Printing double sided on a Mac is a great way to reduce paper use, lower printing costs and create neater documents for school, work or home use. Most modern printers support automatic duplex printing, while others require a manual method to print on both sides. This guide will walk you through how to print double sided from a Mac using the standard print settings as well as what to do if your printer does not support duplex printing.
Check If Your Printer Supports Duplex Printing
Before you begin, find out if your printer supports duplex printing. Duplex refers to the printer’s ability to print on both sides of a sheet of paper automatically. You can check the printer’s specifications online or in the user manual. Printers from brands like HP, Canon, Epson and Brother often support duplex printing but it may need to be enabled in the settings.
If your printer does not support automatic duplexing, you can still print double sided manually by printing one side then reinserting the pages to print the other side.
How to Print Double Sided Automatically on Mac
Start by opening the document you want to print. This could be a PDF in Preview, a Word file or a webpage in Safari. Go to File > Print or press Command + P.
In the print dialogue that appears, look for a checkbox or dropdown labelled Two-Sided or Duplex Printing. Tick the box next to Two-Sided. Depending on the printer and app, you may also see options for Long-Edge Binding or Short-Edge Binding. Long-edge is best for most documents, especially those in portrait orientation.
Select the printer, check your paper size and other settings then click Print. The printer will automatically print on both sides of the paper.
What to Do If the Two-Sided Option Is Missing
Sometimes the Two-Sided option is hidden or greyed out. This could be because your printer does not support duplex printing or the feature has not been enabled.
To check your printer’s settings, go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select your printer and click Options & Supplies. Under the Driver or Options tab, make sure that Duplex Unit or Double-Sided Printing Unit is enabled. If it is not ticked, enable it and click OK then restart the app you are printing from.
If the printer still does not allow double sided printing, you may need to update the printer driver from the manufacturer’s website.
How to Print Double Sided Manually on Mac
If your printer does not support automatic duplexing, you can still print double sided using the manual method. From the print dialogue, click Copies & Pages or Layout depending on the app, and choose to print only Odd Pages first. Print the first half of the document, then take the stack of printed pages and reload them into the paper tray.
You may need to experiment with page orientation and whether the pages go in face up or face down depending on your printer. Once reloaded, go back to the print settings and select Even Pages. The second side will print on the blank sides of your paper.
Make sure to test this with a few pages before printing a long document to ensure the pages come out in the right order.
Tips for Better Results
Always use good quality paper that supports double sided printing to prevent ink from bleeding through. If you are printing an important report or booklet, check the page orientation carefully and preview your document before starting.
If you frequently print double sided, consider investing in a printer with built-in duplex support. This will save time and reduce the risk of misfeeds or paper jams.
Printing Double Sided in Microsoft Word or Google Docs
When printing from Word or Google Docs on a Mac, the process is similar. Click File > Print then in the system print dialogue select the Two-Sided option. In Word, you may need to click Show Details to access advanced settings.
Google Docs will open the Mac print dialogue in your browser. Select your printer then tick the Two-Sided box before clicking Print.
Final Thoughts
Printing double sided on a Mac is straightforward once you know where to find the settings. Whether your printer handles duplexing automatically or you need to do it manually, Mac gives you the flexibility to print efficiently and professionally. With the right setup, you can save paper, cut costs and keep your printed documents neat and tidy.