How to Make a Brochure in Word: Design, Layout, and Print

To make a brochure in Microsoft Word, choose a brochure template from File > New, or set a blank page to landscape and arrange its panels in a three-column layout or a table. Add your text and images, check the order on both sides, then print a test sheet before making copies.

Choose a brochure format before you begin

A common handout is a tri-fold brochure: one sheet is printed on both sides and folded into three panels. A single-sided flyer or a two-page, half-fold brochure may suit other projects. Decide on the format, paper size, and whether the finished piece will be printed at home or by a print shop before designing it. Those choices affect the page setup, panel dimensions, and amount of content you can fit.

For a standard US letter tri-fold, the sheet is 11 by 8.5 inches and is usually set to landscape. A4 paper is a different size, so use the size your printer or print provider requires. If a print shop will produce the brochure, ask about its preferred file format, bleed, and safe margins first. Many ordinary Word documents do not include the extra image area, called bleed, that commercial printing may require.

Tri-fold: six panels across the outside and inside of one sheet.
Half-fold: four pages or panels, like a small booklet made from one folded sheet.
Flyer: one page, often with columns but no folds.

Start with a Word brochure template

A template is often the quickest option because it supplies a ready-made design and panel arrangement. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select File > New, search for “brochure,” and choose a suitable result. Template availability can vary by Word version, account, and internet access. Open the template and replace its sample wording and pictures rather than assuming every element is already appropriate for your project.

Before editing extensively, check that the template matches your intended paper size and fold. Look for a two-sided tri-fold if that is what you need; a design that merely resembles a brochure may be a single page or may use a different fold. Save a working copy with File > Save As so the original template remains unchanged. Replace placeholder text in manageable sections, and remove any sample logos, contact details, or images that do not belong in the finished piece.

Set up a tri-fold brochure from a blank document

If you want control over the layout, a table gives each panel a defined space and is generally easier to manage than letting long text flow through columns. The following approach is suitable for a basic letter-size tri-fold:

Start a blank document. On the Layout tab, select Size > Letter if you are using US letter paper, then choose Orientation > Landscape.
Choose Layout > Margins > Custom Margins and set margins that leave room for your printer. For a home-printed draft, half an inch on each side is a reasonable starting point, but some printers cannot print that close to the paper edge.
Use Insert > Table to add a table with one row and three columns. Make a second page with its own one-row, three-column table for the other side of the sheet. Press Ctrl+Enter on Windows to insert a page break between the sides.
Select each table and use the contextual Table Layout > Distribute Columns command for evenly sized panels. If your design needs a narrower fold-in flap, adjust that column rather than assuming all three panels must be identical.
Put the text and images for each panel in its cell. When the layout is finished, use Table Design > Borders > No Border to hide printed borders. Table gridlines may still appear on screen; they are editing guides, not printable lines.

Word for Mac has similar controls on its Layout and Table Layout tabs, though the tab arrangement can differ by version. If a ribbon command is not visible, use Word’s search box to find the command by name. A table can grow beyond one page if its contents are too long, so keep the two sides deliberately separated and check that each side remains on its intended page.

Arrange the panels in the right order

A tri-fold uses six panels, and their positions matter. For the outside of a conventional letter-size tri-fold, viewed with the landscape sheet face up, the usual left-to-right order is the fold-in flap, the back cover, and the front cover. On the inside, the panels normally read left to right as the reader opens the brochure. A particular printer or folding style can change how the sheet must be turned, so make a physical test copy rather than relying on a screen preview alone.

Use the front cover for a clear title and a strong image or short promise. The back cover is a natural place for contact details, a website, opening hours, or a call to action. The fold-in flap can introduce the subject or offer a brief preview. Inside panels can carry the main explanation, services, directions, schedule, or supporting details. Read the panels in the order a person will encounter them, not just in the order you typed them.

A frequent mistake is making all three panels exactly equal when the outer flap needs to tuck inside. Paper thickness and the fold can make a slightly narrower flap work better, especially with heavier stock. Follow the printer’s specifications if they provide panel widths; otherwise, make a sample fold and adjust the table columns after checking how the paper sits.

Write concise copy that fits the panels

Brochure panels have limited space. Give each one a clear purpose, use descriptive headings, and favor short paragraphs and lists over a solid block of small text. For example, a community garden brochure might use the cover for “Grow with us,” an inside panel for membership steps, another for tools and plot information, and the back for meeting times and contact details. This makes the document easier to scan than repeating the organization’s name and general description on every panel.

