How to Print Funeral Programs at Home

Printing funeral programs at home is entirely doable, and for many families it is the most practical option. You control the timing, you can reprint a single copy if a name needs correcting, and you avoid a trip to a print shop at a time when every hour counts. What makes home printing stressful is not the printing itself; it is discovering at eleven at night that the back page came out upside down, or that the printer has run out of cyan with sixty copies still to go.

This guide walks through home printing from start to finish: choosing the right file, preparing the printer, getting double-sided printing right, choosing paper, running a test, printing the full run, and folding. It is written for ordinary inkjet and laser printers, the kind most homes and small offices have.

Is home printing right for your situation?

Home printing tends to work well when:

• You need up to around a hundred programs
• Your printer can print on both sides automatically (auto-duplex), or you are comfortable flipping the paper by hand
• Your design has a white border, or you are happy with a thin white margin
• You have a little time to print a test sheet and fold

A print shop is usually the better choice when you need several hundred copies, when the design is full-bleed (color right to the edge), when you want heavy card stock or a glossy finish, or when you are making an eight-page stapled booklet. Our guide to bleed, crop marks and fold marks covers that route.

It is also fine to do both: a print shop for the main run, and your home printer for a few extra copies later.

Step 1: Use the right file

The biggest source of home printing problems is starting from the wrong file.

• Use a PDF. A PDF prints the same on any computer. Word documents and web pages can reflow when printed, pushing lines onto the next page.
• Use a "home" or "reading order" PDF if you have one. This has the pages in order 1, 2, 3, 4, with no crop marks and no bleed. Your printer's booklet setting will arrange them for folding.
• Or use an imposed PDF – one where each PDF page is already one side of the sheet (page 4 and page 1 side by side, then page 2 and page 3). In that case, print it as a normal double-sided document with no booklet setting.

When you download your files from our funeral program maker, you get both: the home-printer PDF in reading order and the print-shop PDF already imposed. For home printing, start with the home-printer PDF.

Step 2: Check your printer and supplies

Before you print anything, check:

• Ink or toner levels. Programs with a full-color photo and a colored background use more ink than ordinary documents. If levels are low, buy spares now – running out halfway through is the most common home-printing setback.
• Paper supply. Count the sheets you will need (one sheet per four-page program), plus extras for tests and mistakes.
• Paper path. Some printers can only duplex lighter paper, and heavier card stock may need to go through a rear or manual feed tray. Your printer's manual or the manufacturer's website will list the maximum paper weight for duplex printing.
• Driver and software. Make sure the printer is connected to the computer you are printing from and that you can open its full settings, not just a simplified dialog.

Step 3: Choose the paper

For a folded four-page program, choose a paper that is a little heavier than ordinary copy paper, so dark photos do not show through from the other side, but not so heavy that your printer refuses to duplex it. Matte or silk finishes are easier to print and fold at home than gloss.

If you choose an inkjet printer with glossy or "photo" paper, check that it is double-sided; many photo papers are coated on one side only, and the reverse will not take ink well.

Bright white paper gives the most accurate photo colors. Ivory or cream gives a warmer, more traditional look. Avoid pre-printed decorative paper if your design already includes a border or background – the two will clash.

For more detail, see funeral program sizes, paper and folding.

Step 4: Set up double-sided printing

This is where most home-printing trouble happens. There are two good approaches.

Option A: Booklet printing (from a reading-order PDF)

Many printer drivers, and the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, have a booklet setting that takes pages in reading order and arranges them on the sheet for folding.

In Adobe Acrobat Reader:

1. Open the home-printer PDF and choose Print.
2. Under "Page Sizing & Handling," choose Booklet.
3. Set "Booklet subset" to Both sides.
4. Set "Binding" to Left.
5. Make sure the paper size is US Letter (or A4) and orientation is set to auto or landscape.
6. If your printer does not auto-duplex, choose "Front side only" first, then "Back side only" after re-feeding.

