How to Print Double Sided on a Mac

Set up duplex printing on your Mac in minutes

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: September 24, 2024 Fact Checked

This wikiHow teaches you how to print double-sided pages on a Mac computer. In order to print double-sided pages automatically, you must have a printer that is compatible with duplex printing. If your printer is not capable of printing double-sided, you can print the pages one at a time and manually reinsert the pages in reverse.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

With a Duplex Compatible Printer

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This can be a Word or Office document, a PDF, or a Safari web page, etc.
It's in the menu bar at the top of the screen. ^{[1]
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You can also print by pressing ⌘ Command + P . ^{[2]
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By default, it will have the name of the app or program you are using.
It's in the pulldown menu with the name of the app you are using. ^{[3]
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Click the "Two-Sided" drop-down menu. It is below the "border" drop-down menu. ^{[4]
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- If the "Two-Sided" drop-down menu is greyed out, your printer may not support double-sided printing.
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Select "Long-edge binding" or "Short-edge binding". ^{[5]
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- "Long-edge binding" is what is most commonly used. Select this option if you plan on binding your pages by the long edges of the paper. This would be the left and right edges if you are printing using portrait orientation.
- Select "Short-edge binding" if you plan of binding your pages by the short edges of the paper. This would be the top and bottoms of the pages using portrait orientation, or the left and right using landscape orientation.
Your pages will now print double-sided. ^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

With a Non-Duplex Compatible Printer

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This can be a Word or Office document, a PDF, or a Safari web page, and more.
It's in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
You can also print by pressing ⌘ Command + P . ^{[7]
X
Research source}
" and "To:" boxes. This allows you to print a select range of pages of your document.
" and "From:" boxes. For example, type a "1" in both boxes to print the first page of your document.
This will print only the first page of your document.
Typically, you will place the printed side facing down.
It's in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
" and "To:" boxes. This allows you to print a select range of pages of your document.
" and "From:" boxes. For example, type a "2" in both boxes to print the second page of your document.
This will print the second page of your document on the reverse side of the first page. Repeat using this method for as many pages as you need to print.