Bookletwise

Print a booklet on a Mac

Preview and the Mac print dialog can’t reorder pages into a booklet. Make a booklet PDF first, then print it two-sided with Short-Edge binding at 100%.

Open the booklet maker

Step by step

  1. Open the booklet maker in Safari or Chrome and add your PDF. (Export a Pages, Keynote or Word document to PDF first.)
  2. Choose your paper (Letter or A4) and download the booklet PDF.
  3. Open the booklet PDF in Preview and press ⌘+P.
  4. Click Show Details if you only see a small dialog.
  5. Set Scale to 100%. Don’t use “Scale to Fit”.
  6. Open the Layout menu, tick Two-Sided and choose Short-Edge binding.
  7. Print. Stack the sheets in the order they came out, fold the stack in half and staple the fold.

If the backs are upside down

Some printers flip the other way. Print one test sheet first with the booklet maker’s Printing guide. It finds out which edge your printer needs and sets the booklet up to match.

If your printer prints one side only

Use the manual two-sided mode. You print the fronts, put the pages back in the tray, and print the backs. The booklet maker shows how to put the pages back, because it differs from printer to printer.

Questions

Can Preview print a booklet?

Not by itself. Preview’s print dialog can put several pages on a sheet and print two-sided, but it has no booklet option that reorders the pages. Make the booklet PDF first, then print it from Preview.

I don’t see “Two-Sided” in the print dialog.

Click “Show Details” at the bottom of the print dialog, then open the “Layout” menu. If it is still missing, your printer may not print on both sides automatically. Use the manual two-sided mode in the booklet maker.

Does it work in Safari and Chrome too?

Yes. You can print the booklet PDF from Preview, Safari or Chrome. In Chrome, look under “More settings” for “Two-sided” and “Scale”.

Is my file uploaded?

No. The booklet maker works in your browser, so your PDF stays on your Mac.

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