How to Print Double Sided Google Docs

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How to print double sided Google Docs? We’ll get to that and more in this article. Google Docs is an awesome browser-based alternative to Microsoft Office and other productivity suites.

It saves in real-time, is easy to retrieve, and can do almost all the same things that other suites can. I personally use Google Docs all the time and I know just how good it is for article and blog writing, spreadsheets, and more. It’s easy to combine with other add-ons and extensions such as Grammarly. You have access to an entire world of help outside of what you’d usually be able to use.

On top of all this, you’ll be able to synchronize and share your documents across your connected devices. The utility you’re getting for free is just insane. The benefits are obvious and make this one of the most useful and feature-rich free productivity suites you’ll find on the market.

Issues pop up from time to time as people often find themselves in unfamiliar territory. It can be tricky to figure things out. This is especially true when connecting to external devices like printers and projectors.

In this article, we’ll be dealing with the printing end of the spectrum. We’ll specifically look at Google Doc printing double-sided processes and some of the most common issues you’re likely to face – and how to overcome them.

Let’s get into the guide!

Google Doc Printing Double Sided Step-by-step Guide

Here’s I’ll break down each of the major steps you’ll need to take in order to print double-sided Google Docs correctly.

Step 1: Launch Your Browser and Sign in

Since Google Docs is browser-based, you’re going to need to open up your browser and sign in to your Google account. Here’s what to do:

Open your preferred browser (I prefer to use Google Chrome as I can use extensions)
Sign in to your Google account in the top right-hand corner of the window
After signing in, open Google Docs
Search for the document you want to print and open it

This is the first step. You shouldn’t have any trouble getting through these.

I suggest using Chrome as your browser as it’s more Google-friendly than many other browsers.

I write a lot on my Google Docs, so I use plugins like Grammarly to help me out. This is possible on other browsers, but I find it to be smoothest with Google Chrome.

Step 2: Setting Up to Print

This step is where most people come across issues.

Here’s the process you should follow to set your printing up the right way:

Look for the “Print” icon in the top left side of the screen and click it – you should see a print preview displayed on your screen
There should be an option called “Print Using System Dialogue”
If you don’t see this option, then click “More Settings” and scroll down to the bottom (it’s often in a different color font to the rest of the text)
Choose your printer from the list or use the “Find Printer” option if you don’t know which one to choose
Once you’ve selected your printer, click on the “Properties”, “Preferences” or “Settings” option. Which option you have available will depend on the printer you’re using
You’ll need to look around a little and select the option for “Double Sided Printing”. If you don’t see this option, then look for “Duplex Printing” or “Print on Both Sides”
Click the “OK” button, then click the “Print” button in the following window
Once the first sheet has been printed, you need to take it out and feed it back into the tray in the correct orientation

There are a couple of things that can go wrong here, so this quick section will help you out:

If you need more information on Step 6 (above) you’ll need to get your printer’s manual or online guide out and look for more information on double-sided printing
Do a practice run to see how your printer does with the double-sided printing
Make sure you double-check that you’re in the right orientation before printing
If you’re going to print in landscape, you may have to make extra adjustments to the paper when you feed it in the second time (for the reverse side printing)

Here Are Some Helpful Tips

This section will go through a couple of tips and tricks that’ll help you avoid the potential issues you could face in this process.

Check Your Printer Before Starting

I always like to check to make sure that my printer is in working order before starting out. I usually just print a sample to check that everything is in order. It’s super-frustrating to spend 30 minutes trying to figure out what you’re doing wrong on your end, only to see that the printer was out of ink, or that a cable was loose.

Print a quick sample to check that everything is working normally
If it’s not, make sure all the cables are properly connected and check that there aren’t any kinks or sharp bends in any of them
Do a paper check to see if any of the paper has been wet or folded – also make sure there’s more than enough paper to do all the printing
Check to see if you have enough ink (no need if you have a color or laser printer
Make sure there’s nothing blocking the paper from feeding into the printer

Here’s what to Check on the Computer’s Side

Once you know that the printer is in working order, and you have successfully printed a test document, you need to make sure everything on your side is in order.

Here’s a list of things to check for if you’re running into trouble (but know for sure that your printer is working):

Make sure that Windows (or Mac) recognizes your printer and has the drivers for it
If not, go to your device manager and update them. You can also go to you’re the manufacturer’s website and get the latest drivers there
Make sure you know how your printer handles double-sided printing and the names it uses (you can find all this in your printer’s manual)
Ensure that you’re using the correct orientation for your document
If you’re printing in the landscape, you might need to make more adjustments to make sure that the paper is lined up symmetrically on both sides

The double-sided printing often takes a little practice to get good at feeding the printed sheet back into the printer.

Check These Things:

There shouldn’t be any folds or liquid on the paper
Check that there’s enough paper
Know which way your paper needs to be oriented to get a print that isn’t upside down

These tips should have you covered in a normal situation. Google cloud print double-sided processes should be simple and quick with this system. Once you’ve done it once, you’ll be able to do it again without much trouble. Sometimes there are other problems that are a little harder to diagnose, so we’ll cover some of them in the FAQ section below. The issues discussed in the FAQ are pretty specific and most of the likely problems you encounter will be fixed by going through the process we’ve already covered.

Also Read: How to Print Without Black Ink – the Ultimate Guide for You

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How to turn off double-sided printing on Google Docs?

A: Look at “Step 2: Setting up to Print” in this article. Number 6 dealt with how to enable double-sided printing. To turn off double-sided printing, follow numbers 1 through 5. When you reach the point where you need to click the option for double-sided printing, select single side printing instead. Bear in mind that the exact names used will depend on the printer you have – check the manual if you get lost or confused.

Q: How to print double-sided without upside-down Google Docs?

A: This tends to be more common on Duplex printers and inkjet printers. You need to check the box for the option called “landscape/portrait produces vertical flipping”. This should sort out the issue. If only the reverse side is being flipped, then you need to put the paper into the feeding tray the other way round to make sure it prints the correct orientation.

Q: How to print double-sided on Mac?

A: When in the document you want to print, click “File” then click “Print” (it’s at the bottom so you’ll need to scroll down). Click “Print using the system dialogue” and then check the “Two-Sided” box (it’s next to the “Copies” box). Click “Print” to begin the printing.

Q: No option to print double-sided Chrome?

A: Go to “Control Panel/Hardware and Sound/Devices and Printers”. Click the printer you’re using and select “Printer Properties” and go across to the “Device Settings” tab.

Underneath the “Installable Options” make sure that the “Duplex Unit” is set as “Installed”. Press “Apply” and the issue should be fixed. You should see the double-sided option when you’re trying to print now.

Final Thoughts

We’ve broken down how to print double-sided Google Docs in an easy-to-follow and understand way.

We also looked at the common problems you might run into, and how to fix or avoid them.

We finished off by looking at some more specific issues and how to deal with them in the FAQ section.

By now, you should have a very clear understanding of how to print on both sides of your Google Docs, and the know-how to navigate most issues.

With your new knowledge of how to print double-sided Google Docs, you’re ready to get printing, and save some time and effort along the way!

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Alex Parker

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