Print Multiple PDFs Simultaneously from File Explorer

Ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to print multiple PDFs at once but didn't want to go through the hassle of selecting each file individually in your file explorer? Well, you're not alone. In this guide, we'll explore a simple yet efficient method to print multiple PDFs in one go directly from your file explorer.

Before we dive into the process, let's ensure you're using Windows 10, as the steps might vary for other operating systems. With that said, let's get started!

Preparing Your Files

First things first, make sure all the PDFs you want to print are in the same folder. This will simplify the process and save you time.

Next, organizes your PDFs for easy selection. You can sort them by name, size, or date modified. This will make the selection process smoother.

Selecting Multiple Files

Now that your files are organized, it's time to select them. In your file explorer, navigate to the folder containing your PDFs.

To select multiple files, hold down the 'Ctrl' key (or 'Command' on Mac) and click on each PDF you want to print. This will select each file individually. Alternatively, you can select the first file, hold down 'Shift', and click the last file to select all files in between. This is especially useful when dealing with a large number of PDFs.

Opening the Print Dialog Box

Once you've selected all the PDFs you want to print, right-click on any of the selected files. In the context menu that appears, click on 'Print' (or 'Print X items' if you've selected more than one file). This will open the print dialog box.

If you're using a Mac, the process is a bit different. After selecting your files, press 'Command + P' to open the print dialog box.

Printing Your PDFs

In the print dialog box, you'll see all your selected PDFs listed. Here, you can choose your printer, set the number of copies, and select the print range (e.g., entire document, current page, etc.).

You might notice that the order of your PDFs here is not the same as in your file explorer. To ensure they print in the order you want, click on the header ' printers and settings' to expand the view, then drag and drop your PDFs to rearrange them.

Printing Individual Pages

Now, if you want to print specific pages from each PDF, click on the dropdown arrow next to the PDFs' names. This will reveal the 'Page range' option. Click on 'Custom range' and enter the page numbers you want to print.

To print all pages from a specific PDF, select 'All' under the 'Page range' option. To exclude a PDF from printing, simply uncheck the box next to its name.

Printing On Both Sides

If you want to print your PDFs on both sides of the paper to save on ink and paper, click on 'Properties' (on Windows) or 'Layout' (on Mac) in the print dialog box. Here, you can select 'Two-sided printing' and choose whether you want 'Short-edge binding' or 'Long-edge binding'. On Mac, you might need to enable this option in the printer settings.

Once you've set up your print settings, click 'Print' (or 'Print X items' if you've selected more than one file) and watch your PDFs print one after the other.

And there you have it! You've just learned how to print multiple PDFs at once from your file explorer. This method not only saves time but also ink and paper. Happy printing!