Draft the wording before fine-tuning font sizes. Include the details readers need to act—such as an address, date, price, or web link—but verify those facts before printing. Avoid shrinking text just to squeeze in extra copy: comfortable readability is more useful than filling every inch. If a panel feels crowded, shorten the wording, remove repeated information, or move supporting details to a web page using a clearly printed link or QR code.

Add images and keep the layout stable

Use Insert > Pictures to add an image from your device, or choose an available online image source if appropriate. In a table cell, an image set to In Line with Text is often predictable: it behaves like a large character and stays within the text flow. Other wrapping options, such as Square, can allow text to flow around a picture, but they may shift when the document is edited or opened on another computer. Resize images from a corner handle to preserve their proportions.

Use images that are clear at their printed size. A small image enlarged to fill a panel may look blurry, while an image with important details near its edge may be clipped by the printer or fold. Keep key text and logos away from fold lines and paper edges. For an informative image, add alternative text through Word’s picture tools or the image’s context menu so people using screen readers can understand its purpose. Do not rely on color alone to distinguish important information.

Print, fold, and check the finished brochure

Save the document, then open File > Print on Windows to inspect the preview and select the correct paper size, orientation, and printer. If the printer supports automatic two-sided printing, choose the duplex option in its settings. The correct “flip on” edge can depend on the printer and its driver, especially with landscape pages; do not assume one setting works for every device. Print one copy, turn and fold it as intended, and confirm that the panels are upright and in the right order.

If your printer cannot print on both sides automatically, print one side, reinsert the sheet according to the printer’s instructions, and print the other side. Make a one-sheet test first because paper-feed direction differs between printers. Check the proof for:

Text or images cut off at the page edges or hidden in a fold.
Correct outside and inside panel order, with both sides upright.
Readable type, working links, accurate contact details, and consistent colors.
Any unexpected blank page, table overflow, or extra paragraph that pushed content out of place.

For sharing or sending the design to a print shop, save a PDF using File > Save As and select PDF as the file type, or use File > Export if that option is available in your version. Review the PDF at full size before sending it: a PDF preserves the page layout more reliably than a Word file, but it does not correct a panel that was arranged incorrectly in the original document.

Fix common Word brochure problems

If text jumps to another page, check whether the table has grown too tall or a paragraph has pushed the row beyond the page. Shorten the content, reduce unnecessary paragraph spacing, or adjust the image size. Avoid repeatedly pressing Enter to position content; that creates fragile spacing that can change when fonts or wording change. Use table cells and paragraph formatting to control placement more consistently.

If borders appear in the printout, check Table Design > Borders and remove the borders rather than confusing them with on-screen gridlines. If a picture moves unexpectedly, try Picture Format > Wrap Text > In Line with Text. If the printer crops the edges, increase the margins or use a printer with borderless printing if the model supports it. A Word page can display content that a particular printer cannot physically print.

If the two sides do not line up after folding, verify the page order and duplex setting, then print another test. The front and back may also shift slightly because of printer registration. For a large run, unusual paper, or tight alignment requirements, ask a print provider to check the file before production.

When Word is—and is not—the best tool

Word works well for a simple brochure with ordinary text, pictures, and a small number of panels. Its templates and familiar editing tools are convenient, and exporting a PDF makes it easy to share a fixed-layout version. A table-based design is also practical when you need to revise wording without rebuilding the whole page.

For complex commercial work, a dedicated page-layout application or a print shop’s design service may offer more precise control over bleeds, color, and fold marks. PowerPoint can be convenient for designs built from positioned text boxes and graphics, but it still requires careful page sizing and print checks. Whatever tool you use, confirm the final dimensions and printing requirements with the provider rather than assuming a Word template meets them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Word have a brochure template?
Yes. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, go to File > New and search for “brochure.” Available templates vary, so check the page size, number of sides, and fold before using one.

How do I make a tri-fold brochure in Word?
Set the page to landscape, create three panels for each side—often with a one-row, three-column table on each of two pages—and arrange the outside and inside panels in the correct order. Print and fold a test copy to verify the layout.

Should I use columns or a table?
Columns are useful when you want text to flow naturally from one panel to the next. A table gives you more control over separate panels and is usually easier when each panel has different content or images.

How do I print a brochure double-sided?
Use File > Print and select the printer’s two-sided or duplex option if available. Because feed direction and flip settings vary, print one test sheet and check that the reverse side is upright before printing more.

Can I make a brochure in Word on a Mac?
Yes. Word for Mac includes page orientation, columns, tables, pictures, and PDF export. Ribbon labels and locations can vary slightly from Windows; look under the Layout tab or search for the command, then confirm the print settings in the Mac printer dialog.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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