings of "Shrink to Fit" or "Fit to Page" can throw off the alignment of your design.
If you’re printing a folded program (like a bi-fold), it’s important to set your printer to print on both sides of the paper.
Printer Settings to Adjust:
1. Print on Both Sides: Yes
2. Flip on Short Edge: Yes (this ensures the front and back pages align properly)
3. Orientation: Set to "Auto" if available, or choose "Landscape" manually
4. Pages to Print: All
A Note on Software Variations
The exact steps to adjust these settings will vary depending on your printer model and the software you’re printing from (like Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word, or a web browser). If you don't see these settings immediately, try selecting "Print using system dialog" your print dialog box.
One More Trick to Try
Even with all the settings above, some home printers might still misalign your pages slightly. If this happens, there's one more thing you can try: download the alternate version of your tribute marked for "professional printing" from Eulogize. Then print that file using the same settings described above.
Sometimes, this version lines up better on certain home printers. However, we always recommend starting with the home-print-friendly version first.
Still Having Trouble? We're Here to Help
Printing something as important as a funeral tribute can feel stressful, especially if you’re not used to adjusting printer settings. Please don’t hesitate to use the chat feature on our website for live help. We're here to guide you through it.
And remember, if you prefer a stress-free option with professional results, our US-based printing service offers edge-to-edge printing on premium paper, delivered right to your door.
Summary Tips:
• Choose "Actual Size" instead of "Fit" or "Shrink"
• Enable"double-sided printing", and set to "flip on short edge"
• Use "Auto" orientation
• Expect a small margin unless you use a professional print service.
You're doing something meaningful and heartfelt. With the right settings, your tribute will reflect the care and love behind it.
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