What Is the Best Angle to Staple Paper?

How to staple paper.

The best angle to staple paper is 67.5 degrees. This angle keeps pages easy to flip, reduces desk interference, and prevents strain on the paper when reading through a multi-page document.

Why Does the Stapling Angle Matter?

The angle at which you staple paper affects how pages sit when reading, how much desk space the document takes up, and how much strain is placed on the paper as you page through it. A poor angle makes documents awkward to handle; the right angle keeps everything neat and readable.

Comparing Stapling Angles: Which Is Best?

Angle	Result	Recommended?
0°	Pages splay sideways; unwieldy and prone to movement	Only for very shallow desk spaces
22.5°	Common in office photocopiers; uncomfortable in practice	No
45°	Classic choice, but causes paper strain on thick documents	Acceptable, not ideal
67.5°	Best balance of readability and desk space	Yes — recommended

How to Staple Paper at the Correct Angle

Sort your pages into the correct order.
Check your staples are the right size for the page count (standard staples suit up to around 20 sheets; use a heavy-duty stapler for more).
Tap the stack on your desk to align all edges.
Press any stray sheets back into alignment with a finger.
Offer the stack to the stapler and twist to 67.5 degrees.
Press firmly to insert the staple.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best angle to staple paper?

The best angle is 67.5 degrees. It reduces desk interference compared to 0 degrees and puts less strain on the pages than 45 degrees.

Why do photocopiers staple at 22.5 degrees?

Most office photocopiers use a 22.5-degree automatic stapling setting, but this angle is generally considered uncomfortable for reading. It appears to be a mechanical default rather than a tested preference.

Should left-handed people staple differently?

Yes. Left-handed users should mirror the angles horizontally — stapling to the top-left of the document at -67.5 degrees — to get the same ergonomic benefit as right-handed users stapling top-right.

Can you staple paper without a stapler?

Yes, though alternatives are less reliable. Options include folding and tearing a small tab through the pages, or using a paper fastener (also called a brass brad). Neither holds pages as securely as a metal staple for long-term use.

Choosing the Right Stapler

Hand stapler: Suitable for up to around 8 sheets.
Heavy-duty stapler: For 8–20 sheets.
Electric stapler (photocopier): Convenient but typically fixed at 22.5 degrees.

Stapling a stack of papers at the perfect angle.

The best angle to staple paper being demonstrated on a print out of the Perfect Angle to staple paper

Testing the best angle to staple paper

So I set out and did some testing to see what the best angle for stapling paper could be used at and what advantages each had. I have only included the successful angles, in between angles were rounded out to the final ones. You can see from the results what happened:

0 degrees stapled paper

At 0 degrees the paper is thrown out to the side making it quite unwieldy and easily prone to unwanted movement if you are reading. Not recommended unless you have a shallow space at your desk.

22.5 degrees stapled paper

Diagram showing a staple at 22.5 degrees, the angle used by most automatic office photocopiers.

Our photocopier has automatic stapling and uses a 22.5-degree fastening and you would think that a large company would have tested this aspect a lot but it seems not, as I find this angle quite uncomfortable to use. Disappointing and certainly for me not the best way to staple paper!

45 degrees stapled paper

Diagram showing a staple at the classic 45-degree angle, the most common manual stapling position.

At the classic 45 degrees, all seems well but undue strain is put on the paper especially as you get to the back pages of a large document. The lifted pages wave about a bit because the paper does not know to flop up your desk to the side.

67.5 degrees stapled paper

Diagram showing a staple at 67.5 degrees, the recommended angle for comfortable reading and minimal desk disruption.

A slight twist on the classic 45 degrees fixing. This has a little more flair as it starts to adhere to some of the Golden Mean rules. My personal preference and the one I think Da Vinci would have gone for (and he may have done — if only the Vatican would allow us to see the books.). Similar to the 0-degree option but this time goes forward rather than out to the side. Same problems but could be useful if you need to concentrate on the document as it stops you getting to your keyboard. People with attention deficiency should choose this.

Other paper stapling techniques

It is possible to staple paper together without a traditional office stapler. I have seen techniques making tears in the paper and folding. There are paper fasteners that punch holes in the paper but I have never used one that keeps the paper together longer than 30 seconds. You could also use a nail gun to staple your paper but to be frank that’s a bit overkill and wire staples are a cheap, economic way and also reusable as long as you don’t extract the staples with pliers!