Manual Two-Sided/Duplex Printing (8.5 x 11 ins and 210 x 297 mm)
Page Updated, May 11 2024
Printing on Both Sides of a Sheet of Paper Manually
You can print the file on both sides of a sheet of paper manually if your printer does not support automatic duplex printing. There are two options.
Print coloured tracts on white paper, and non-coloured ones on coloured paper.
You have the option to print Non-Coloured Tracts from the web or to download them to your device before printing. Coloured Tracts need to be downloaded to your device before printing, as additional print settings need to be applied.
Printing from the Web (Non-Coloured Tracts Only)
(a) Click on the tract you want to print, to open it.
(b) Click on the printer icon at the top of the page.
(c) Destination: Select your printer from the dropdown list.
(d) Apply the necessary settings (see below).
(e) Uncheck the Print on both sides option. Click the Print button to print Page 1 only
(f) When Page 1 is printed, turn the printed paper over and feed it into the printer to print Page 2.
(g) To print more than a few sheets, print as many copies of Page 1 as you want. Be sure to enter the number of copies to be printed in the Copies box.
(h) Turn the printed papers over and feed them back into the printer for Page 2 to be printed. Again, ensure that the number of copies to be printed is entered in the Copies box.
NOTE – It's a good idea to run a test before printing, to determine the correct way to reload the pages for the printer you are using.
Printing from Your Device (Non-Coloured and Coloured Tracts)
Printers are different, but the general settings to print our tracts are: Paper Size, Page Orientation or Layout, Page Scaling, Auto-Rotate, Colour, and Duplex Printing. Some printers may have additional settings.
Option 1
(a) Locate the PDF tract file that you saved to your computer or flash drive.
(b) Double-Click the file to open it.
*Do not rotate or resize the pages.
(c) Select the File tab from the menu bar. Move the cursor down and click Print.
The Print Dialog Box is displayed.
(d) Select a printer to print from.
(e) Click the Properties button to adjust settings for the file you are about to print.
The Properties Dialog Box is displayed.
(f) Select your preferred Paper Size: Letter 8.5 x 11 ins or Standard International A4 (210 x 297 mm).
(g) Set Page Orientation to Landscape.
(h) Click the OK button.
The Print Dialog Box is displayed.
(i) Set Page Scaling to Default or None.
(j) Ensure that the Auto‐Rotate and Center check box is unchecked.
(k) Confirm that the Paper Size and Page Orientation settings are correct.
(l) Page Borders
Coloured Tracts (Borderless) - Print without borders to remove the white edges around the image and text. (Complex):
(i) Set to Borderless. *(A must-do! See Tips below). Some printers have borderless paper size options as well.
(ii) Set Borderless Expansion/Enlargement to Min/Minimum.
Non-Coloured Tracts - Print with borders (Easy)
(i) Do not set to Borderless.
(ii) Set Pages to 1 (as shown in the snapshot above) to print Page 1 of the tract only.
(m) Select Colour: Black and White (for Non-Coloured Tracts) or Colour (for Coloured Tracts).
(n) Click the OK button when you are ready to print.
(o) When Page 1 is printed, turn the printed paper over and feed it into the printer to print Page 2. Remember to set the printer to print the second page only (as shown in the snapshot below).
(p) Click the OK button when you are ready to print.
Option 2
(a) Do (a) to (m) above. Then print as many copies of Page 1 as you want. Be sure to enter the number of copies to be printed in the Copies box, now that you need more than one copy.
(b) Turn the printed papers over and feed them back into the printer for Page 2 to be printed. Again, ensure that the number of copies to be printed is entered in the Copies box.
*Caution must be taken with this option.
NOTE – It's a good idea to run a test before printing, to determine the correct way to reload the pages for the printer you are using.
It may become tiresome to use these manual two-sided printing options if you plan to print more than a few tracts. You may wish to refer to your printer manual for other ways to manually print on both sides of the paper.
*Some Tips for Borderless Printing (Coloured Tracts)
If your printer's borderless printing feature is not doing a good job, try one of the following:
(a) Trim off the borders (white edges) on the sheet after printing, as is done for professional printing.
(b) Consider using Adobe Acrobat Pro here instead of Adobe Reader. It's a little pricey but free for 7-14 days.
