Booklet Imposition

Rearrange a PDF so that when the sheets are printed double-sided and folded down the middle, the pages read in the right order. This reordering is called imposition, and it is not something you can do by eye: on a folded booklet, page 1 has to share a sheet with the last page, page 2 with the second to last, and so on inwards.

How to impose a PDF as a booklet

  1. Upload the PDF you want to turn into a booklet.
  2. Choose the booklet type and how the sheets will be folded.
  3. Run the imposition and download the reordered document.
  4. Print it double-sided, flipping on the short edge, then fold the stack in half.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the output look scrambled?

That is what correct imposition looks like. The sequence only makes sense once the sheets are printed on both sides and folded - reading the imposed PDF on screen in page order is expected to look wrong.

Does my page count need to be a multiple of four?

A folded booklet always uses four pages per sheet, so the tool pads the document with blank pages to reach the next multiple of four. Adding your own blanks at the end gives you control over where they land.

Which duplex setting should I use when printing?

Flip on the short edge for a booklet folded like a book. Flipping on the long edge prints alternate sides upside down, which is the usual cause of a booklet that comes out with every second page inverted.

Other page organisation tools

Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection and processed on CoonTool's own server, not in your browser. The working copy is deleted automatically once the job is done, and in any case within 24 hours. Nothing is stored permanently and no account is required.