How to Set Up Spreads for Print: Folded Leaflets and Booklets

Submitting artwork as individual single pages instead of spreads is one of the most common — and most easily avoided — mistakes in print artwork preparation. For folded leaflets, saddle-stitched booklets and any multi-page product where pages face each other when open, your artwork must be supplied as spreads. In this guide, we explain exactly what that means, why it matters and how to do it correctly in the most common design applications.

What is a Spread?

A spread is two facing pages shown side by side as they appear when a document is open and flat. In a folded leaflet or booklet, spreads show how the pages relate to each other physically — which pages face each other, where the fold line falls and how the design flows across facing pages.

Supplying artwork as single pages — one page per file or one page per PDF page — means the printer has to manually assemble the pages into the correct spread order, which introduces risk of error. More importantly, it means you cannot check how your design looks across a spread before going to print.

Why Spreads Matter for Folded Products

For folded print products, the spread is the unit of design — not the individual page. When someone opens a bi-fold leaflet, they see two pages simultaneously. The design across those two pages needs to work together as a single visual unit. If you design page by page without ever seeing how they sit together, you risk:

• Images or design elements that don't align across the fold
• Inconsistent margins or spacing between facing pages
• Text or graphics awkwardly positioned relative to the facing page
• Missed opportunities to use the full spread as a design canvas

Spread Setup by Product Type

Bi-fold Leaflet (4pp)

A bi-fold leaflet is a single sheet folded once to create four panels — front cover, inside left, inside right and back cover. Supply as two spreads:

• Outer spread — back cover (left) + front cover (right)
• Inner spread — inside left + inside right

Note that the outer spread places the back cover on the left and the front cover on the right — this is how the sheet lies flat when printed on the outside face.

Tri-fold Leaflet (6pp)

A tri-fold leaflet is folded twice to create six panels. The right-hand panel folds in first, so it is slightly narrower than the other two panels to allow it to tuck inside cleanly. Supply as two spreads:

• Outer spread — three outer panels (back, spine and front cover)
• Inner spread — three inner panels

Always use our templates for tri-fold leaflets — the unequal panel widths must be set up precisely. See our folded leaflet printing.

Z-fold Leaflet (6pp)

A Z-fold folds in alternating directions like a concertina. Unlike a tri-fold, all six panels are equal width. Supply as two spreads of three equal panels each.

Gate Fold (6pp or 8pp)

A gate fold has two outer panels that open inward to reveal a large inner spread. The two gate panels are each half the width of the inner spread. Supply as specified in the template — the panel proportions must be exact.

Saddle-Stitched Booklet

For saddle-stitched booklets, pages must be supplied as reader spreads — showing pages as they appear when the booklet is open and being read. Page 2 and page 3 face each other as a spread; page 4 and page 5 face each other, and so on. The cover (page 1) and back cover (last page) form the outer spread.

Page count must be a multiple of 4. See our stapled booklet printing.

How to Set Up Spreads in Design Software

Adobe InDesign

InDesign is the industry-standard application for multi-page print documents and handles spreads natively:

1. When creating a new document, check "Facing Pages" to enable spread view
2. Design your document with pages displayed as spreads in the Pages panel
3. When exporting to PDF, select "Spreads" in the export dialog to export facing pages as single spread pages
4. Alternatively, export as single pages if your printer requests individual pages — InDesign will handle the page order correctly

Adobe Illustrator

Illustrator works with artboards rather than pages. For a bi-fold leaflet:

1. Create two artboards — one for the outer spread, one for the inner spread
2. Each artboard should be set to the full spread width (two panel widths combined) plus 6mm for bleed
3. Export as PDF with all artboards included

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is not ideal for multi-page print documents but can be used for single spreads. Create each spread as a separate document at the full spread dimensions plus bleed, then export each as a separate PDF page.

Bleed on Spreads

Bleed applies to the outer edges of each spread — the top, bottom, left and right trim edges. It does not apply to the fold line in the centre of the spread, as this is a fold rather than a cut. Extend background colours and edge images 3mm beyond the outer trim edges, but not across the centre fold line.

See our guide: What is Bleed and Safe Zone?

Checking Your Spreads Before Submitting

• Print a reduced-size version of each spread and fold/assemble it by hand to check how the design flows
• Check that background colours and images align across the fold line as intended
• Verify that no important content sits on or immediately adjacent to the fold line
• Confirm your page count is correct — saddle-stitched booklets must be a multiple of 4
• Run through our full proof checking guide before submitting

Download Free Templates

The easiest way to get spreads right is to use our free artwork templates, which are pre-set with the correct spread dimensions, panel widths, bleed areas and fold line guides for every folded product we print. Download templates directly from any product page on the Dipol Print website.

Need help with your artwork setup? Get in touch with our Brighton team — we're happy to advise before you place your order. Or collect from our print shop at 97 St James's Street, Brighton BN2 1TP.