How to Save Ink and Toner When Printing Web Pages

An example of an online article with the extraneous elements removed.

If you print web pages on a regular basis, you understand the problem: web pages often contain numerous extra elements that don’t need to be printed, such as ads, backgrounds, images, and more. Sure, you can copy and paste the text into a document, but by utilizing some free tools on the web, you print only the parts of a web page that you actually need, and save on ink or toner at the same time. While there are numerous tools available on the web, here is a roundup of some of the best:

PrintWhatYouLike.com

The PrintWhatYouLike.com website provides one of the simplest ways of removing unwanted elements. Instead of installing a browser extension or a piece of software, you can simply copy and paste the web address into the box, and start reformatting the page as you see fit. Click the Try The Demo button on their page for a demonstration of some of the numerous features available. The creators have also recently developed a Chrome extension to make it easier to use. Those who are using Internet Explorer may find the

Print Friendly (Chrome Extension or any browser)

The Print Friendly extension for Chrome is a bit faster than the previous solution, though it doesn’t give quite as many options. The extension does a fairly good job at guessing which elements should be removed, such as ads, social media buttons, and more. You can then click the other elements you would like to remove, change the font size, and even resize images. Not only can the result be printed, but it can also be saved as a PDF document, which could then be sent to a tablet or smartphone for later reading. Print Friendly also offers a Bookmarklet that works well for Internet Explorer users or any other browser.

Print Edit (Firefox add-on)

Firefox users don’t have to be left out in the cold. The Print Edit add-on for Firefox makes pages directly editable before printing. Once you click the icon for the add-on, you can then select different elements on the page, and you are presented with options such as Deselect, Hide, and Delete. You can even view a Preview of the page before printing, with only your selected elements included.

While each of these solutions take a bit of work, the cost savings on ink and toner supplies will be well worth it over time. Take a moment to get to know one or more of these tools, and you can say goodbye to poorly formatted, wasteful prints for good. Also, while you are reducing the number of inkjet cartridges or laser toner cartridges you are using, don’t forget to recycle your empty supplies!