How to Print Double-Sided on Mac When Using an App

Printing on the front and back of pages is easy on a Mac, particularly when using an app such as Microsoft Word or (or any other Microsoft Office app). As an example, here’s what you should do if you typed a Word doc on your Mac and want to print it double-sided: It’s worth commenting on the difference between long-edge and short-edge binding: long-edge binding prints double-sided sheets so that you turn the page over sideways (as with a book). The margins are adjusted to accommodate binding on the left side. By contrast, short-edge binding prints such that you flip the page over vertically (as with a notepad) and margins adjust for binding at the top.

How to Print Double-Sided From an App on a Mac

With some applications, the process for printing double-sided is simpler and involves fewer steps because you are presented with a “Two-Sided” option in the initial Print window. For example, here’s what you do with an app such as Notes on the Mac.

How to Print Double-Sided on a Mac When Online

The duplex printing process is similar if you’re online and want to print out several web pages, although one or two steps are a little different. Here’s what you do if you’re browsing on Chrome, for example. Two-sided printing is pretty much the same if you’re using Firefox or Safari, although in both cases, the browser sends you directly to the macOS system dialog.

Duplex Printing: Troubleshooting

Even if you have a duplex printer, there may be occasions in which you aren’t able to select the option to print two-sided. If you are having trouble selecting two-sided printing, try this troubleshooting tip.