How to Print a PDF Double-Sided on Windows and Mac

Printing documents double-sided is an environment-friendly choice and it also helps make documents more compact and manageable.

On this page, you’ll find out the best free tools and methods to print your PDF documents on both sides of a paper with any physical printer.

You can instantly get started with our free online PDF printer, with no signup, and no watermark.

Instantly Print Double-Side PDFs Online for Free

If you need to print a double-sided PDF document easily, the best way is to use an online PDF printer service that doesn’t require software installation.

And the best one is PDFgear, it’s a free, web-based, and versatile online PDF editor that provides PDF printing features, and you can use it without signing up for an account.

PDFgear allows you to print double-sided PDFs in Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and any other modern web browsers.

Step 1. Navigate to PDFgear online PDF editor. Click the Upload PDF file button to upload the PDF you need to print.

Step 2. Click the upper-right printer button to go to the Print window.

Step 3. From the Print window, go to Destination, click on the button next to it, and choose the physical printer that is connected to your device.

Step 4. Click on More settings below, in the Two-sided section, tick on Print on both sides and choose whether you want to flip on the long edge or flip on the short edge.

Step 5. Lastly, click the Print button to start printing.

Print a PDF Double-Sided on Windows and Mac for Free

If you’re working with a larger PDF document or looking for more flexible controls, the steadier way is to use a piece of dedicated PDF printer software with a physical PDF printer.

For this, PDFgear PDF Printer is highly recommended. It’s a full-featured PDF printer that offers robust features like batch printing, standard paper sizes, custom page ranges, etc.

Since it’s free to use, you can instantly get started.

Step 1. Download and install PDFgear from the official website.

Step 2. Open PDFgear, and click the Open File button to open the PDF you need to print.

Step 3. Click the upper-left printer icon or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + P (Windows) or Command + P (macOS) to access the printer settings window.

Step 4. From the printer options, click Printer to connect to your physical printer. Also define your desired page range, orientation, etc. if needed.

Step 5. Tick on the Print on both sides option, and select whether you want to flip the papers on short or long edges while printing.

Step 6. When ready, click Print to start printing.

How to Print a PDF Double-Sided in Adobe Acrobat

The paid version of Adobe Acrobat Pro or the free version Adobe Acrobat Reader both allow you to print digital PDF documents to double-sided papers.

Compared with the above-introduced methods, Adobe Acrobat is unique in its page sizing & handling methods.

So if you need to print PDFs to customizable sizes, posters, multiple, or booklets, Adobe Acrobat will come in handy.

Step 1. Open the PDF you need to print in Adobe Acrobat.

Step 2. Click the upper-right printer button, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + P (Windows) or Command + P (macOS) to go to the Print window.

Step 3. From there, click Printer and choose your connected physical printer.

Step 4. Move down a bit until you see an option that says Print on both sides of paper, tick on it, then select to Flip on long edge (by default) or Flip on short edge.

Step 5. Lastly, click the lower-right Print button to start printing.

FAQs

Does my printer support double-sided printing?

Check your printer’s manual or manufacturer’s website for specifications on “duplex printing” or “double-sided printing” capabilities.

How do I manually print double-sided if my printer doesn’t have a duplex unit?

Print all odd pages first, then reload the paper (refer to your printer manual for instructions) and print the even pages.

For Mac, print odd pages, remove printed pages, turn them 180 degrees face-down, reload, then print even pages.

How do I enable double-sided printing in my printer settings?

On Windows, go to “Printers & Devices”, right-click your printer, select “Printing Preferences”, find the “Layout” or “Finishing” tab, and enable double-sided printing.

On Mac, go to “System Preferences” > “Printers & Scanners”, select your printer, click “Options & Supplies”, and enable the “Duplex Unit” option.

What if I don’t see the double-sided printing option in Acrobat Reader?

The double-sided printing option is managed by the printer driver, not Acrobat Reader.

Ensure your printer supports double-sided printing and the option is enabled in the printer’s settings.

What are the benefits of double-sided printing?

Reduces paper consumption and waste, saving money and helping the environment. It’s useful for printing flyers, invitations, brochures, and other documents that require double-sided pages.