PDF N-up Layout

Place multiple PDF pages as thumbnails on one page (2-up / 4-up / 8-up)

Create N-up PDF pages from a source PDF.

Supported layouts:

  • 2-up (2 pages per sheet)
  • 4-up (4 pages per sheet)
  • 8-up (8 pages per sheet)
  • Optional cell border guides for print review

Example Results

2 examples

4-up Review Sheet

Places four source pages on one sheet with cell borders for layout review

pdf-nup-layout-example1.pdf View File
View input parameters
{ "sourceFile": "/Users/quyue/www/elysia-tools/public/samples/pdf/pdf-2026-02-19-source-4pages.pdf", "nup": "4", "showBorders": true }

2-up Compact Handout

Builds a compact 2-up handout without borders for clean distribution

pdf-nup-layout-example2.pdf View File
View input parameters
{ "sourceFile": "/Users/quyue/www/elysia-tools/public/samples/pdf/pdf-2026-02-19-source-4pages.pdf", "nup": "2", "showBorders": false }

Click to upload file or drag and drop file here

Maximum file size: 400MB Supported formats: application/pdf

Key Facts

Category
Documents & PDF
Input Types
file, select, checkbox
Output Type
file
Sample Coverage
4
API Ready
Yes

Overview

The PDF N-up Layout tool allows you to consolidate multiple PDF pages onto a single sheet, making it easy to create handouts, review documents, or save paper. Choose between 2-up, 4-up, or 8-up layouts to optimize your document structure for printing or digital distribution.

When to Use

  • •When you need to print long documents as compact handouts to save paper.
  • •When creating a thumbnail overview of a presentation for quick reference.
  • •When preparing multi-page documents for professional proofreading or layout review.

How It Works

  • •Upload your source PDF file into the tool.
  • •Select your preferred layout mode (2-up, 4-up, or 8-up) from the dropdown menu.
  • •Toggle the 'Show Cell Borders' option if you need visual guides for cutting or alignment.
  • •Process the file to generate your new, consolidated PDF document.

Use Cases

Creating compact study guides by printing 4 slides per page.
Generating a visual index of a large document for quick scanning.
Reducing the physical volume of printed reports for meeting distribution.

Examples

1. 4-up Review Sheet

Background
A designer needs to review a 20-page document layout quickly.
Problem
Viewing 20 individual pages is inefficient for checking overall flow.
How to Use
Upload the PDF, select '4-up' mode, and enable 'Show Cell Borders'.
Example Config
nup: 4, showBorders: true
Outcome
A 5-page PDF where each sheet displays 4 original pages with clear borders for easy review.

2. 2-up Compact Handout

Background
A student needs to print a long lecture transcript.
Problem
The document is too long and consumes too much paper.
How to Use
Upload the transcript, select '2-up' mode, and disable 'Show Cell Borders'.
Example Config
nup: 2, showBorders: false
Outcome
A clean, professional-looking handout that uses half the amount of paper.

Try with Samples

pdf, file
PDF Samples
Generated PDF samples from tools dated 2026-02-01 to 2026-02-10
title token pdf
pdf
Markdown Slide Deck Samples
Remark/Marp style Markdown slide decks for testing PDF export layouts
preferred input family pdf
pdf
Time Zone Workflow Scheduler ICS Samples
ICS files generated in the same structure returned by the Time Zone Workflow Scheduler, with multiple VEVENT meeting candidates exported from overlap windows
matched family file
file
VTT Subtitle Samples
Sample WebVTT subtitle files from simple to complex for subtitle previews, parser testing, conversion, and note handling
matched family file
file

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FAQ

What does N-up mean?

N-up refers to the number of original document pages placed onto a single physical or digital page.

Can I choose the orientation of the pages?

The tool automatically arranges pages based on the selected N-up mode to ensure optimal fit on the output sheet.

Are the cell borders mandatory?

No, you can toggle the 'Show Cell Borders' option off if you prefer a clean look without lines between pages.

Is there a limit to the file size I can upload?

The tool supports PDF files up to 400MB.

Does this tool change the content of my PDF?

No, it only changes the layout and arrangement of the pages; the original content remains unchanged.

API Documentation

Request Endpoint

POST /en/api/tools/pdf-nup-layout

Request Parameters

Parameter Name Type Required Description
sourceFile file (Upload required) Yes -
nup select No -
showBorders checkbox No -

File type parameters need to be uploaded first via POST /upload/pdf-nup-layout to get filePath, then pass filePath to the corresponding file field.

Response Format

{
  "filePath": "/public/processing/randomid.ext",
  "fileName": "output.ext",
  "contentType": "application/octet-stream",
  "size": 1024,
  "metadata": {
    "key": "value"
  },
  "error": "Error message (optional)",
  "message": "Notification message (optional)"
}
File: File

AI MCP Documentation

Add this tool to your MCP server configuration: 

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "elysiatools-pdf-nup-layout": {
      "name": "pdf-nup-layout",
      "description": "Place multiple PDF pages as thumbnails on one page (2-up / 4-up / 8-up)",
      "baseUrl": "https://elysiatools.com/mcp/sse?toolId=pdf-nup-layout",
      "command": "",
      "args": [],
      "env": {},
      "isActive": true,
      "type": "sse"
    }
  }
}

You can chain multiple tools, e.g.: `https://elysiatools.com/mcp/sse?toolId=png-to-webp,jpg-to-webp,gif-to-webp`, max 20 tools.

Supports URL file links or Base64 encoding for file parameters.

If you encounter any issues, please contact us at [email protected]