What does collate mean when printing?

Should I turn Collate on or off?

Turn Collate on when each person needs a complete document, such as a report or handout. Turn it off when you want identical pages grouped together for sorting or assembly.

For one copy or a one-page document, either setting produces the same grouping.

Collate in one sentence

When you print more than one copy of a multi-page document, collated means each copy comes out as a complete set in page order, and uncollated means the printer groups identical pages together.

The word comes from collating as in gathering pages into order. The setting only matters when you print more than one copy of a document with more than one page.

A worked example: 10 copies of a 5-page report

Say you print 10 copies of a 5-page report single-sided. That is 50 printed pages on 50 sheets either way; collating changes their grouping.

Before a large print run, check how many printed pages you can get from a ream. Printing on both sides changes the sheet count. For odd-page double-sided copies, also check the blank backs between sets.

• Collated: pages 1 to 5 come out ten times in a row. You end up with ten complete reports, each in page order and ready to staple.
• Uncollated: ten copies of page 1 come out first, then ten of page 2, and so on. You end up with five stacks that you would have to interleave by hand.

Collate, sort, group and stack: other names for the same thing

Copiers and some printer drivers use different words. Sort usually means the same as collate, and group usually means uncollated. The labels vary by manufacturer, so if a setting is not obvious, look at its preview image or help text before you print a large job.

Where the collate setting is

Start with the copies and layout controls in your app’s print dialog. Some apps show a Collate checkbox or menu; others leave it to the driver or do not expose a choice.

• Windows: set Copies to 2 for a test, then look for Collate in the app or printer properties. Available controls depend on the app and driver.
• Mac: in the print dialog, set Copies; the Collate pages option is in the Paper Handling section or next to the copies field, depending on the app.
• Browsers and PDF viewers: check the copies and layout options. If Collate is absent, try the system print dialog or another desktop app.
• Phones and tablets: do not assume a default order if the option is missing. Print two copies as a check, or use a desktop app that exposes the setting.

Exact wording varies by app and driver. Set copies to 2 and look again, since some dialogs hide or disable options for a single copy. Our how-to guides for Windows, Mac and Chromebook show where the print settings live.

Why collate is greyed out or ignored

• Copies is set to 1. Most dialogs only enable the option for 2 or more copies, and a single copy has nothing to collate.
• The document has one page. Collated and uncollated give the same result.
• The setting exists in two places. Many programs have their own Collate option, and the printer driver has one too. Set it in the program's print dialog first. If the copies still come out in the wrong order, check the printer properties as well, because the two can disagree.
• The finished stack looks reversed. Check Reverse order and the tray’s face-up or face-down output before treating it as a collation failure. A complete set in reverse order is different from a stack of identical pages.

A quick way to check it works

1. Download the two-page PDF from our duplex test page and open it in the app you plan to use.
2. For this order check, select single-sided, one page per sheet, 2 copies and normal page order. Turn Collate on.
3. Look for two complete sets: 1, 2 / 1, 2. With Collate off, the logical order is 1, 1 / 2, 2. Either test uses four sheets.
4. Check page numbers rather than just the top of the tray. If the grouping is wrong, check both app and driver settings, then retry a small job. Printing one complete copy at a time is a fallback.

Collate and duplex together

Collate controls sets; duplex controls sides. For a report, choose both if you want complete double-sided copies. A folded booklet needs its own booklet-layout setting as well. Select the binding edge separately and print one complete copy first. The duplex test page helps check front/back orientation and alignment; it does not turn collation on.

For an odd-page report, check that a new copy starts on a new sheet. A 5-page report printed as 2 separate double-sided copies needs 3 sheets per copy, or 6 sheets total, with a blank final back in each copy. Use the paper-use calculator to estimate your job. Manual duplex reloading and booklet layout need their own app or printer instructions.

Official references: Brother’s Collate, Reverse Order and Duplex controls describe separate settings in its Windows driver; Microsoft’s Word duplex guide explains automatic versus manual two-sided printing. Options vary by printer.

Quick checklist

1. Set the number of copies.
2. Tick Collate for complete sets, untick it for stacks of identical pages.
3. For double-sided jobs, print one copy first and check it.