Simple step-by-step instructions for making the most iconic piece of origami art

When most people think of origami, their mind jumps straight to the elegant paper crane. The idea of folding a paper crane yourself might seem intimidating at first, but the process is super straightforward and even first-time origami makers can make one in just a few minutes. In this article, we’ll show you how to make a traditional origami crane step-by-step (with visuals to help you bring your beautiful bird to life). All you need is a square of paper and a flat surface. Let’s get started!

Things You Should Know

  • Use traditional origami paper in the shape of a square for the best results. Choose paper with a color or design you enjoy to make your paper crane pop.
  • Make all of your folds slowly and carefully. Line up corners or edges as perfectly to each other as you can for the sharpest looking crane.
  • Display your crane on a tabletop or shelf, give it as a gift, or make 999 more and string them together to make your own senbazuru!
2

Make two diagonal folds.

  1. Fold the top right corner down to meet the bottom left corner. Then, crease the fold. Unfold the paper and then repeat on the other side, bringing the top left corner down to meet the bottom right corner. Crease the fold, then unfold the paper. Now you have a large X-shaped crease in your paper.[2]
3

Fold the paper into rectangles.

  1. Flip the paper over and fold the right edge over to meet the left edge. Then, crease the fold. This will look like a vertical rectangle. Unfold the paper, then fold the top edge down to meet the bottom edge, forming a horizontal rectangle. Crease the fold, then unfold the paper without flattening it out.[3]
    • You now have creases in the shape of an “X” and a “+” spanning your paper, dividing it into 8 triangles.
  2. Advertisement
4

Make an accordion fold.

  1. Bring all 4 corners together along the creases to form a square. First, angle the paper so one corner is facing you (like a diamond shape). Bring the side corners inward to meet the bottom corner. Because of your earlier creases, the top corner will also fold neatly and meet at the same point as the side and bottom corners.[4]
    • Let the paper fold naturally along the creases you made earlier.
    • The resulting square has an open end where all 4 corners of the paper come together (facing you). It also has 2 flaps on the right and 2 flaps on the left.[5]
5

Create a squash fold.

  1. Fold the left and right corners of the square to meet the center crease. Work with the top layers only (not the bottom flaps on the left or right). Crease the folds. You now have a kite shape on top of your square base. Finish the squash fold by folding the triangular tip of the kite shape down.[6]
  2. Advertisement
6

Undo and open the squash fold.

  1. Unfold the top and side corners to return to your square base shape. Then, grab the bottom corner (top layer only) and lift it up and back (toward the top corner). The crease from when you folded the top of the kite shape down will act like a “hinge” for the fold, and the side corners will fold in to meet at the center.[7]
    • The resulting shape looks like a thin, vertical diamond (top layer) on top of your square base (bottom layer).
    • Once you’ve gotten the diamond shape, flatten all of the folds and creases.
7

Repeat the squash fold on the backside of the paper.

  1. Turn over your paper, then make a new squash fold. Fold the left and right corners (top layer only) in to meet the vertical center crease, then fold the triangular tip of the resulting kite shape down. Then, unfold the top and side corners and open up the squash fold like you did on the other side of the paper.[8]
    • Flatten the second squash fold as well.
    • The paper now looks like a 2-layer diamond with 2 “legs” at the bottom.
  2. Advertisement
8

Taper the legs of the diamond.

  1. Fold the left and right corners in to meet the center crease. Work with the top layer only, starting on either side of the paper. Crease the folds. Flip the paper over and do the same on the other side. The paper now resembles a skinny kite.[9]
9

Make a book fold on both sides of the paper.

  1. Fold the right half of the kite (top layer) over the center crease. Make sure the right corner of the kite is now touching the left corner. This fold is like turning the page of a book (hence the name “book fold”). Flip the paper over and repeat on the back side—fold the top layer of the right side of the kite over the center crease.[10]
  2. Advertisement
10

Fold the bottom corners up.

  1. Lift the bottom corner of the kite (top layer) up to meet the top corner. Make a crease along the fold. Then, flip the paper over and repeat on the backside—lift the bottom corner up to meet the top corner, then crease.[11]
11

Do another book fold on both sides of the paper.

