How to print a PDF double-sided (duplex): step by step

1 min read·25 July 2026

Double-sided printing saves paper and looks more professional. Not all printers do this automatically — and for some PDFs you need to adjust the settings.

Double-sided printing on Windows

Open your PDF in a PDF viewer. Click Print. Go to "Properties" or "Preferences". Find the "Double-sided" or "Duplex printing" option. Choose "Long edge" (for portrait printing) or "Short edge" (for landscape). Click OK and print.

Double-sided printing on Mac

Open your PDF in Preview. Click File → Print. Click "Show Details". Click the dropdown "Layout". Select "Two-Sided" and choose the binding direction. Click Print.

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Printer doesn't support duplex: manual method

Print the odd pages first (1, 3, 5, …). Put the paper back in the tray. Print the even pages (2, 4, 6, …). Pay attention to the paper orientation when reinserting — this differs per printer model.

Prepare duplex PDF in PDFrust

Sometimes a document isn't ideal for double-sided printing: it has an odd number of pages. Use the insert-blank-page tool to add a blank page so the back of the last page is blank.