How To Print Without a Home Printer

Key takeaways

• Enjoy hassle-free printing by using FedEx, UPS, Staples, Walgreens or CVS for quick results.
• Ensure perfect formatting by saving your document as a PDF before uploading to print services.
• Save money, and avoid maintenance, by printing at public libraries or enlisting tech-savvy friends.
  

Summary

Printing without a home printer is more accessible than ever, thanks to reliable print services and a few tips from AARP tech writer Ed Baig. If you find yourself in need of a hard copy — be it a form, contract or travel document — FedEx, Staples, UPS, Walgreens and CVS all offer convenient document-printing options for in-store pickup or home delivery. Baig recommends saving your document as a PDF to guarantee proper formatting and compatibility with commercial printers. Simply upload your PDF to the retailer’s website, choose your preferences and have your print job ready for pickup or shipped to your door. Ed Baig also highlights that public libraries and even helpful friends can be printing lifelines. Most libraries offer low-cost printing and scanning—just bring your PDF on a USB drive or access it from your email. This approach saves money on ink, avoids paper jams and eliminates the need to maintain your own printer at home—proving that printing without a home printer is both practical and hassle-free for today’s document needs.

The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Full Transcript:

[0:00:00] So you decided to ditch your printer

[0:00:00] after running out of expensive

[0:00:04] ink cartridges one too many times,

[0:00:06] frustrating paper jams,

[0:00:08] or a computer upgrade

[0:00:08] that downgraded its functionality.

[0:00:12] I don't blame you.

[0:00:14] The good news is that these days,

[0:00:16] most of our documents

[0:00:16] can be shared online anyway.

[0:00:19] But what if you do need to print

[0:00:19] a hard copy of a form,

[0:00:23] a contract, or a travel document?

[0:00:25] Don't worry, you've got options.

[0:00:31] First things first,

[0:00:32] before you start thinking

[0:00:32] about where to print,

[0:00:35] you want to make sure

[0:00:35] your document is ready to print.

[0:00:38] If your document

[0:00:38] is in Microsoft Word,

[0:00:40] Excel, or PowerPoint,

[0:00:42] you'll want to consider

[0:00:42] changing it to a PDF.

[0:00:45] That way,

[0:00:45] it locks in your formatting,

[0:00:46] and it's also the preferred format

[0:00:46] of commercial printers.

[0:00:50] Just open your document,

[0:00:51] go into File and click Save As...

[0:00:55] In the Save window, name it

[0:00:58] and under File Format,

[0:00:59] you'll change the file format

[0:00:59] as a PDF.

[0:01:02] Then click Export.

[0:01:05] Once your document is ready,

[0:01:06] there are many retailers

[0:01:06] that offer printing services

[0:01:09] for either in-store pickup

[0:01:09] or home delivery like FedEx,

[0:01:13] Staples, UPS, Walgreens, and CVS.

[0:01:17] Here's how it works.

[0:01:18] Go to the retailer's website.

[0:01:20] Each site may look

[0:01:20] a little different,

[0:01:22] but the process is

[0:01:22] generally the same.

[0:01:25] Find the document

[0:01:25] or print services section.

[0:01:28] This is usually labeled something

[0:01:28] like Print Services

[0:01:31] or Document Printing.

[0:01:33] Upload your file.

[0:01:34] Most sites let you drag and drop

[0:01:34] your document into a designated box,

[0:01:38] but of course you can browse

[0:01:38] your computer to upload it manually.

[0:01:42] Choose your paper size,

[0:01:44] then select Pickup or Delivery

[0:01:44] and Checkout.

[0:01:47] That's it.

[0:01:48] Now you can also email your document

[0:01:48] to a friend who has a printer

[0:01:52] or visit your local library.

[0:01:54] Most libraries offer printing

[0:01:54] and scanning services

[0:01:57] for a small fee.

[0:01:58] Just bring your PDF on a USB drive

[0:01:58] or email it to yourself

[0:02:02] and use their public computers

[0:02:02] to retrieve your document.

[0:02:05] With just a few clicks

[0:02:05] and a quick trip,

[0:02:08] your document can be in your hands.

[0:02:10] No home printer required.

[0:02:13] For more tech tips,

[0:02:13] visit aarp.org/techguru.