How to Print Double Sided — Windows, Mac & Manual Duplex
Step-by-step instructions for printing on both sides of paper on any printer. Includes long edge vs short edge explained with diagrams, and how to flip pages manually if your printer has no duplex.
Quick answer — how to print double sided
Open your document → Print dialog → find "Two-Sided" or "Duplex" → choose Long Edge for portrait → Print.
1
Open print dialog
→
2
Enable Two-Sided / Duplex
→
3
Choose Long Edge (portrait)
→
4
Print
1
Open the print dialog
Press Ctrl + P in any application — Word, PDF reader, browser, or photo viewer.
2
Click "More settings" or "Printer Properties"
In the Windows print dialog, you may see a "Print on both sides" checkbox directly. If not, click "More settings" (Chrome) or "Printer Properties" / "Preferences" to open the full printer driver settings.
Windows Print Dialog — key settings
Print on both sides☑ Flip on Long Edge
OrientationPortrait
Pages per sheet1
3
Enable duplex / two-sided printing
In the printer driver, find the setting labeled "Two-Sided Printing", "Duplex Printing", or "Print on Both Sides". Change it from None / Off / One-Sided to Flip on Long Edge (for standard portrait pages like a book) or Flip on Short Edge (for landscape, like a notepad — see diagram below).
💡 In Microsoft Word, this option is also in File → Print → Settings → Print One Sided — click the dropdown and select "Print on Both Sides".
4
Print
Click Print. If your printer supports automatic duplex, it will print side 1, pull the paper back in, and print side 2. You do not need to do anything else.
⚠️ If you see "Manual Duplex" instead of automatic, the printer will pause after side 1, prompt you to re-insert the paper, then print side 2. Follow the on-screen diagram your printer shows — the flip direction varies by printer model.
1
Open the print dialog
Press ⌘ Cmd + P in any app — Pages, Word, Preview, Safari, or any other application.
2
Expand to the full print dialog (if needed)
If you see a small compact dialog, click "Show Details" at the bottom left. This reveals all printer options including duplex.
💡 On macOS Ventura / Sonoma / Sequoia, the full print dialog opens by default for most apps — you will see a sidebar on the left with printer options.
3
Find the "Two-Sided" option
In the print dialog, look for a "Two-Sided" checkbox — it appears directly in the main panel on newer macOS. If you do not see it there:
Click the dropdown that shows "Copies & Pages" (or "PDF" on older macOS) and select "Layout" from the list. You will then see a "Two-Sided" dropdown with options.
Mac Print Dialog — Layout panel
Pages per Sheet1
Two-SidedLong-Edge Binding ▾
Reverse page orientation☐
4
Choose Long-Edge Binding or Short-Edge Binding
Set "Two-Sided" to:
Long-Edge Binding — pages flip like a book (left edge bound). Use for portrait documents: letters, reports, books.
Short-Edge Binding — pages flip from the top like a notepad. Use for landscape documents: slides, wide spreadsheets.
5
Print
Click Print. A duplex-capable printer handles both sides automatically. If your printer has no duplex hardware, macOS will prompt you to flip and re-feed the paper after printing all odd pages.
💡 Mac only: If you do not see a Two-Sided option at all, your printer driver does not support duplex through macOS. Try printing from the printer's own utility, or use manual duplex (see below).
1
Open the print dialog in Chrome
Press Ctrl+P (Windows) or ⌘+P (Mac). Chrome opens its own print preview.
2
Find "Two-sided" in More settings
In Chrome's print panel, scroll down and click "More settings". You will see a "Two-sided" toggle. Turn it on.
Chrome — More settings
Two-sided● On
Flip onLong edge ▾
💡 Chrome only shows "Two-sided" if your selected printer supports it. If the option is missing, open your OS print dialog via "Print using system dialog…" at the bottom of Chrome's print panel.
3
Set flip direction and print
Choose Long edge for portrait or Short edge for landscape. Click Print.
Long Edge vs Short Edge — What's the Difference?
This is the most confusing part of duplex printing. Here is what it means visually:
Long-Edge Binding
also called: Flip on Long Edge / Portrait duplex / Book binding
The paper flips left-to-right around the left (long) edge, like turning a page in a book. The printed text on the back is right-side up when you flip the page to the right.
