How to Print Double-Sided on Google Docs

One of the most confusing features of Google Docs is double-sided printing.

This feature is not obvious in the platform, and there are no direct instructions on how to go about doing this.

This explains why so many users have trouble with double-sided printing using Google Docs.

The good news is the app does support this feature. However, it depends on the capability of the printer because it is an instruction sent to the device.

Even if it requires some searching, the program will automatically recognize the choice when and if it is available.

Some printers print on both sides of the page automatically. You only need to choose the two-sided print option in your print options, and the printer will flip the pages for you. These devices are known as duplex printers.

However, some printers need user intervention because they don't print on both sides automatically. The paper must be physically turned over in order to print on both sides. These devices are known as manual printers.

This article will walk you through all you need to know about printing on both sides of a sheet step-by-step; check out the guide below and learn how to reduce paper waste!

You might also like: How To Do Roman Numerals in Google Docs.

Method 1: Double-sided printing in Google Docs using a duplex printer

Your duplex printer will print the odd sides first, and will automatically flip the papers once the odd-numbered sides of the paper have been printed.

1. Open the Google Docs document you want to print.
2. From the top menu, click on ‘File’. From the drop-down menu, click on ‘Print’.
3. This will open the print preview menu, where all the print options will be listed.
4. You can also launch the same menu if you press Ctrl + P - for Windows users, or Cmd + P - for Mac users.

5. From the print menu, you’ll see the print settings like ‘Color’, ‘Destination’, etc. Click on ‘More Settings’.

6. The ‘Two-sided’ option is located underneath the ‘Scale’ option. To enable double-sided printing, choose the checkbox next to this option. When you tick the box next to this option on some devices, another drop-down menu might show up right below it - the choices being ‘Flip on long edge’ and ‘Flip on short edge’.

7. If you want to print in portrait mode - choose ‘Flip on long edge’; if you want to print in landscape mode - choose ‘Flip on short edge’.
8. After having adjusted all the settings, click on ‘Print’.

Check out: How to Make Table Smaller in Google Docs.

Method 2: Double-sided printing in Google Docs using a manual printer

1. Open the Google Docs document you want to print.
2. From the top menu, click on ‘File’. From the drop-down menu, click on ‘Print’.
3. This will open the print preview menu, where all the print options will be listed.
4. You can also launch the same menu if you press Ctrl + P - for Windows users, or Cmd + P - for Mac users.

5. In the print tool, you’ll need to enter the odd numbers only - this can be adjusted in the ‘Pages’ option.

6. Click on ‘Print’.
7. Next, after your odd pages have been printed, you’ll need to manually flip the papers to the other side.
8. ‘Pages’ ‘Even pages only’.

9. Click on ‘Print’ again, and wait until the rest of your papers have finished printing.

Note: There is no need to select the double-sided printing option for manual printers, as you would with duplex printing.

Conclusion

You can easily print on both sides of the page with Google Docs, whether you have a duplex printer or a manual one.

You can use any one of the above mentioned two methods, depending on the kind of printer you have.

We hope this article was helpful, and if you liked it, check out: How to Rearrange Pages in Google Docs and How to Insert Checkbox In Google Docs That Users Can Check.