Normally printing double-sided requires an attachment to your printer called a "duplexer". It is possible however to print double-sided using a regular printer, just by re-inserting the papers into the regular paper feeder tray. This article shows you how.
Steps
- Make a note of how many sides in total you want to print.
- Print only the odd pages first (ie. 1,3,5,7...) This involves choosing the appropriate option on the print dialog and will vary according to your operating system.
- Collect the printed pages together into a block.
- If there is an odd number of sides in total from step 1, remove the last page of your block and set it aside somewhere safe.
- Square up all the pages in the block by tapping it on a table top until they are level.
- Take the block of printed pages as they came out of the printer (face-down) and spin them around 180 degrees, so that the top is now the bottom.
- Empty the paper feeder on the printer and reinsert the block into the printer, this way round, ie. face down and 180 degree rotated.
- Print all the even pages in reverse order (last page first). The option to reverse the order of the pages is a check-box on the print dialog. (ie. reverse box checked and even pages only selected)
- Add the missing last page, if you removed it earlier.
- Congratulations! You should now have your double-sided printout in the correct page order.
Warnings
- Depending on your printer model, you may need to re-insert the paper a different way round. The above method works on a Samsung laser printer.
- Use the regular automatic paper feeder tray, not the optional manual feeder tray on the top.