✓ Use for: letters, reports, books, magazines (portrait)
Short-Edge Binding
also called: Flip on Short Edge / Landscape duplex / Notepad / Tablet binding
The paper flips top-to-bottom around the top (short) edge, like lifting a page off a notepad. The back side is printed upside-down by the printer so it reads correctly when you flip up.
✓ Use for: landscape slides, wide spreadsheets, calendars, notepads
Quick rule: If your document is portrait (taller than wide) → use Long Edge. If your document is landscape (wider than tall) → use Short Edge. When in doubt, Long Edge is almost always the correct choice.
My Printer Has No Duplex — How to Print Double Sided Manually
If your printer only prints one side at a time, you can still get double-sided output. This takes two passes through the printer.
1
Print odd pages only. In the print dialog, set "Pages" to odd pages (1, 3, 5…) or look for "Print Odd Pages Only" in the settings.
2
Wait for all odd pages to finish. Take the printed stack out of the output tray without shuffling the order.
3
Flip the stack face-down and reload it into the input tray. Which way you flip it depends on your printer model — do a test print of 2 pages first to confirm the correct orientation.
4
Print even pages only (2, 4, 6…) in reverse order if your printer outputs face-up, or in normal order if it outputs face-down. The correct setting keeps even pages aligned with odd pages.
⚠️ Test first: Print a 4-page test document and check the alignment before printing your whole job. The flip direction is not the same on every printer — take one minute to test or you may waste paper on a large job.
Common Questions About Double-Sided Printing
Why can't I see a duplex option?
There are three common reasons: (1) your printer physically does not have a duplex unit — single-sided inkjet printers cannot do automatic duplex; (2) your printer driver was installed without duplex enabled — open Printers & Scanners → printer properties → Device Settings and check that "Duplex Unit" is set to "Installed"; (3) you are printing from a browser or app that bypasses the driver — try printing via the system dialog instead.
Does duplex printing save paper?
Yes — duplex printing exactly halves your paper consumption. A 20-page document uses 10 sheets duplex instead of 20 single-sided. This also reduces paper weight and shipping cost for documents that will be mailed. Most office printers and home laser printers sold today include an automatic duplex unit as standard.
Does double-sided printing use more ink or toner?
No — total ink or toner usage is the same as printing two separate single-sided pages. The printer still prints the same amount of ink or toner per side. The only difference is that both sides are on the same physical sheet of paper.
Why does my printer smear ink on the second side?
This happens when the first side has not dried before the printer flips and prints the second side. It is more common with inkjet printers. Solutions: (1) use "Draft" quality on the first pass so ink dries faster; (2) use paper rated for duplex inkjet; (3) if your printer has a "slow dry" or "manual duplex" mode, use it to add drying time; (4) switch to a laser printer, which uses toner that is dry instantly after fusing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I print double sided in Microsoft Word?
Go to File → Print. Under Settings, click the dropdown that says "Print One Sided" and select "Print on Both Sides — Flip pages on long edge" (for portrait). Word sends the duplex instruction to your printer. If this option is greyed out, your printer does not support automatic duplex — use manual duplex instead.
How do I print double sided on a Mac in Preview (PDF)?
Open the PDF in Preview → ⌘P → Show Details → click the "Copies & Pages" dropdown → select "Layout" → set Two-Sided to "Long-Edge Binding" → Print. Preview uses the same macOS print system as all other apps.
What does "print on both sides long edge" mean?
"Print on both sides, long edge" means the paper is flipped around its longer edge (the left side for a portrait page), like turning a book page. The back of each sheet is printed so the text reads correctly when you flip to the right. This is the correct setting for virtually all portrait documents — letters, reports, essays, manuals.
How do I print front and back on the same page?
"Print front and back" and "print double sided" mean the same thing. Enable "Two-Sided" or "Duplex" in your print dialog, choose Long Edge for portrait. The printer prints the front (odd pages: 1, 3, 5…) and the back (even pages: 2, 4, 6…) automatically on each sheet.
How do I know if my printer can print double sided?
Check the printer specifications on the manufacturer's website or look for "Automatic Duplex" or "Two-Sided Printing" in the printer's listed features. On Windows, go to Devices and Printers → right-click your printer → Printer properties → Device Settings and look for a Duplex Unit setting. On Mac, the "Two-Sided" option only appears in the print dialog if the printer driver reports duplex capability.