How to Print 8.5 x 5.5

Last Updated: August 22, 2015

Printing at home can save money and time; however, you must be very familiar with your program and printer capabilities if you want to print non-standard sizes. Half-page documents, or 8.5 x 5.5-inch paper, can be printed directly or printed two per page on a standard US letter size. You will need to match the page size to the printer paper size using your own printer’s available options.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Printing a 8.5 x 5.5 Document

1
Go into your word processor. Start a document. Go to File and “Page Setup.
2
Look for the drop down menu that says “Paper Size.” Look for and select one of the following: Statement, Organizer L, Half-Letter. These are all names for 8.5 x 11 paper.

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3
Choose the less precise A5 size. This is actually 5.8 x 8.3 inches; however, you may be able to use the same paper.
4
Click “Ok” to save your settings. Finish editing your document. Save it.
5
Click the File menu and select “Print.” Look for “Paper Settings” or “Paper Handing” in the dialogue box. Select it to view paper options.
6
Look for a box that says “Scale to fit paper size.” Click it and then choose your paper size. Print settings will be slightly different with each program and OS, so you should experiment with selecting the correct paper in the print menu.
7
Place your half-letter sized paper in your feeder tray. Make sure to adjust the tray so that it fits the size of your paper. It will tell your printer to pick it up and align it properly.
8
Experiment with other paper sizes or formatting, such as A5 format, if your original try did not work well.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Printing 8.5 x 5.5 on Letter-sized Paper

1
Open a document in your word processor. Keep the standard 8.5 x 11 letter size in the Page Setup menu.
2
Use the ruler on the sides of your word processor to insert a line at the 5.5-inch mark, or halfway down the profile page.
3
Create a document above that line. Then copy the elements and paste them below the line. You are setting up a document that will print two copies of your document.
4
Save your file. Choose the File menu and click “Print.” Print using the standard settings.
5
Print on regular copy or printer paper. Then, take the document and cut it in half at the 5.5-inch line using scissors or a paper cutter.