To print double-sided, or front and back, you need a Microsoft Word document that is two pages or more. While each printer differs slightly, the steps below walk you through the basic process to set up your printer for double-sided printing.

Steps for printing double-sided on a home printer

  • Open the document that you want to print double-sided.
  • In the Ribbon, click File, then click Print.
  • Under Settings, click the down arrow on the right side of the Print One Sided option.
  • If the printer can print double-sided automatically, select one of the two Print on Both Sides options, either flip on the long edge or short edge.

If your printer is not capable of printing double-sided automatically, select the Manually Print on Both Sides option.

  • Click the Print button.
  • On most home printers, after one side of the page is printed, you need to manually put the paper back in the paper tray to print the other side. However, this differs by printer, so please consult your printer’s user manual to verify the correct paper orientation.

Steps for printing double-sided on a commercial printer

  • Open the document that you want to print double-sided.
  • In the Ribbon, click File, then click Print.
  • Under Settings, click the down arrow on the right side of the Print One Sided option.
  • Select the Double-sided or Two-sided option.
  • Click the Print button.
  • Most commercial home printers automatically feed the paper so that it prints double-sided. You can refer to the steps above for home printers if you have a manual feed commercial printer.
  • How to print a document, picture, or another file.
  • How to troubleshoot printer issues.
  • How to fix a paper jam in a printer.
  • How to pause a print job in Windows.
  • Microsoft Word help and support.
  • Printer help and support.