# Microsoft Word - How to print index cards?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-how-to-print-index-cards/589255
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 16, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-how-to-print-index-cards/589255 "2011-07-16T16:28:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-how-to-print-index-cards/589255/1 "2011-07-16T16:28:22Z")
OK, I have the old Microsoft Word (2003), and I want to print up a bunch of notes on 5 x 7 index card size. I’m OK with printing on 8.5 x 11 paper and cutting with a paper cutter, but I’d like some template so I don’t have to worry about format on each page. (The Microsoft website has templates, but they’re for the new Word, docx or whatever.)
There must be some easy way of doing this… ? I’m hopeless when it comes to technology.
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### Author:  [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-how-to-print-index-cards/589255/2 "2011-07-16T16:53:42Z")
from the menu bar
FILE -\> Page Setup -\> Paper (tab) -\> index card
there is a 5x8 card and you could set margins to get a smaller text area.
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### Author:  [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-how-to-print-index-cards/589255/3 "2011-07-16T16:54:29Z")
MS Word (including 2003, I believe) comes standard with a bunch of Avery form templates. In your case, you might try Avery 5388 index cards. 3x5.\* You don’t actually have to buy the Avery index cards, you can run ordinary 8 1/2 x 11 paper through your printer.
So. . . Letters & Mailings\Labels\Options\Avery 5388\OK\New Document. Or something like that – I don’t have MSWord 2003 in front of me right now.
\*You can’t get more than one 5x7 card on a letter-sized page, obviously, so I don’t know if Avery bothers with a template. You could create a custom paper size in Word, but it seems kind of wasteful.
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### Author:  [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-how-to-print-index-cards/589255/4 "2011-07-16T17:39:58Z")
Thanks, **johnpost.** That seems to work, I hope/think.
I looked at all the templates on my computer, but didn’t see an index card, **Saintly.** D’you mean in printing? And, I could print two 5 x 7 if they go sideways (7" lining up with the 8.5" edte, two 5" sides lining up with the 11" edge giving 1" between)?
Thanks, both of you!
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-how-to-print-index-cards/589255/5 "2011-07-16T17:50:03Z")
5x7 is not a standard index card size. 4x6 is, and 5x8 is. The Avery stock numbers 5889 and 8386 should work with 4x6.
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### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-how-to-print-index-cards/589255/6 "2011-07-16T19:53:00Z")
Google “printable index cards”. [Here](http://www.pendaflex.com/enUS/Campaigns/Printable_Index_Cards.html?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1) is one of many sites that has them. I’ve had to do this many times when my kids run out the night before their homework is due.
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### Author:  [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-how-to-print-index-cards/589255/7 "2011-07-16T21:54:59Z")
You can also specify an arbitrary paper size in inches/cm, whatever size you’d like.