How to Make a Booklet in Word With Book Fold

An event programme, a short product guide, a workshop handout that folds into a neat little book: Word can lay all of these out so the pages come off the printer in the right order. The setting is called Book fold, and Microsoft's advice is to switch it on before you start writing, so there's less to fix later.

Setting up a booklet with Book fold

1. Go to Layout and select Margins, then Custom Margins.
2. In the Multiple pages dropdown, choose Book fold. Microsoft says the page orientation changes automatically.
3. Increase the Gutter to leave room on the inside fold for staples or binding.
4. Go to the Paper tab and choose your Paper size.
5. Select OK.

Microsoft notes the finished booklet is half the width of the paper you choose. So A4 sheets fold into an A5 booklet, which is a nice handout size.

Long booklets: sheets per booklet

For a longer document, Microsoft suggests splitting it into several smaller booklets that you bind together. Under Sheets per booklet, choose how many pages go into each one. Thinner booklets fold more neatly than one thick stack, which tends to bulge at the spine.

Starting from a booklet template

If you'd rather start with a design, Microsoft points you to its booklet templates:

1. Go to File, New.
2. Type booklet in the search box.
3. Pick a template and choose Create.
4. Save your own copy with File, Save a copy.

Microsoft says these templates are designed so the page order is right when you print on both sides and flip along the short edge.

Printing so the pages come out in order

This is where booklets go wrong. A booklet needs printing on both sides of the paper, flipped the right way.

Your printer	What to choose in File, Print	Watch out for
Prints both sides itself	Print on both sides, flip on short edge	Choosing the long edge by mistake
One side only	Manually Print on Both Sides	Feeding the sheets back the wrong way up

With manual double-sided printing, Word prints one side, then prompts you to put the sheets back in. Microsoft's tip is to flip them on the short edge, following your printer's instructions, so pages don't come out upside down.

Test before printing a full batch

Here's the advice from Microsoft I'd underline: print just 4 pages as a test first. That uses a single sheet, folded once, and shows you straight away whether the order and orientation are right. If page 2 is upside down or the order's jumbled, change the flip setting and try again before you print fifty copies.

Tidying the layout after switching to Book fold

Microsoft says that if your document already has text, Word reformats it automatically, but pictures and tables may need adjusting by hand. Check each page, especially wide tables and images that suited a full-size page. Shrink them to fit the narrower booklet page or move them to their own page.

• Page numbers: Microsoft suggests adding them in the header or footer for a professional finish.
• Borders: Page Setup, the Layout tab, Borders adds a border to every page.
• Blank pages: a booklet's page count works in groups of four, so you may need a blank page or two at the end. Use them for notes, a short thank you or a back cover with your contact details.

If you're also building something similar in Google's editor, my guide to making a booklet in Google Docs covers how that works. And save often while you lay out pages; if Word ever closes unexpectedly, my guide to recovering an unsaved Word document shows where to look.

Ideas for small business booklets

• A workshop or event programme with timings and speakers.
• A welcome guide for new clients explaining how you work.
• A short lookbook or product guide to hand out at markets and fairs.
• A staff handbook for a small team.

Covers and finishing touches

A booklet looks far more finished with a real front and back cover. Keep the first page for a title, your logo and the date of the event or edition, and the last page for contact details. Microsoft suggests adding page numbers in the header or footer, and they help readers find their place when you refer to a particular section during an event or workshop. Print the covers on slightly heavier paper if your printer takes it, and the whole thing feels more substantial in people's hands. It's a small extra that makes a homemade booklet look like it came from a print shop.

My verdict

Switch on Book fold before you start, set a generous gutter, and always print a four-page test before the full run. If you'd rather not design from scratch, a booklet template gets the page order right for you. It's one of Word's more useful hidden features for anyone who still hands out printed material.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a booklet in Word?

Go to Layout, Margins, Custom Margins, set Multiple pages to Book fold, adjust the gutter and paper size, and select OK.

What size is a booklet made in Word?

Microsoft says the finished booklet is half the width of the paper size you choose.

How do I print a booklet on both sides in Word?

Print on both sides flipping on the short edge, or use Manually Print on Both Sides if your printer only prints one side.

Why are my booklet pages upside down?

The sheets were flipped on the wrong edge. Flip on the short edge and print a four-page test first.

Does Word have booklet templates?

Yes. Go to File, New and search for booklet.