What is bleed in a book?
When pictures or background colours run right to the edge of a printed page, the printer needs a little extra artwork beyond the edge, because the trimming blade can move slightly. That extra area is the bleed. For Amazon KDP paperbacks it is 0.125 in (3.2 mm) on the top, bottom and outside edge of every page. It is cut off after printing, so nothing important may sit in it.
KDP page size with bleed
Page width = trim width + 0.125 in. Page height = trim height + 0.25 in. Width only gets one extra 0.125 in because the inside edge is bound into the spine. A 6 × 9 in book with bleed needs a 6.125 × 9.25 in PDF; without bleed the PDF is exactly 6 × 9 in. If any single page needs bleed, the whole interior must be set up with bleed.
| Trim size | PDF page size with bleed | Full-page image at 300 DPI |
|---|---|---|
| 5 × 8 in | 5.125 × 8.25 in | 1538 × 2475 px |
| 5.5 × 8.5 in | 5.625 × 8.75 in | 1688 × 2625 px |
| 6 × 9 in | 6.125 × 9.25 in | 1838 × 2775 px |
| 7 × 10 in | 7.125 × 10.25 in | 2138 × 3075 px |
| 8.5 × 8.5 in | 8.625 × 8.75 in | 2588 × 2625 px |
| 8.5 × 11 in | 8.625 × 11.25 in | 2588 × 3375 px |
KDP margins: gutter and outside margins
The inside margin (gutter) depends on the page count, because thicker books curve more at the spine: 0.375 in for 24–150 pages, 0.5 in for 151–300, 0.625 in for 301–500, 0.75 in for 501–700 and 0.875 in for 701–828 pages. The outside, top and bottom margins must be at least 0.25 in without bleed and 0.375 in with bleed.
Common bleed mistakes
- Wrong PDF size — exporting 6 × 9 in while choosing “bleed” on KDP (or the other way round). Drop your PDF into the checker to catch it.
- Images stopping at the trim line — pictures that should touch the edge must extend into the bleed.
- Text too close to the edge — keep it inside the margins so it is not cut off or lost in the gutter.
- Low-resolution images — full-page images should be 300 DPI at the bleed size.
Based on KDP’s published trim, bleed and margin requirements (checked October 2026). Not affiliated with Amazon KDP.
Do you need bleed?
You need a bleed interior only if something — a photo, a background colour or an illustration — touches the edge of the page. Novels and most nonfiction don’t; picture books, cookbooks and journals with full-page designs usually do.
KDP bleed size
With bleed, the page is 0.125 in wider and 0.25 in taller than the trim size (0.125 in on the top, bottom and outside edge). The extra strip is cut off after printing.
| Trim size | Page size with bleed |
|---|---|
| 5 × 8 in | 5.125 × 8.25 in |
| 6 × 9 in | 6.125 × 9.25 in |
| 8.5 × 8.5 in | 8.625 × 8.75 in |
| 8.5 × 11 in | 8.625 × 11.25 in |
Safe area
Keep text and important details at least 0.375 in from the trimmed outside edges and respect the gutter on the inside. Anything closer may be cut or swallowed by the spine.
Download a template
The interior template PDF shows trim, bleed and safe lines for odd (right) and even (left) pages. Use it as a guide layer in Canva, InDesign or Affinity, then remove it before export. You can also upload your interior PDF to check its page size.