How to Make a Booklet in Microsoft Word 365, Step by Step

To make a booklet in Word 365, open Layout > Margins > Custom Margins, set Multiple pages to Book fold, then format your document and print it double-sided with pages flipped on the short edge. Word arranges the pages for folding, so write them in ordinary reading order rather than trying to rearrange them yourself.

These instructions are for the desktop version of Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows. You can use a similar booklet setting in Word for Mac, but printer duplex options may be in different places. Word for the web has fewer page-layout and print controls; use the desktop app to set up and print a booklet reliably.

What You’ll Need

Word for Microsoft 365 desktop, and a document or text to turn into a booklet.
Paper that fits your printer. For example, Letter paper folds to pages about 5.5 by 8.5 inches; A4 paper folds to pages about A5 size.
A printer that can print on both sides, or a printer that supports manual two-sided printing. If you only need a digital copy, you can save the booklet layout as a PDF.
A way to fold and, if needed, staple the printed sheets. A long-reach stapler is useful for booklets that do not open flat.

Step-by-Step

Plan the finished size and content. Decide what size the folded pages should be and how many pages the booklet needs. A booklet is made from folded sheets, so each sheet holds four page sides: two on the front and two on the back. A final page count divisible by four makes a tidy set of complete sheets. If your content does not fill the last sheet, Word or the print layout may leave blank pages; you can also add intentional blank pages for notes or inside covers. Keep the text in normal reading order: page 1, page 2, page 3, and so on.
Save a working copy. Open the document and choose File > Save As to make a copy before changing its layout. This preserves the original, especially if it is already formatted as a standard report. If you are starting from scratch, create a blank document and save it with a descriptive name. Add your text, images, and headings in the sequence readers should encounter them; do not place the last page beside the first page yourself.
Turn on booklet layout. Select the Layout tab, choose Margins, and then choose Custom Margins. In the Page Setup dialog, open the Margins tab and find the Multiple pages dropdown. Select Book fold. Word changes the page orientation and arranges pairs of pages for printing on folded sheets. Do not manually set the document to landscape first; the Book fold option manages the layout. If your dialog has a Sheets per booklet setting, choose All unless you have a specific reason to split a large booklet into smaller sections.
Set the paper size and margins. In the same Page Setup dialog, use the Paper tab to select the paper that will actually go through your printer, such as Letter or A4. The paper size is the unfolded sheet size, not the finished page size. Return to the Margins tab and set margins large enough for your printer and text. If the booklet will be stapled or bound, add a modest Gutter value to make room near the fold. Use Print Preview to check that the gutter is on the binding side and does not crowd the text. Choose OK to apply the settings.
Format the pages for the smaller finished size. Book fold makes each printed page half the size of the sheet, so check that body text, tables, and images remain readable at that size. Use the Home tab’s Styles, such as Normal and Heading 1, for consistent text. Avoid placing important text right against the edge or fold. For images, select one and use Picture Format > Wrap Text to control how text flows around it. If a table becomes too wide, simplify its columns or reduce unnecessary spacing rather than shrinking the text until it is hard to read.
Add page numbers and other finishing details. If you want page numbers, choose Insert > Page Number and select a position, such as the bottom of the page. Word numbers the pages in reading order; it handles their positions when arranging the sheets. Check the first and last pages, headers, footers, and any section breaks. If the booklet needs a cover, design it as the first page in the document. For a separate cover sheet or heavier stock, check your printer’s paper-handling instructions before mixing paper types.
Preview the imposition before using good paper. Choose File > Print and inspect the preview, moving through the sheets rather than judging only the first screen. The preview should show the pages paired in an order that looks unusual when flat: for example, the outside of a simple four-page booklet places the last page beside the first. That is expected. When folded, the pages should read in sequence. Confirm that the content is upright, not clipped, and not too close to the fold. If your Word version does not show a helpful booklet preview, print a small test before printing the full run.
Print on both sides and fold the sheets. In File > Print, select your printer. Under printer settings, choose Print on Both Sides and, for a booklet, choose Flip pages on short edge. The exact wording can vary by printer driver. If there is no automatic duplex option, choose the manual two-sided option if available, follow Word’s prompts to reload the paper, and test a single sheet first. Print one copy, fold the sheets in order, and check that page 1 is on the front cover and the other pages follow correctly. Once the test looks right, print the remaining copies and staple along the fold if desired.
Save a PDF if you need to share or print elsewhere. Choose File > Save As or File > Export and select PDF, depending on the options shown in your Word version. Open the PDF and confirm the page size and layout before sending it to a print shop. Tell the print provider that the file is set up as a booklet and ask whether they need the pages in reading order or as imposed spreads; do not impose the pages a second time if Word has already arranged them for booklet printing.

