About the PDF Booklet Maker
A booklet is made by folding sheets of paper in half, and the pages on each sheet are not in reading order. Page 1 sits next to the last page, page 2 next to the second to last, and so on. Working that out by hand is confusing, and many printers cannot do it. This tool does the reordering for you. Pick your PDF, choose the paper, and it builds new landscape sheets with two pages each in exactly the right order. If your page count is not a multiple of four, blank pages are added at the end. Print the result double-sided, fold the stack in half and staple the fold. Everything happens in your browser, so your document is never uploaded.
Updated October 2026
How to use the PDF Booklet Maker
- 1Pick the PDF you want to turn into a booklet.
- 2Choose the paper size you will print on.
- 3Choose how your printer flips the sheet for two-sided printing.
- 4Press Make booklet and download the new PDF.
- 5Print double-sided at actual size, then fold and staple.
Printing and folding a booklet
Print all the pages of the new file double-sided at actual size, not fit to page. Choose flip on the short edge for landscape sheets unless a test print shows the back upside down. Keep the printed sheets in the order they come out of the printer.
Stack the sheets, fold the whole stack in half in one go so that the first page is on the front, and press the fold flat. Staple twice along the fold, ideally with a long-arm stapler, or sew it with a needle and thread.
Getting a good result
- Use a page count that is a multiple of four.
- Leave a little margin around the pages so nothing is cut off by the printer.
- Print a test booklet of four pages first to check the orientation.
- Use lighter paper (80 gsm) for thick booklets; they fold more easily.
- Turn on the fold guide border if you want to see the page edges.
Related tools
Prepare the document first with the Rearrange PDF Pages tool or remove unwanted pages with Delete PDF Pages. If you only want several pages on one sheet without folding, use PDF Pages per Sheet, and to add numbers use Add Page Numbers to PDF. Combine several files first with Merge PDF. Do a trial print before you print many copies.
Features
- Correct page order for folded booklets
- A4, Letter, A3 and Tabloid sheets
- Blank pages added automatically
- Short-edge and long-edge duplex support
- Optional fold-guide borders
- Pages scaled to fit and centred
- Private, nothing is uploaded
Frequently asked questions
How does a booklet layout work?
Each sheet is printed on both sides and holds four pages. For an 8 page booklet, the first sheet has pages 8 and 1 on the front and 2 and 7 on the back, the second sheet has 6 and 3, then 4 and 5. Folded and nested, they read 1 to 8.
What size will the booklet be?
Half of the sheet. An A4 sheet gives an A5 booklet, a Letter sheet gives a half-letter booklet and an A3 sheet gives an A4 booklet.
Why were blank pages added?
A folded sheet holds four pages, so the page count must be a multiple of four. Blank pages are added at the end to fill the last sheet. Aim for a multiple of four to avoid them.
Which duplex setting should I use?
For landscape sheets most printers need flip on the short edge. If the back sides print upside down, create the booklet again with the long edge option.
How many sheets can I fold together?
Up to about 20 to 24 sheets of normal paper fold well. Thicker booklets bulge at the edge and may need a different method, such as binding in sections.
Will the text stay sharp?
Yes. Pages are placed as vector content, not as pictures, so text and drawings stay sharp. Pages are scaled to fit the half sheet.
Does it work with different page sizes?
Yes. Each page is scaled to fit its half of the sheet and centred, so mixed sizes still line up.