peartools

PDF Booklet Maker

Turn a PDF into a booklet you can fold and staple. The tool works out which pages have to sit next to each other on each sheet, so that once the stack is folded in half the pages read in order. Print it double sided, fold, staple. Everything runs in your browser.

Drag and drop your PDF here, or

Up to 100 MB. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

What a booklet maker does

Fold a stack of sheets in half and the page order stops being obvious. The first and last pages end up on the same side of the same sheet. The second and second to last share its other side. Every pair works inwards from there.

Rearranging pages into that order is called imposition, and it is what this tool does. Each output page is one side of one sheet, holding two of your pages side by side. Printed double sided and folded, the whole thing reads from 1 to the end.

Because a folded sheet always carries four pages, the total has to be a multiple of four. If your document is not, the tool adds blank pages in the right places rather than at the end, so the blanks fall where a real booklet would have them.

Why use our PDF booklet maker

  • ·Free. No signup, no paywall, no watermarks.
  • ·Runs in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded or saved.
  • ·Shows its working. You can see which pages land on each side of each sheet before printing.
  • ·Tells you the print settings. The short edge flip catches almost everyone out, so the instructions are on the page.
  • ·Handles any page count. Blank pages are added in the right places, not tacked on the end.

How to use it

  1. 1

    Add your PDF

    Drag the file onto the box or click to pick it. It stays in your browser and is never uploaded.

  2. 2

    Check the sheet count

    The tool shows how many sheets of paper you need and how many blank pages it added to reach a multiple of four.

  3. 3

    Look over the printing order

    Each card shows one side of one sheet and the two pages that land on it, so you can check before using any paper.

  4. 4

    Download, print, fold, staple

    Print double sided flipping on the short edge, fold the whole stack in half together, then staple twice on the fold.

Getting the double sided setting right

This is where almost every failed booklet comes from. Your printer offers two ways to print double sided, flip on long edge and flip on short edge, and a booklet needs the short edge.

The reason is that a booklet sheet is landscape, holding two upright pages side by side. Long edge flipping is designed for upright pages and turns the back of the sheet upside down relative to the front. The result is a booklet where every second spread is inverted.

If you print one test sheet and the back is upside down, that is the setting to change. Nothing is wrong with the file.

Two other things worth checking. Set scaling to 100% or actual size, since a printer that shrinks to fit will add an unwanted border to pages that are already scaled. And fold the entire stack together as one, rather than folding each sheet and then stacking them, otherwise the pages will not nest in the right order.

For a thick booklet, be aware of creep. The inner sheets stick out slightly past the outer ones once folded, so the outer edge needs trimming for a clean finish. Below about ten sheets it is rarely noticeable.

Who makes PDF booklets

Anyone who wants a folded, stapled document rather than a flat stack. These are the situations that come up most:

  • ·People running events. Programmes, orders of service, and schedules all read better as a small folded booklet than as loose sheets.
  • ·Teachers and trainers. Workbooks and handouts stay together when they are folded and stapled, so nothing goes missing halfway through a session.
  • ·Small businesses. Menus, price lists, and short catalogues can be produced in house without paying for professional printing.
  • ·Anyone making a zine or short guide. Saddle stitch is the standard format for a short self published booklet, and it needs no equipment beyond a stapler.

Get the document ready first: put the pages in order, add page numbers, and make the page sizes match. For a flat grid instead of a folded booklet, use the N-up tool.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a booklet from a PDF?
Add your PDF and the tool rearranges the pages into booklet order. Download the result, print it double sided flipping on the short edge, fold the stack in half, and staple twice on the fold.
Why is the back of my booklet upside down?
Your printer is flipping on the long edge. A booklet sheet is landscape, so it needs short edge flipping instead. Change that setting and print again. There is nothing wrong with the file.
What is saddle stitch?
It is the binding method where sheets are folded in half together and stapled through the fold. It is what most thin booklets, programmes, and magazines use.
Why does my booklet have blank pages?
Every folded sheet carries four pages, so the total has to be a multiple of four. If your document is not, blanks are added in the positions a real booklet would have them, which is not always at the very end.
How many sheets of paper do I need?
One sheet for every four pages, rounded up. A 20 page document needs five sheets. The tool shows the exact count once you add your file.
Can I make a booklet from a document with mixed page sizes?
It will work, but the result is uneven, since every sheet takes its size from the first page. Resize the pages to one size first for a tidy booklet.
Are my PDF files private?
Yes. The whole process runs in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded to a server or saved anywhere, and once the page has loaded you can even use it offline.