pages of doccument to be side by side - including the first page

[hendy_5450]

how can I get all pages to be side by side including page 1?

When I shuffle them they just get more botched up...

[Eugene Tyson]

his is a typical 'facing pages' document.

If you don't need facing pages and if your publications is not for print - you can go to document setup and turn off Facing Pages - this makes your document setup being single column in the Pages Panel.

If it is for print, it's strongly unusual for an odd page to be a left page (verso) that is all odd pages, 1, 3, 5, etc are usually all recto pages. 

If you really want this, you need to do the following:

https://creativepro.com/making-the-first-page-a-left-page/#:~:text=To%20make%20the%20first%20page,be....

In the Pages panel menu and turning off "Allow Document Pages to Shuffle" and "Allow Selected Spread to Shuffle." Then they can manually drag page 1 to the left and then page 2 can be dragged to the right position.

Also, printers usually expect odd pages on the right, so it could cause confusion or unexpected results if they send it off to be printed. Keep in mind that this is non-standard for printed books and may cause issues with imposition if you are preparing this for a professional printer. If your document is for digital use (e.g. a PDF for screen viewing), this might be fine depending on how you want it to appear.

Your pages look fine to me. Pages I, II, and III are correct, then the back of page III is blank, and page 1 starts on a right-hand page which is exactly how it should be. It's not shown in your file, but if page IV existed, it would be blank anyway.

If you take two sheets of paper, fold them in half, and stack them like a magazine, you’ll see how this works. When folded, page I is the cover, then when you open it, pages II and III face each other. The back of page III would be blank, and the next right-hand page would be page 1. That’s the natural structure of a booklet or book.

Page 1 in any book is typically a right page - in book making a right page is called recto and a left page called verso. 

And all recto pages are typically odd pages. 

[hendy_5450]

I'm not sure you're understanding my question,
I DO need facing pages and I AM printing it.
I want to see the first two as facing as well.

[Eugene Tyson]

Let me try more explanation

If you double click the Triangle on top of page II 

You will access the Page and Numbering Section

and you will see it starts at Page 2

Same with the page that is 'Page 1'

It has a triangle on top - which denotes a start of section - you can double click this and access the page and numbering section. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/ie/indesign/using/numbering-pages-chapters-sections.html

Page II is literally page 2 which has to be a left hand page

Page 1 is literally page 1 which has to be a right hand page

In essence, you'll have 2 blank pages inserted at print - where you need page roman numeral 'i' 

and need page roman numeral iv beside Page 1 

Think about this - page II has to have a front, and page III has to have a back in physical printing.

If you don't want blanks you have to insert a page before page ii 

change the numbering and section options to start on page 1 (which will be roman numeral 'i') 

then insert a page after page III which will be page IV 

So it should look like this - then you can insert content on page i or leave it blank 

and same with page iv 

But this is how physically it will print

Found this hope it helps

https://insights.printivity.com/how-do-you-count-pages-in-a-booklet-for-printing/

[hendy_5450]

It doesn't make a difference if I change it to '1'

[Peter Villevoye]

If you're typically trying to stick the back page to the left of the front page, then select that last (left) page, go to the side menu of the Pages panel and look for Numbering and Sections Options. Set the page to intentionally start with that last (even) page number. You can see the little triangle appaearing above it, just like with its right page next to it. The page will behave like a left page now, and won't push the existing right page away. However, this right page automatically gets this last page number +1, so you have to tweak that numbering option as well, to explicitly restart with 1 (and the others will follow). You'll end up getting two pages with triangles at the top.

 

Keep in mind that InDesign is not a printer's tool, but 'reader-inclined'. So all page layout approaches and features work at their best when you mimic what the user sees and uses to navigate (with regards to pages and columns), and not what a printer might find useful and efficient. Eventually, you're always in charge and can always tweak things to let the PDF reflect how the printer needs the pages to be ordered, but that's not InDesign's #1 priority.

But InDesign does hold on to any proper regional way of counting pages...

[Peter Villevoye]

I see Eugene also replied again 🙂 

I hope it resonates with what I'm explaining as well.

Note: if a printer is telling to completely deploy all pages in the size and order they need them, just tell them they should have "impositioning" software to do just that. Supply them with your PDF file of all pages (no spreads) and a sample of the intended publication, as seen and used by readers.

[Eugene Tyson]

Good stuff @Peter Villevoye we're both on the same 'page'. 

Maybe the OP just wants to change the Numbering Section Options. 
If @hendy_5450 just further clarify what is happening, the expectations and what they want a bit further it could help even more.

It's quite a lengthy explanation for something that appears to be quite simple on the surface.