Enabling two-sided (duplex) printing on Mac

Recently while trying to print a web-page via Safari, I realized that the two-sided print option was disabled.

Two-Sided printing option is disabled

At first I thought it was something to do with Snow Leopard and HP’s printer drivers (the printer was an HP LaserJet P3005). However, even after installing the latest HP printer drivers the two-sided print option remained disabled.

It so happens that the printer driver was unable to automatically detect if the printer supports duplex printing and has to be “told” that the printer is indeed capable of doing so.

I went to System Preferences → Print & Fax. From there I selected the HP printer (the only one installed on my system). I then clicked the Options & Supplies button and in the resulting dialog, selected the Driver tab.

System Preferences → Print & Fax

The checkbox that marked this printer as a Duplex Unit was unchecked so I checked it.

The Duplex Unit checkbox

Next time when I tried printing, I got a Two-Sided checkbox. Also the Two-Sided drop-down, that would allow me to pick which edge I wanted to choose for binding, was also enabled.

Two-Sided printing (aka Duplex Printing) is now enabled

This entry was posted Sunday, October 18th, 2009 at 9:16 pm and is filed under OS, Tips. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

alloverbutthesharting

I can't thank you enough. I have read at least 25 post elsewhere over the past several months with no decent answers to this problem. That took 25 seconds to fix with your method.

Gaëlle Logeay

I want to erase my previous post... :S

Greenmoon44

Hi,

thanks a lot for sharing such valuable information. Do alternative
driver exists when the original driver doesn't allow such option. I used
to work with a manual CANON but it was possible to indicate
double-sided printing and the printer would indicate when to turn the
pages when it was done printing the odd pages.

Gaëlle Logeay

Hi,

thanks a lot for sharing such valuable information. Do alternative driver exists when the original driver doesn't allow such option. I used to work with a manual CANON but it was possible to indicate double-sided printing and the printer would indicate when to turn the pages when it was done printing the odd pages.

WGSUCHENDE

THANK YOU!!!

Stevef12

I love the internet, so easy to find solutions to problems like this duplex print with Leopard issue.
Awesome man thx.

Jen

SSsswwweeeeeeTTT! Thank you so much for your help and your clear explanation of the solution.
All best to you!

Josh Branchaud

Thank you, this article told me exactly what I needed to know and I am no longer wasting paper with single sided printing.

Anniee

this helped me so much! thank you heaapps! :)

harrydenzon

I am using HP k1050 deskjet printer. But i still did not know how to take print double side. Now i know that how can i take print double side. I will try this procedure to take double side print.

123inkjets coupon code

Joel

No duplex box under driver tab for HP J4580 either. The box appears if u select the generic driver but it doesnt work for the printer. Pretty annoying that straight forward shit like this is such an issue.

Kitooze

Thank you so much for the tip!! I would have never found this on my own.

Vas Globes

duplex unit box doesnt appear! help!

X_wanling95_x

I am using canon MP996, but when i click on driver nothing appears. Is there any waY?

Marie Atake

Duplex tick box does not appear. Help! I have a Work Force 40 (Epson) with an built-in duplexer.

Chloe Girlie

THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH!!!!! I was having this problem ever since I've brought my HP printer 6 months ago. I was thinking if it was something to do with my printer.

Thank you very much again for solving my problem :)

Gktvmd

Thanks Awesome input, survived by reading this

Benski1970

This is so trivial on a PC that nobody even discusses it. On a Mac however, it's totally flaky. I've got a Canon MP610 which prints double-sided easily from a PC, but on a Mac you can't even change the default print quality, never mind the duplex settings. Frustrating, annoying, disappointing. I'm regretting my Mac purchase for this and a number of other reasons.

Raquel

I have the same problem. I have already installed the lattest drivers, but when i go to "system preferences" i just got the "utillity", "general" and "supply levels" options, it doesn't show the "driver" option, so i still can't enable the two sided print option. Any ideas on how to solve it?

Sanmugamnkl

thanks. can you let's know for HP laserjet 4730.

Lhall4019

I just found the answer! When the print box pops up, it shows the printer; to the right is a small arrow that points down. Click that and the printer box expands to show lots of options, one of which is "two sided." I clicked that box and behold, it printed both sides. Evidently this has to be done every time a print command is given, which is too bad.

Lhall4019

Hello-- I followed your instructions, and discovered that the boxes were checked already. I unchecked then checked the boxes again. It still doesn't print duplex. I have two HP duplex printers that worked fine with my G5. ny other ideas?

Jane

I have seen that disable of two-sided print option is automatic regardless of latest driver or any software issue....you have to enable it manually

Dgwalker

Thank you very much! You solved my problem perfectly. I really appreciate this.

Kimberley

hmmm.. I tried this, and in my settings, the duplex function wasn't ticked..
however, after following these procedures.. I found that I still was not able to print duplex..

strange. the screen is still identical, with the duplex function barred.
Please do try to help..
I feel so guilty for chopping down so many trees!

Helena

In my Driver section the duplex option doesn't appear but I know my printer can print double-sided because I used to do it in my Windows XP computer.
I have a brand new Mac 10.6.2 and a HP 2355 all-in-one printer.
Please help.

Mark Morelande

Thanks for this. I found it very useful.

aceneerav

If I'm not wrong two sided printing will printing on both the sides of the page in one go right?

Lacrymosa

No lol
In automatic two sided printing the front page is printed and then the duplexer turns/flips the page to print on the other side. Not in one go !

deepakg

That's right.

Neerav Kothari

My HP PhotoSmart 4500 driver on snow leopard dosn't list any option.

deepakg

That's because this printer doesn't support Duplex printing. Please see:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc... (look under Paper Handling)

"Duplex printing (printing on both sides of paper)
None (not supported)"

Enabling two-sided (duplex) printing on Mac

Categories

Blogroll

Contact

Archives