How to make a booklet on Mac using publishing apps: Best publishing apps compared

To make a booklet on Mac, open a desktop publishing app like Swift Publisher from Setapp, choose a booklet or catalog template, add your text and images, then export or print. If you already have a PDF, open Preview, choose File > Print, and choose Print as Booklet under Layout > Pages per Sheet.

Mac users have access to some excellent desktop publishing tools, both built-in and third-party. Tools like Adobe InDesign are powerful, but they come with a steep learning curve and a price tag to match. If you're looking for something that delivers professional results without the complexity, there are some excellent Mac apps worth knowing about — let's walk through the best ones.

Here's a quick overview of the main tools covered in this guide. Detailed steps and insights follow below.

*Setapp is a curated platform for 300+ Mac, iOS, and web apps.

How do you design a booklet from scratch in Swift Publisher?

Swift Publisher from Setapp is a desktop publishing app for Mac that's easy enough for beginners, yet delivers professional results. Whether you're designing a business brochure, a holiday card, or a self-published magazine, Swift Publisher has a template for it.

Here's how to make multiple booklets on Mac with Swift Publisher:

1. Launch Swift Publisher.
2. Click Catalogs in the Template Gallery.
3. Double-click the catalog you want. 
4. Adjust the page size of your booklet from the panel on the right.
5. Drag an image anywhere on your page to add it to the layout.
6. Click the T above Editing Tools, then choose Text Box to add text.
7. Click + to the left of the page thumbnails to add a new page.

Last time I printed a booklet, the pages came out in the wrong order, and I wasted about 10 sheets of paper. So I tried Swift Publisher, which handles page order for you, so I didn't have to sort pages by hand. I started from one of its 300+ templates, swapped in my own text and photos, and had a draft in 5 minutes.

If you’re printing, set your bleeds before you export. My test print came out in the right order.

How do you print a booklet with Preview?

To print a booklet with Preview, open your file, choose File > Print, then choose Print as Booklet from the Pages per Sheet dropdown in the Layout section.

Preview is the native macOS PDF and image viewer that also lets you edit files. You can't build a booklet from scratch in Preview, but you can print one you already have. The catch: Print as Booklet only appears if your printer supports two-sided printing. 

Here's how:

1. Open Preview.
2. Click File > Print. 
3. Click the Show Details button if your printer menu is not expanded.
4. Choose Layout from the drop-down menu in the print dialog.
5. Find the Two-Sided option and choose Booklet from that menu (if supported by your macOS version and printer driver).
6. Click Print.

If you don't see Print as Booklet, arrange the pages yourself first. Choose View > Thumbnails, drag the pages into booklet order, then set Pages per Sheet to 2, turn on Two-Sided printing, and choose short-edge binding. 

Note: Booklets are printed double-sided, with four pages on each sheet of paper. The sheet is then folded in half, the folds are stacked, and the pages are stapled or sewn together like a book. For this to work, pages must be arranged in the numerical order you want them to appear.

Printing booklets with Preview works, but it depends on your printer. When the booklet option is missing, arranging pages by hand gets harder with every page you add.

How do you create a booklet in Pages?

Pages is Apple's word processor, but it doubles as a capable booklet creator. You can build a booklet from scratch, edit text and images, and format everything to your liking. Like Preview, Pages prints through the macOS print dialog, so booklet printing depends on your printer.

Here's how to use a booklet template in Pages to build one from scratch:

1. Go to Applications > Pages.
2. Click New Document in the bottom-left corner.
3. Choose a Book template from the Template Chooser.
4. In the Document sidebar, adjust the page size to match your booklet layout.
5. Replace the placeholders with your own text, images, and graphics.
6. Select View > Page Thumbnails to manage your layout and page count.
7. Press Command + P or choose File > Print.
8. In the print settings, select Layout and enable Two-Sided printing.
9. Choose Print As Booklet, if available.
10. Click Print.

Once your booklet is ready, you can print it, export it as EPUB, or publish it to Apple Books. Choose File > Export To > EPUB, or File > Publish to Apple Books, and follow the on-screen prompts.

Read also:

• Alternatives to Microsoft Publisher for Mac
• Best Adobe Acrobat alternatives for Mac
• Best word processing apps for Mac 

How do you print a PDF as a booklet with Nitro PDF Pro?

Nitro PDF Pro from Setapp lets you create, edit, and merge PDFs, convert files to common formats like Word or Excel, annotate documents, and add password protection. For booklet printing, its main advantage is page reordering. 

Here's how to print a booklet with Nitro PDF Pro:

1. Launch Nitro PDF Pro and open your document.
2. Choose Print from the File menu.
3. In the Print settings, scroll down to Layout.
4. Next to Pages per Sheet, select 2 to create a booklet. You can also make a booklet of 4 pages and up to 16.
5. Next to Layout Direction, select the desired direction of pages on the booklet.
6. Click Print.

This prints multiple pages per sheet in the correct order — just fold the paper and your booklet takes shape.

How can Craft help you write and organize a booklet?

Craft from Setapp is built around keeping your notes and documents organized, while still giving you the creative flexibility to design pages that actually look good. Craft's built-in AI assistant helps you brainstorm ideas, summarize documents, write and proofread content, and even translate text. You can also share your work through several export options, including Print Export.

With a library of free, versatile templates, Craft makes booklet creation on Mac straightforward and visually consistent. You can also manage all your booklet projects inside Craft, keeping everything organized in one place.

So if you regularly produce polished booklets and want everything — templates, editing, and project management — in one place, Craft is a strong fit.

Desktop publishing made easy with the right tools

There's no single right answer when it comes to booklet-making on Mac — the best tool really depends on how much design control you want and what your end goal is. Each app covered here suits a different level of complexity, so pick the one that matches your needs.

For full design control, Swift Publisher delivers polished results without a steep learning curve. Draft your text in Craft if PDF is your preferred format; Nitro PDF Pro merges and prepares your files.

Swift Publisher, Craft, and Nitro PDF Pro are all available through  Setapp, a subscription with 300+ Mac, iOS, and web apps for $14.99 USD/mo + tax. You can try every app free for 7 days, which is plenty of time to find the booklet tool that fits your workflow.

FAQ

Can I turn a Pages document into a booklet?

Yes. Open your document in Pages, then choose File > Page Setup > Paper Size > Manage Custom Sizes to set a booklet-friendly page size. Add and arrange your pages, then export to PDF. To print it as a folded booklet, open the PDF in Preview or Nitro PDF Pro and choose the Layout option in the print dialog.

How do I print a PDF as a folded booklet on my Mac?

Open your PDF in Preview, then choose File > Print. In the Layout section, choose Print as Booklet from the Pages per Sheet dropdown, then click Print. If you don't see it, your printer may not support two-sided printing. For a PDF editor that merges your files first, Nitro PDF Pro can help.

Can I make a booklet in Microsoft Word for Mac?

Yes. In Word, go to Layout > Margins > Custom Margins, then choose Book fold under Pages > Multiple pages. Word rearranges your content into booklet order automatically. When printing, select two-sided printing so the folded pages line up correctly. Print a test copy first to check the page order.

Does my booklet file need a multiple of four pages?

Usually, yes. Each printed sheet carries four booklet pages — two on the front and two on the back. If your total page count isn't a multiple of four, your printing tool typically adds blank pages to fill the gap. Swift Publisher handles page order for you, but planning your content in multiples of four still avoids surprise blank pages.