KDP paperback formatting specs: trim size, margins, bleed and fonts
Everything Amazon KDP asks of a paperback interior PDF, in one place. For a text-only novel or memoir, four things matter most: trim size, margins, bleed and fonts.
Specs checked against the official pages linked below on October 26, 2026. Platforms update their rules, so check the source before you upload.
1. Trim size
Trim size is your printed book's width and height. KDP says the most common US paperback size is 6 x 9 inches. Other regular sizes include 5 x 8, 5.06 x 7.81, 5.25 x 8 and 5.5 x 8.5 inches. KDP treats a book wider than 6.12 inches or taller than 9 inches as a large trim size, which has different printing costs.
Set the page size in your software to the trim size. For these regular sizes, KDP allows 24 to 828 pages with black ink on white paper, and 24 to 776 pages on cream paper. KDP also accepts custom paperback sizes from 4 to 8.5 inches wide and 6 to 11.69 inches tall.
2. Margins
Every page has top, bottom and outside margins plus an inside margin (the gutter) by the spine. KDP's minimum inside margin grows with page count, because thicker books lose more of the page into the binding:
| Page count | Inside (gutter) minimum | Outside minimum, no bleed | Outside minimum, with bleed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 to 150 | 0.375 in (9.6 mm) | 0.25 in (6.4 mm) | 0.375 in (9.6 mm) |
| 151 to 300 | 0.5 in (12.7 mm) | 0.25 in | 0.375 in |
| 301 to 500 | 0.625 in (15.9 mm) | 0.25 in | 0.375 in |
| 501 to 700 | 0.75 in (19.1 mm) | 0.25 in | 0.375 in |
| 701 to 828 | 0.875 in (22.3 mm) | 0.25 in | 0.375 in |
“Outside” here means the top, bottom and outer edge. These are minimums; your top, bottom and outside margins don't have to match each other as long as each meets them. If your software has separate “inside margin” and “gutter” fields, KDP says to enter the same value in both. Set the trim size first, then the margins.
Planning to print with IngramSpark too? IngramSpark recommends at least 0.5 inch on every side, so a file built to that and to KDP's gutter minimum can suit both. See our IngramSpark specs guide.
3. Bleed (usually not needed for novels)
Bleed is for images or backgrounds that print to the edge of the page. A text-only novel normally doesn't need it, and the PDF page size is simply the trim size.
If any page does bleed, KDP says the whole file must be set up with bleed: add 0.125 inch (3.2 mm) to the width and 0.25 inch to the height. A 6 x 9 book becomes a 6.125 x 9.25 inch page. Books with bleed must be uploaded as PDF.
4. Fonts and file rules
- Embed all fonts. KDP's minimum font size is 7 points.
- Upload single pages, not two-page spreads.
- No crop or trim marks, bookmarks, comments, annotations, invisible objects, placeholder text or metadata.
- Flatten transparent objects and layers, and don't lock or encrypt the PDF.
- File size up to 650 MB, and no emoji or unsupported special characters in the file name.
- Images at least 300 DPI.
5. Page numbers
KDP wants page numbers in order, with even numbers on left-hand pages and odd numbers on right-hand pages for left-to-right books. Roman numerals are allowed for the front matter before standard numbering starts.
Hardcover
KDP hardcovers come in fewer sizes: 5.5 x 8.5, 6 x 9, 6.14 x 9.21, 7 x 10 and 8.25 x 11 inches, with 75 to 550 pages. KDP says one interior file can serve both formats if it meets both sets of trim size and page count rules, and the margin table above applies to both. A hardcover edition needs its own ISBN, so update the ISBN on your copyright page.
Sources
- KDP: Set Trim Size, Bleed, and Margins
- KDP: Paperback Submission Guidelines
- KDP: Print Options
- KDP: Hardcover
FAQ
What is the most common trim size on KDP?
KDP says 6 x 9 inches is the most common trim size for US paperbacks.
What margins does KDP require?
The inside (gutter) minimum runs from 0.375 inch for 24 to 150 pages up to 0.875 inch for 701 to 828 pages. Top, bottom and outside margins must be at least 0.25 inch without bleed, or 0.375 inch with bleed.
Does a novel need bleed on KDP?
Usually not. Bleed is only needed when images or backgrounds print to the edge of the page. Without bleed, the PDF page size equals the trim size.
Rather not do it yourself?
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