Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 27, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Some (but not all) printers support duplexing, meaning that they allow printing on both sides of a piece of paper. Assuming that you have a printer that supports duplexing, and that you have a printer driver that supports it, you can turn it on by following these steps:
It is important to remember that this tip only works for printers that support duplex printing. You should also remember that the availability of duplex printing will depend on the printer driver you are using with your printer. For instance, if your printer will handle duplex printing, but your printer driver doesn't include controls for duplex printing, then you won't be able to actually print in duplex.
This last point is particularly important and can, unfortunately, result in a bit of frustration. I remember having one printer that I purchased specifically because it would duplex print. When I installed it, however, all I could find (in step 4, above) was a control that said "Print on Both Sides (Manually)." I didn't want to manually print on both sides; I wanted to have Excel do it automatically. The problem wasn't the printer or Excel, but the printer driver—it wouldn't take advantage of the capabilities built into the printer. I had to bug the heck out of the printer manufacturer until they created a printer driver for Windows that would do the duplexing correctly.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (8187) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365.
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