What is a half fold?
In short
A half fold, also called a single fold or bi-fold, folds a sheet once down the middle to make four panels. An A4 sheet half folded gives an A5 leaflet.
A half fold is the simplest folded leaflet: one fold down the centre of the sheet, giving a front cover, two inside panels and a back. We half fold A4 sheets (297 x 210mm flat) to A5 (148 x 210mm), with the fold at 148.5mm.
The four panels
| Panel | Side of the sheet | Typical content |
|---|---|---|
| Front cover | Outside, right | Title, image, logo |
| Back | Outside, left | Contact details, map, closing message |
| Inside left | Inside, left | Main content |
| Inside right | Inside, right | Main content, or a continuation across the spread |
Because the panels are equal, the inside opens as one wide spread, which suits a large photo or a table running across both pages.
When to choose a half fold
A half fold suits programmes, price lists, event details and simple orders of service: content that needs a little more room than a flat leaflet but doesn't call for a stapled booklet. An A4 sheet folded in half fits a C5 envelope. If you need more than four pages, look at a stapled booklet instead.
Setting up the artwork
Supply the outside and inside as two pages of 297 x 210mm plus 3mm bleed (303 x 216mm). Keep text 5mm from the trim and 5mm either side of the fold, so nothing important disappears into the crease. Our folded leaflet guide compares the half, roll and Z folds.
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