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How do I enable double sided printing?

Anonymous
2011-06-17T22:10:59+00:00

I am trying to enable printing on both sides of the paper (automatic feed, not manual feed) on documents that I print from Microsoft Word.  My printer does have this capability.  How do I "instruct" MS Word to do this for me?  I have tried many steps that my printer company has recommened, but each time I get to various screens, at least within Windows XP Media Center Edition, there is no option for what they are asking me to do, which is to enable "duplex printing."  There is only a check box marked "manual printing."  What am I doing wrong?  Is this a setting that I need to change within Microsoft Word specifically, and not something that I can do for any other documents?  If so, where is this setting found in MS Word, and how do I enable it?  I think I've been to MS Word screens before about this as instructed by my printer company and didn't have any luck, but I'm not sure.

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  1. Suzanne S Barnhill 277.2K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2011-06-27T04:13:40+00:00

    No one is disputing that your printer is capable of duplexing. As both the previous respondents have told you, however, this is not a Word setting but a printer setting. Since you can't seem to find the Properties button in Word's Print dialog, let's take a different approach:

    1. Click Start | Settings | Printers and Faxes.
    2. Find your printer in the Printers folder.
    3. Right-click on its icon and choose Properties.
    4. The dialog you now see will be provided by the printer manufacturer, so we can't tell you exactly what you will see, but the settings you want may be on the Advanced tab (if there is one).

    As an example, I have an HP Officejet Pro K5400 Series printer, which is capable of duplexing. On the Advanced tab, there is a button for Printing Defaults. In that dialog, there is a setting for "Print on both sides," which has a choice of "Off" and "Automatically." This is the same dialog I get if I click Properties in Word's Print dialog.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-09-04T15:56:09+00:00

    The easiest way for me it do a "Save As" to pdf format and then print the PDF. Preview on Mac or Adobe Acrobat on Windows gives you a bunch more options for printing, including 2-sided.

    4 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2013-04-25T11:43:11+00:00

    This comment is right on.  I have multiple computers in the same room connected to the same Ricoh office printer.  The OS settings are all the same: double-sided is set to "on".  On one computer in Word 2010, double sided printing works fine.  On another computer in the same room connected to the same printer, only "Manually print on both sides" is available.  This is a Word 2010 issue.  Microsoft needs to stop pushing the issue back on the user or the IT dept.

    3 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2016-06-12T17:22:03+00:00

    I was having the same problem using Windows10 for a Kodiak 5.1.  I was able to finally correct by going to Control Panel, Device and Printers, Printer Properties, Device Settings and in the Installable Options turned on the Duplexer.  Then I could change all the default settings to double sided printing. 

    I am not professional but thought I would add the solution that worked for me.

    Good Luck!

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2012-03-09T15:28:02+00:00

    What many of you support people seem to be missing is:

    It may work for you, but for some people it doesn't work.

    I have had duplex printers for years, and I can duplex print in notepad, acrobat, excel and a hundred other programs.

    But in Microsoft Word 2010, only the "manual duplex" option appears.

    It would really be nice if someone from Microsoft would take the time to explain in one of these forums why this feature is working incorrectly, or let people know when they're going to fix it, etc.

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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