How to Print Out PDF Files Into a Book

By Amy Dombrower

Updated September 28, 2017

Items you will need

  • Adobe Acrobat

  • Printer

  • Printer paper

Print out a multipage PDF document to create a book.
i writing book image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com

The Portable Document Format (PDF) is often used for compiling multipage electronic documents. But with the Adobe Acrobat software, the primary program used to create and edit PDF documents, you also can print out PDFs to format a book. Acrobat provides the tools for “Booklet Printing,” in which pages are printed two to a sheet and on both sides. Acrobat arranges the pages so that once you fold them in half and fasten them, you have a completed book with the pages in the right order.

Open a multipage PDF document you want to print in Adobe Acrobat.

Connect your printer to your computer and feed it with paper. Make sure the printer is properly installed and the computer recognizes it.

Click the “File” menu, and select “Print Setup” in Acrobat. Specify the printing options for your document, including the paper size and orientation.

Click “File, Print.” The “Print” dialog box appears.

Select your printer from the list at the top of the dialog box.

Select “Booklet Printing” under “Page Handling.”

Choose whether to print the entire document or a smaller selection. Select “All” to print all pages or click “Pages” to select a page range.

Select the “Booklet Subset” option under “Page Handling.” If your printer supports automatic printing on both sides of the paper, click “Both Sides.” Otherwise, you must use manual duplex printing. Click “Front Side Only” to have Acrobat print all the pages on the front side of the paper.

Select the “Binding” option. Select “Left” for standard left-to-right text. Choose “Left (Tall)” to have a long and narrow print area (with the fold on the long side).

Click “Print.”

Tips

If you choose to do manual duplex printing, turn the paper over once the front sides are printed. Choose “File, Print” again, and select “Back Side Only” to print the other sides of the paper. Once all the pages are printed, collate the pages, fold each in half and fasten to complete your book.

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