On a Mac, the built-in Preview app does not have a booklet mode, but many printer drivers do. Look for "Layout" > "Two-Sided" and a "Booklet" option. Acrobat Reader is free on Mac too and is the simpler route.

Option B: Plain duplex printing (from an imposed PDF)

If your PDF is already imposed – two pages per sheet side – do not use booklet mode. Instead:

1. Open the imposed PDF and choose Print.
2. Set the page sizing to Actual size (not "Fit," which shrinks everything slightly and can shift the fold).
3. Turn on two-sided printing.
4. Choose flip on short edge.

That last setting matters. A landscape sheet that will be folded into a portrait booklet needs to flip on the short edge. If you choose the long edge, the inside of the program prints upside down relative to the outside.

Manual duplex (if your printer cannot print on both sides)

1. Print only the odd-numbered sheet sides (the outside of each sheet).
2. Note which way the paper came out. Mark the top of one sheet lightly in pencil before printing, so you can track its orientation.
3. Put the printed stack back into the tray, turned so that the blank side will be printed and the top edge goes in the correct direction. The right way depends on your printer.
4. Print the even-numbered sides.

Always do this with a single test sheet first.

Step 5: Print one test copy and fold it

This step saves more paper and stress than any other. Print one complete program and:

• Fold it and check the cover is on the front and the back page is on the back
• Check the inside spread is the right way up when you open it
• Check that nothing important is cut off at the edges
• Check that the fold falls in the center, between the two inside pages
• Look at the photo in daylight: is it too dark, or tinted?
• Read the name, dates and service times one more time

If the photo is printing too dark, which is common on inkjet printers with matte paper, look for a "brightness" or "color adjustment" option in the printer settings, or adjust the photo itself before you export.

If something is off, fix the setting and test again. It is much better to use five test sheets than to discover a problem a hundred sheets in.

Step 6: Choose the print quality

Most printers offer draft, standard and high-quality modes. Draft mode saves ink but leaves visible banding in photos and backgrounds. High quality is slower and uses more ink. For funeral programs, standard or high is appropriate. If you are printing a large run on an inkjet, standard is usually a good balance; you can print a few high-quality copies for the immediate family.

Also choose the correct paper type in the settings (for example "matte," "card stock," "heavyweight"). This tells the printer how much ink to lay down and how fast to feed. A mismatch can cause smearing or paper jams.

Step 7: Print in batches

Rather than sending all your copies at once, print in batches of twenty or twenty-five. Between batches:

• Check that the colors are still consistent (a sign of low ink)
• Let the sheets dry a moment if you are using an inkjet on coated paper
• Fan the next stack of paper to prevent double-feeding
• Remove the printed sheets from the output tray before it overflows and smudges

If you have access to two printers – for example, one at home and one at a relative's – you can split the run. Just make sure both print a test copy first, because two printers rarely print colors identically.

How many programs should you print?

There is no single right number. Think about:

• The number of people you expect, based on the size of the family, the person's community, workplace and faith community
• Whether the venue has a capacity limit
• Copies to keep for the family and close friends
• Copies to mail to relatives who cannot attend
• A margin for people who arrive unexpectedly

Funeral directors often have a good sense of expected attendance and can advise. If you are unsure, aim for a few more than your estimate. With home printing, you also have the reassurance that you can print a few more tomorrow.

Step 8: Fold neatly

A crisp fold makes a big difference. A few tips:

1. Work on a hard, clean surface.
2. Fold each sheet with the outside (cover and back page) facing down, so the inside spread is folded inwards.
3. Line up the corners exactly before pressing the fold.
4. Press from the center of the fold outward.
5. Run a bone folder, the back of a spoon, or a ruler along the crease.
6. If the paper is heavy, score it first by running a blunt point along a ruler on the fold line.
7. Stack finished programs under a heavy book for an hour to help them lie flat.

Folding is a good job to share. If friends offer to help and you are not sure what to ask for, this is a concrete and genuinely useful task.

Step 9: Store and transport the programs

Keep finished programs flat in a box or a large envelope, away from damp. A clean shoe box or paper ream box works well. On the day, give the box to the person handing out programs, and keep a few aside in a separate envelope for the immediate family, so they are not all given away at the door.