Common Mistakes

Reordering pages by hand. Keep the document in normal reading order. Book fold handles the print arrangement; manually swapping pages usually produces a booklet that reads incorrectly.
Choosing the wrong duplex edge. Flip pages on the long edge can make the back side upside down in a booklet. Use the short-edge option when available, then verify with a test sheet because some printer drivers describe their settings differently.
Using the finished page size as the paper size. For a half-letter booklet, the printer usually needs Letter sheets, not half-letter paper. Select the size of the flat sheet being printed.
Forgetting the fold and printer margins. Text near the center can disappear into the binding, while text near the outside edge may be clipped by the printer. Allow space for both.
Expecting every booklet to end on a printed page. Folded sheets hold four page sides. A short final sheet may include blank pages, which are normal; check the preview so an accidental blank does not interrupt the content.

Tips

Print a four-page sample first. It reveals whether the fold, front and back orientation, and page order are correct without wasting much paper.
Use a small test copy to check real-world readability. Text that looks comfortable on a full-size monitor can feel crowded after the sheet is folded.
Keep important text, page numbers, and logos away from the fold and the sheet edges. A little extra space improves legibility and gives the printer room for slight alignment variation.
For a long booklet, consider dividing it into smaller folded sections. In the Book fold settings, a Sheets per booklet option may let you specify a section size; check the preview and keep the sections in the intended order when assembling them.
On Word for Mac, look under Layout > Margins > Custom Margins for the booklet layout control. The Mac print dialog may put two-sided printing under a printer-specific Layout or finishing menu, so check its preview and driver options rather than assuming the Windows labels will match.

Troubleshooting

The back of the sheet is upside down. The duplex edge setting is the first thing to check. Return to File > Print and switch between the available short-edge and long-edge choices only after checking the printer’s wording. Print one sheet again and fold it to confirm. Some printers have a separate duplex setting in Printer Properties that can override or supplement Word’s choice.

The pages are out of order. First confirm that the document itself is in normal sequential order. Then check that Book fold is selected under Layout > Margins > Custom Margins, and inspect the print preview. If you are printing a PDF, verify whether the PDF already has booklet spreads; applying a second booklet mode in the PDF reader or printer software can scramble the order.

Word prints only one side or asks me to reload paper. Check whether the printer supports automatic duplex printing. If it does not, use the manual two-sided option and follow the on-screen reload instructions. Paper-feed direction differs by printer, so mark a test sheet lightly to identify which edge goes in first and which side prints. If Word does not offer manual duplex, print the two sides using the printer’s supported workflow, testing a few pages before a full run.

Content is cut off, too close to the fold, or unexpectedly small. Reopen Custom Margins and confirm the unfolded paper size, margins, and gutter. Then check the printer’s printable-area limits and the scale option in the print dialog; use actual size or 100% where possible rather than fit-to-page scaling that changes the finished dimensions. Move content inward or reduce oversized images and tables. Review the PDF or print preview again before printing.

The booklet option is missing. Make sure you are using the desktop Word app rather than Word for the web, and open the full Custom Margins dialog from the Layout tab. If the option is unavailable in your version, save or open the document in the Microsoft 365 desktop app, or export it to PDF and use a print application that offers booklet printing. Check that only one program is imposing the pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many pages should a Word booklet have?
A complete folded sheet holds four page sides, so a booklet is simplest to assemble when its total page count is a multiple of four. You can have fewer pages, but the last sheet may include blanks. Review the preview and decide whether those blanks are acceptable or useful.

Does Word automatically put the pages in booklet order?
Yes. With Multiple pages set to Book fold, Word arranges the pages for the folded sheets at print time. Keep the content in reading order in the document and do not manually rearrange page numbers.

Can I make a booklet without a duplex printer?
Often, yes. Choose a manual two-sided printing option if Word or your printer driver offers one, then follow the reload prompt. Because printers feed paper differently, test one sheet and fold it before printing the whole booklet.

Can I make a booklet in Word for the web?
Word for the web is not the best place to set up booklet imposition because its page setup and printer controls are limited. Open the document in the desktop Microsoft 365 app to choose Book fold and configure duplex printing.

Can I print a booklet to PDF instead of paper?
You can save or export the document as a PDF, then check the resulting file before sharing it. If you need booklet spreads rather than sequential pages, confirm whether Word or the PDF printing software is responsible for imposing the pages, and apply that setting only once.

What is the difference between booklet page size and paper size?
The booklet page is the size of one half of a folded sheet, while the printer’s paper setting refers to the entire unfolded sheet. For example, Letter paper folded in half makes pages about 5.5 by 8.5 inches. Choosing the actual sheet size helps Word arrange the pages and helps the printer feed the right paper.

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