Saving Paper by Combining Pages and Printing Double-Sided
Key points
- 4-up plus double-sided uses one eighth the paper
- Mind the binding-edge setting
- Check with a test print
Combining Combine PDF Pages onto One Sheet with double-sided printing cuts paper use sharply.
How much paper is saved?
- 2-up, single-sided: half the paper
- 4-up, single-sided: a quarter
- 4-up, double-sided: one eighth
For example, a 40-page document needs only 5 sheets printed 4-up and double-sided.
Steps
- Make a combined PDF, such as 4-up, with this tool.
- In the print settings, choose double-sided.
- Check the binding edge (long edge or short edge).
About the binding edge
- Portrait sheets (4-up, 9-up): usually "long edge".
- Landscape sheets (2-up, 6-up, 8-up): usually "short edge".
- With the wrong setting, the back side is upside down. Test with a few pages first.
If your printer lacks double-sided printing
You can do it by hand, but paper jams and wrong orientation are common. A device that supports double-sided printing, such as at a convenience store, is more reliable.
Preventing show-through
Printing both sides on thin paper can show text through the page. Use slightly thicker paper, or print one side.
Keep a copy
Keep the combined PDF as it is so you can print the same thing again later.
Use "Combine PDF Pages onto One Sheet (2-up, 4-up)" (free)Tools that go well with this
- Compress PDF: Shrink a PDF to fit under a size you choose, for upload limits.
- Rotate & Reorder PDF Pages: Fix sideways pages, change the page order, or remove pages.
- Merge PDFs: Combine several PDF files into one, in the order you choose.
More guides for this tool
- How to Print 2 or 4 PDF Pages per Sheet (Works on a Phone)
- Printing Lecture Slides 4-up or 6-up to Save Paper
- 2-up, 4-up, 6-up or 9-up: Which Is Best? A Guide to Text Size
- Tips for Printing a Combined PDF at a Convenience Store
- Margins and Borders When Combining Pages: Tips for Readability
- Fixing Problems with a Combined PDF: Orientation, Order and Tiny Text