How to Stop Your Printer From Printing Double Sided by Default

If your printer automatically uses both sides of the page, duplex printing is set as your global default. Enterprise drivers come preconfigured this way, or a network administrator turned it on.

Changing the setting in the immediate print menu only affects the current job. When you turn off double sided printing there, your computer forgets your choice as soon as you start a new print job. The printer hardware is not malfunctioning. The machine is simply obeying instructions sent by the computer.

Your settings are not permanently locked. Operating systems store printer preferences separately from individual applications, and some programs cache previous print settings that override system defaults. Corrupted print drivers can also revert your changes, which makes it seem like your computer refuses to remember your preferences.

• Operating system printer queue defaults have duplex enabled
• Printer driver installation set duplex as the primary mode
• Application specific print settings overriding system defaults
• User profile corruption resetting print preferences
• Managed IT policy pushing forced duplex printing for paper conservation
• Firmware setting on the printer hardware itself enforcing two sided output
• Outdated printer driver communicating incorrect default properties

1. 1Check if the issue happens across all applications or just one program
2. 2Check the print dialog box settings before clicking print
3. 3Check the physical duplex unit is installed correctly

1. 1

   Change settings in the current print dialog

   Open the print menu in your application, look for duplex or two-sided printing, and change it to off or single-sided before clicking print.

2. 2

   Modify Windows printer properties defaults

   Go to Windows Settings, select Bluetooth and Devices, then Printers and Scanners. Click your printer, select Printing Preferences, locate the duplex option, set it to off, and save.

   Changing these settings requires administrator privileges on the computer.

3. 3

   Modify macOS printer defaults

   Open System Settings on your Mac, select Printers and Scanners, choose your printer, and open print options or default settings to disable two-sided printing.

4. 4

   Check application specific print defaults

   Open the specific software causing trouble, such as a PDF reader or browser, and check its internal print dialogue because some programs store independent print configurations.

5. 5

   Reinstall the printer driver

   Remove the printer from your operating system devices list, download the latest official driver from the manufacturer website, and install it fresh to clear stuck configurations.

6. 6

   Check printer hardware control panel

   Use the physical screen on the printer to enter settings, look for copy or print setup menus, and ensure the default layout is set to single-sided.

7. 7

   Update printer firmware

   Check the manufacturer website for any available firmware updates for your printer model and apply them to resolve persistent configuration glitches.

8. 8

   Check for network group policy restrictions

   If using a work or school network printer, check with your IT department to see if a policy forces duplex printing across the organization.