If you do not have a suitable printer

Not every household has a printer that can manage a hundred double-sided color pages, and that is fine. There are several in-between options that still let you work from your own file:

• A workplace printer. Many employers are understanding about printing funeral programs, particularly when asked politely. Office printers are usually fast lasers with reliable duplexing. Ask first, and bring your own paper if you want something heavier than copy paper.
• A church office. If the service is at a church, the office may have a copier that handles bulletins every week. Church secretaries print programs regularly and often know exactly which settings work.
• Self-service machines at a copy center or library. You load a PDF from a USB stick or email, choose the settings yourself, and pay per page. The same booklet and short-edge rules apply, and you can still print a single test sheet first.
• A relative's printer. Send them the PDF, ask them to print one test copy and send you a photo of it folded before they print the rest.

In each case, take the PDF rather than an editable file, and take the paper if you have chosen something special.

Sharing the program digitally as well

Printing at home pairs well with sharing the program online. Relatives who live far away, people watching a livestream, and friends who hear the news later often appreciate seeing the program. A PNG image of each page can be sent by message or email, or attached to an online memorial page, without anyone needing to open a PDF. Our print-ready download includes 300-dpi PNGs of every page for exactly this. If you share the life story publicly, think about how much personal detail – home addresses, exact birth dates – you are comfortable having online, and trim it from the shared version if needed.

Troubleshooting home printing

The inside is upside down

You printed with "flip on long edge." Switch to "flip on short edge."

The pages are in the wrong order when folded

You used booklet mode on an already-imposed file, or printed a reading-order file without booklet mode. Use booklet mode with a reading-order PDF, or plain duplex with an imposed PDF – not both.

Everything is slightly too small, and there is a wide white border

The print dialog is set to "Fit" or "Shrink oversized pages." Set it to "Actual size."

The edges are cut off

Your printer cannot print as close to the edge as the design requires. Use a design with a white border, or choose "Fit" if the design has a generous margin.

Ink is smearing

Choose a paper type that matches the paper you are using, let the sheets dry before stacking, or reduce the print quality slightly.

The paper jams when duplexing

The paper may be too heavy for your printer's duplex path. Use a lighter paper, or print one side at a time using the manual feed.

The photo looks dark or muddy

Matte paper and inkjet ink can darken photos. Lighten the photo slightly before printing, or try a silk-finish paper.

A home printing checklist

• Final PDF downloaded (home/reading-order version)
• Name, dates and service details proofread by a second person
• Spare ink or toner on hand
• Enough paper, plus extras for tests
• Paper type and quality set in the printer settings
• Booklet mode (reading-order PDF) or plain duplex (imposed PDF), not both
• Flip on short edge
• Actual size, not "Fit"
• One test copy printed, folded and checked
• Printed in batches, checked between batches
• Folded and stored flat
• A few copies reserved for close family

Frequently asked questions

Can I print funeral programs on an ordinary inkjet printer?

Yes. Most home inkjets can print a good-looking four-page program on medium-weight paper. Use standard or high quality, set the correct paper type, and print a test copy first.

Is laser or inkjet better for funeral programs?

Laser printers are faster and cheaper per page for text and do not smear, but color laser photos can look less smooth than inkjet. Inkjets produce richer photos but are slower and use more ink. Either is perfectly acceptable.

Can I print to the edge of the paper at home?

Some printers offer borderless printing, often only for photo paper sizes. For most home printing, a design with a white border is more reliable.

What if my printer does not print double-sided?

Use manual duplex: print one side, turn the stack, print the other. Test the orientation with a single sheet first.

Make the file easy on yourself

The most reliable way to print at home is to start from a file that was made for it. Our free sample funeral program template lets you build the program and see a watermarked preview at no cost. The print-ready download ($4.99, see pricing) includes a home-printer PDF in reading order alongside the print-shop version and PNGs of each page, so whichever printer you end up using, you have the right file.