Prepare a PDF for booklet printing
Your pages are reordered and laid out two per landscape sheet, so printing double-sided and folding in half gives a booklet with the pages in the right order. It runs in your browser.
- Files never leave your browser.
- No account needed
- No watermark added
- Works on any device
How it works
Step 1: Choose the PDF you want to turn into a booklet.
Step 2: Pick left-to-right binding, or right-to-left for Arabic and Hebrew documents.
Step 3: Create the booklet PDF and download it.
Step 4: Print double-sided, flipping on the short edge, then fold the stack in half.
Why a booklet needs a different page order
A booklet is printed as sheets folded in half, so its pages cannot stay in reading order in the file. The tool reorders them and puts two pages side by side on each landscape sheet: the outermost sheet carries the first and last pages, and the pages move inward from there.
Each sheet holds four pages, two on each side, so the page count has to be a multiple of 4. If yours is not, the tool pads the end with blank pages. For Arabic, Hebrew or any right-to-left document, switch to right-to-left binding so the spine sits on the correct side.
Why use this tool
The right order, automatically
You do not have to work out which page pairs share a sheet. The tool does the imposition and hands you a ready-to-print file.
Automatic padding
If the page count is not a multiple of 4, blank pages are added at the end so the last sheet is complete.
Right-to-left support
Arabic and Hebrew booklets open from the right, and the binding option puts the spine where readers expect it.
Private on your device
The booklet is built in your browser, so your document is not uploaded.
Common uses
Wedding or event programmes
Print a 12-page programme on three sheets of A4, fold them, and staple along the spine for guests.
Workshop handbooks
Give participants a folded handbook instead of a loose stack, with pages that stay in order.
Arabic or Hebrew poetry and prayer booklets
Use right-to-left binding so the booklet opens from the right and the first page sits on the correct side.
Zines and short stories
Turn a short self-published piece into a pocket-sized folded booklet from an ordinary office printer.
A user guide for a small product
Print a compact instruction booklet to include in a box without paying for professional binding.
How the pages are arranged on the sheets
Take an 8-page document. It needs two sheets, four sides in total, and each side holds two pages. Left-to-right binding arranges them like this.
- Sheet 1 front: page 8 on the left, page 1 on the right.
- Sheet 1 back: page 2 on the left, page 7 on the right.
- Sheet 2 front: page 6 on the left, page 3 on the right.
- Sheet 2 back: page 4 on the left, page 5 on the right.
Printer settings that make it work
Most booklet problems come from print settings rather than the file. Do a test with a four-page document before you commit a long one.
- Choose double-sided printing and flip on the short edge. The sheets are landscape, so this is the setting that keeps the back side the right way up.
- Print at actual size, or 100 percent, and turn off any fit-to-page scaling, which would shrink the pages inside the sheet.
- Collate the sheets in the printed order, fold the whole stack once, and staple along the fold.
Supported formats
- Input
- One PDF file (.pdf), not password-protected.
- Output
- One PDF file with landscape sheets in booklet order, ready for duplex printing.
Print double-sided and flip on the short edge.
Good to know
- Very long documents make a bulky stack that is hard to fold. For a long file, split it into sections first with Split PDF.
- Blank pages are added at the end to reach a multiple of 4. If you need a specific back cover, put it last in your file yourself.
- The order is only correct when printed double-sided with the flip on the short edge. Single-sided printing or a long-edge flip scrambles the pages.
- Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked first with Unlock PDF.
Your files never leave your browser
This tool runs entirely on your device using your browser. Your files are not uploaded to our servers and are not stored anywhere. Closing the tab discards everything.
Frequently asked questions
How do I print the booklet from the PDF?
Print it double-sided with the flip on the short edge, then stack the sheets in the order they come out, fold the stack in half and staple along the fold.
Why did the tool add blank pages to my document?
Each sheet holds four pages, so the total must be a multiple of 4. Blank pages are added at the end to fill the last sheet.
What is right-to-left binding?
It is for languages such as Arabic and Hebrew, where the book opens from the right. The spine sits on the right side and the page order is mirrored to match.
Should I flip on the long edge or the short edge?
The short edge. The sheets are landscape, so a short-edge flip keeps the back side oriented correctly. A long-edge flip puts the back upside down.
How is this different from Pages per Sheet?
Pages per Sheet keeps pages in their normal order in a grid. PDF Booklet reorders them so a double-sided print, once folded, reads in sequence.
Is my PDF uploaded when I make a booklet?
No. The booklet is built in your browser, so the file stays on your device.