Flip on long edge turns a duplex-printed sheet around its longer physical edge; flip on short edge turns it around its shorter edge. For portrait pages that should read like a book, long-edge binding is usually right. For portrait pages that should flip over the top, choose short-edge binding. With landscape pages, check the print preview or your printer’s diagram because the result depends on the page and paper orientation.
What the setting changes
The duplex setting controls how the back of each sheet is oriented relative to its front and which edge acts as the turn or binding axis. It does not change the document’s text or paper size. Xerox explains that the page layout for two-sided printing “determines how the printed pages turn” in its Phaser 6510 duplex printing guidance.
| Setting | Physical turn axis | Portrait-page analogy | Common portrait use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flip on long edge | The sheet’s longer edge | Book-like side turn | Pages read from left to right, like a standard book |
| Flip on short edge | The sheet’s shorter edge | Calendar-like top turn | Pages intended to turn over the top edge |
The book and calendar comparisons are useful for portrait pages, but they are not universal instructions for every driver or layout.
Which option should you choose?
Portrait pages
Choose flip on long edge when you want to turn a portrait page sideways like a book. Choose flip on short edge when you want the page to turn over its top edge, like a calendar. The intended physical turn is the deciding factor.
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Landscape pages
Do not assume the portrait rule will give the expected result in landscape. The relationship between the document’s orientation and the paper’s edges can change which side appears upright after turning. Check the application’s print preview or the printer manufacturer’s diagram for your model. Xerox’s VersaLink B620 guide to two-sided page layouts includes portrait and landscape examples and notes that its page-layout settings override the application’s page orientation.
How to fix a back side that prints upside down
- Check the document orientation. Confirm whether the pages are portrait or landscape in the application’s page setup or print dialog.
- Check the duplex binding option. In the printer driver or print settings, look for a two-sided, duplex, binding, or flip-edge option. The exact label and location vary by printer and application.
- Match the option to the intended turn. For portrait pages, start with long edge for a book-like side turn or short edge for a top-over turn.
- Use the model-specific diagram or preview. If the document is landscape or the result is unclear, follow the printer’s illustration rather than relying on the portrait analogy. Ricoh’s duplex troubleshooting guidance, updated July 6, 2026, distinguishes lateral (left/right) and vertical (top/bottom) flips for portrait output and gives separate landscape guidance.
Printer-driver choices can interact with document rotation and paper orientation. Sharp’s BP-B547PW two-sided printing instructions likewise show that output depends on page orientation as well as the selected edge.
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