How to Create Double-Sided Documents in Publisher (8 Steps)
By Alan Sembera
Microsoft Publisher supports duplex printing, making it easy to create double-sided brochures, newsletters and other publications on nearly any printer. You design your publication and tell Publisher you want to print on two sides. Once configured, the application will alert you when and how to flip the pages over to print the second side, eliminating the guesswork that usually comes with creating double-sided documents.
Step 1
Launch Publisher and create a blank document or select a template from one of the categories on the opening screen. Using a template is often easier when you are creating a brochure, business card or other double-sided publication with a non-standard page layout.
Step 2
Design your publication as you would normally. If you started from a blank page, click the "Page" command on the Insert tab to add a second page, which will serve as the back of the first page. As you add pages, keep the same sequence. All of the odd numbered pages in Publisher will be on the front of your printed documents, and the even numbered pages will be on the back.
Step 3
Select "Print" from the File menu when you are ready to produce a printed copy. Select the printer you prefer to use from the list of available printers.
Step 4
Click the drop-down button for "Print One Sided" and then change the selection to "Manual 2 Sided Print - Flip Sheets on Short Edge." If your paper feeds into the printer sideways in a horizontal orientation, choose the "Manual 2 Sided Print - Flip Sheets on Long Edge" option instead.
Step 5
Click the "Print" button. If this is the first time you've sent a Publisher file to the printer using the double-sided option, Publisher prompts you to run the Two-Sided Printing setup wizard.
Step 6
Click "Yes" to run the wizard. Publisher prompts you to print a double-sided test page and asks a series of questions about the test printout. Your answers will help Publisher determine the paper orientation for your printer and provide on-screen guidance during the double-sided printing process. When you've configured the wizard, Publisher prints the front side of your publication.
Step 7
Remove the printouts from your printer and then reinsert them into the same paper tray or paper feed. A pop-up window in Publisher shows you exactly how the pages should be oriented in the printer.
Step 8
Click "OK" to print the second side. Publisher prints the reverse side of the publication so that corresponding sides of each page match up.
References
Tips
- If you plan to take your publication to a printer or output the final copies on a photocopier, you should print the originals on single-sided paper for convenient handling.
- If your printer supports duplex printing, you can simply enable the double-sided printing option in the Printer Properties menu and then print your double-sided publication normally. To enable this option, click "Printer Properties" on the Print screen in Publisher, and then search your printer settings for a "Duplex" or "Double-Sided" option. On many printers, this option is found under the Features or Layout tab.
Warnings
- Information in this article applies to Microsoft Publisher 2013. It may vary slightly or significantly with other versions or products.
Writer Bio
Alan Sembera began writing for local newspapers in Texas and Louisiana. His professional career includes stints as a computer tech, information editor and income tax preparer. Sembera now writes full time about business and technology. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Texas A&M University.