Mirror margins make the inside and outside margins alternate on facing pages. They are useful for documents that will be printed double-sided and bound like a book, because the binding edge changes sides from one page to the next.
Turn on mirror margins
- Open the document in desktop Microsoft Word.
- Select the Layout tab.
- Choose Margins.
- Select Mirrored, or open Custom Margins for more control.
- Set the inside and outside margins you need.
- Apply the setting to the appropriate part of the document.
Inside and outside replace left and right
With mirror margins, Word treats the binding side as the inside margin and the outer edge as the outside margin. This makes the layout alternate automatically between odd and even pages.
Consider a gutter for binding
If the binding method consumes additional space, add an appropriate gutter rather than simply making both margins very large. Check requirements from the printer or binding service before finalizing a publication.
Check Print Preview
Review several facing pages before printing, especially if the document contains section breaks or changes in page orientation. Although this article targets Word 2016, current desktop Word versions continue to support mirrored page margins.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.