How to print odd pages, then even pages
Print the odd pages first, turn the printed stack over and reload it, then print the even pages. Most PDF readers and word processors have an odd and even option in the print dialog. Whether the even pages need reverse order depends on your printer, and a two-sheet test page tells you.
Updated
Skip the settings hunt. The wizard makes a fronts file and a backs file that print correctly with default settings.
Open the wizardWhere the setting lives
| Program | Odd pages only | Reverse order |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Print, then More Options, then Odd or Even Pages: Odd pages only | Tick Reverse pages in the same panel |
| Microsoft Word (Windows) | File, Print, then the first Settings list: Only Print Odd Pages | File, Options, Advanced, Print: Print pages in reverse order |
| macOS (Preview and most apps) | Print dialog, Paper Handling section: Pages to Print, Odd Only | Same section: Page Order, Reverse |
| LibreOffice | Print dialog, Range and Copies: Include, Odd pages | Same section: Print in reverse page order |
| Chrome and other browsers | No option. Type the pages into Custom pages, for example 1,3,5,7 | Type them backwards, for example 8,6,4,2 |
Menu names change between versions. If you can’t find the option, search the program’s help for “odd pages”.
Do the even pages need reverse order?
It depends on how your printer stacks paper and which sheet it picks up first when you reload. Rather than guess, print two sheets marked 1 and 3, turn them over, and print 2 and 4 on the backs:
- The 2 is on the back of the 1: print even pages in normal order.
- The 4 is on the back of the 1: print even pages in reverse order.
- The back is upside down: rotate the even pages 180°, or reload the stack with the other edge first.
The odd page count trap
With an odd number of pages there is one more front than back. Printing the even pages in reverse then puts the last even page on the first sheet, and every back shifts by one. Add a blank page at the end of the document before you start, or let the wizard do it.
Word’s built-in manual duplex
Word for Windows has a Manually Print on Both Sides option in the print settings. It prints the first side, then prompts you to reload the paper. It works well when your printer driver knows how its paper path works. If the backs still come out wrong, use the test page to see what your printer actually does.
Frequently asked questions
Should I print odd or even pages first?
Print the odd pages first. Page 1 is a front, so the odd pages form the fronts and the even pages go on the backs.
When should the even pages print in reverse order?
When your printer feeds the reloaded stack last sheet first. That’s common for printers that stack paper face-down. A two-sheet test tells you for certain.
How do I print only odd pages in Chrome?
Chrome’s print dialog has no odd or even option. Type the page numbers into Custom pages instead (for example 1,3,5,7), or open the PDF in the ManualDuplex wizard, which makes a fronts file and a backs file for you.