  1. Start on one side of the paper and fold the right corner over the center. Make sure to only fold the top layer so the right corner is lined up perfectly with the left corner, then crease the fold. Flip the paper over and repeat—fold the right corner over the vertical center crease and line it up with the left corner.[12]
  2. Advertisement
12

Pull out the pointed tabs beneath the top layer.

  1. Look for the 2 points on either side of the topmost corner. Pull the left point out to the left and down until it’s aligned vertically with the leftmost corner below it. Then, pinch the base of the paper on the left side to crease and hold the tab in place. Repeat on the right side of the paper.[13]
    • One of these pointed tabs will be the tail and one will become the head. Choose one to fold into the head (either one will work).
13

Fold the head of the crane.

  1. Bend one of the side points down to resemble a beak. Then, use your thumbnail to reverse the crease in the head (this is called an inside-reverse fold). Pinch the head to secure the crease and form the beak.[14]
    • For the best look, fold the head down about 1 in (2.5 cm) from the tip.
    • Leave the pointed tab on the other side untouched (it will be the tail).
  2. Advertisement
14

Fold the wings down.

  1. Grab the top corner of one layer and fold it down, then crease the fold. Repeat on the other side of the paper to create the second wing. Turn the crane upside down and use your fingers to “fluff” the body of the crane to give it some 3-dimensional shape so it can stand.[15]
    • Once the wings are folded and the body is fluffed up, your crane is ready for display!
    • Display your crane on a flat surface, like a coffee table or shelf, give it as a gift, or make 999 more and string them together to make a senbazuru.

Community Q&A

  • Question
    Is it harder to make a paper crane with writing paper?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes, normal writing paper is much harder to use than origami paper because the origami paper is lighter yet stronger, which makes it easier to fold and shape. Writing paper is flimsier and liable to tear.
  • Question
    What is the meaning of the paper crane?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Traditionally, it was believed that if one folded 1000 origami cranes, one's wish would come true. It has also become a symbol of hope and healing during challenging times. As a result, it has become popular to fold 1000 cranes (in Japanese, called “senbazuru”).
  • Question
    What is the usual size for origami paper?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It usually is 6 or 7 inches. You can find big books of origami paper in craft stores. Origami paper is perfectly square.
Advertisement

About This Article

Dan Hickey
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Dan Hickey is a Writer and Humorist based in Chicago, Illinois. He has published pieces on a variety of online satire sites and has been a member of the wikiHow team since 2022. A former teaching artist at a community music school, Dan enjoys helping people learn new skills they never thought they could master. He graduated with a BM in Clarinet Performance from DePauw University in 2015 and an MM from DePaul University in 2017. This article has been viewed 3,209,412 times.
28 votes - 46%
Co-authors: 128
Updated: March 16, 2023
Views: 3,209,412
Categories: Bird Origami
Article SummaryX

To fold an origami paper crane, start by folding a square piece of paper in half vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, unfolding after each fold. Then, fold the top corners to the bottom and press the sides in so the paper is folded up in a small diamond Next, grab the upper layer of the right side and fold the bottom edge to the center crease. Repeat this on the left side. Fold the top of the diamond down so the crease lies along the horizontal line created by the previous two triangles. Then, unfold the top corner and the previous two triangles to return to the small diamond shape you created. From there, fold the topmost layer of the bottom point all the way up so that the left and right flaps naturally fold in, creating a long, narrow diamond shape. Carefully, crease and flatten the paper.Flip the paper over, and repeat the process to create another long, skinny diamond. At this point, your paper should look like one tall, skinny diamond with two legs at the bottom. Next, grab the point on the upper layer of the right side and fold the bottom outside edge inwards towards the central line. Repeat on the left side. Fold the entire right flap over the central line, as if you were turning the page of a book. At this point, both flaps should be on the left-hand side. Turn the shaper over and repeat the process. Next, grab the upper layer of the bottom point and fold it up so the bottom tip touches the top points. Fold the right flap over to the left. Repeat on the other side. Then, fold wings down so you can just see the body. Finally, fold the tip of the head down and pull the wings out gently. If you want to learn more, like how to make your crane look larger and three-dimensional, keep reading the article!

Did this summary help you?
If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Advertisement