A method for manufacturing an absorbent article for manufacturing a pull-on absorbent article having a height direction, a lateral direction, and a front-back direction intersecting with each other, the absorbent article including an absorbent main body configured to absorb excrement, a front exterior member arranged at one end side of the absorbent main body, and a back exterior member arranged at another end side of the absorbent main body, with the front exterior member and the back exterior member joined together at a pair of join portions, the method for manufacturing an absorbent article comprising: in a state in which the front-back direction of the pull-on absorbent article is aligned in an up-down direction and the pull-on absorbent article is being conveyed in a conveying direction along the height direction, pulling at least a portion on the front side of the absorbent main body toward one side in the up-down direction and pulling at least a portion on the back side of the absorbent main body toward the other side in the up-down direction; and folding in the front exterior member and the back exterior member between the front side and the back side of the absorbent main body in the up-down direction until an end portion in the lateral direction at the front side of the absorbent main body is curved toward the other side in the up-down direction and an end portion in the lateral direction at the back side of the absorbent main body is curved toward the one side in the up-down direction, wherein in the folding, the front exterior member and the back exterior member are folded in between the front side and the back side of the absorbent main body such that a surface area of a folded-in portion of the front exterior member and the back exterior member folded in between the front side and the back side of the absorbent main body in the up-down direction at a waist opening side in the height direction is larger than a surface area of a folded-in portion of the front exterior member and the back exterior member folded in between the front side and the back side of the absorbent main body in the up-down direction at a crotch side in the height direction. in a state in which the front-back direction of the pull-on absorbent article is aligned in an up-down direction and the pull-on absorbent article is being conveyed in a conveying direction along the height direction, pulling at least a portion on the front side of the absorbent main body toward one side in the up-down direction and pulling at least a portion on the back side of the absorbent main body toward the other side in the up-down direction; and folding in the front exterior member and the back exterior member between the front side and the back side of the absorbent main body in the up-down direction until an end portion in the lateral direction at the front side of the absorbent main body is curved toward the other side in the up-down direction and an end portion in the lateral direction at the back side of the absorbent main body is curved toward the one side in the up-down direction, wherein pulling at least a portion on the front side of the absorbent main body toward one side in the up-down direction and pulling at least a portion on the back side of the absorbent main body toward the other side in the up-down direction; and folding in the front exterior member and the back exterior member between the front side and the back side of the absorbent main body in the up-down direction until an end portion in the lateral direction at the front side of the absorbent main body is curved toward the other side in the up-down direction and an end portion in the lateral direction at the back side of the absorbent main body is curved toward the one side in the up-down direction, wherein in the folding, the front exterior member and the back exterior member are folded in between the front side and the back side of the absorbent main body such that a surface area of a folded-in portion of the front exterior member and the back exterior member folded in between the front side and the back side of the absorbent main body in the up-down direction at a waist opening side in the height direction is larger than a surface area of a folded-in portion of the front exterior member and the back exterior member folded in between the front side and the back side of the absorbent main body in the up-down direction at a crotch side in the height direction.