Tools
PDF imposer
Prepare a PDF for booklet, saddle-stitch or n-up printing.
Drop a PDF here, or click to browse
or paste from clipboard
12 pages → 3 sheets (duplex)
Sheet 1 — front
About this tool
Imposition means arranging a document’s pages on larger sheets in the right order so that, once printed, folded and trimmed, everything ends up in sequence. This tool does it for your PDF: saddle-stitched booklets, perfect binding, quarter-fold booklets, step-and-repeat for flyers or cards, and custom grids. It suits zines, programmes, catalogues, or simply test prints on the office printer before a job goes to a print shop.
Load the PDF and pick a layout from the drop-down. Then set the paper (A4, A3, SRA3, Letter, a custom size or the size detected from the PDF), orientation, duplex flip, margins, gutter and, for saddle stitch, creep. Turn on crop marks if the sheets will be guillotined. The preview shows each sheet front and back; when you are happy, download the imposed PDF and open the print guide.
The PDF is processed entirely in your browser with pdf-lib and pdf.js and is never uploaded. Blank mode lets you plan a layout before you have the file. If the page count does not fill the last signature, blank slots are added. The tool does not add bleed or correct colour: it works with your pages as they are, so it is worth checking the PDF first.
Frequently asked questions
How many pages does a saddle-stitched booklet need?
A multiple of 4, because each folded sheet carries two pages per side. If your PDF has 10 pages, for example, the tool adds two blank slots to make 12.
What is creep and when should I use it?
When sheets are nested, the inner ones stick out at the fore-edge and lose more margin when trimmed. Creep shifts their pages outward to compensate; it matters for thick booklets or heavy paper.
Should I flip on the long edge or the short edge?
Most landscape booklets flip on the long edge. Choose short edge only if your printer prints the back that way; the tool rotates the back sides so they line up.
Can I print the imposed PDF on a printer without duplex?
Yes. The PDF alternates the front and back of each sheet, and the print guide tells you which page to print, how to turn the paper over and when to print the next one.