Print Margins, Bleed and Safe Area

Most printers cannot print to the very edge of a sheet, and professional printers need a small extra area (bleed) for trimming. Knowing the margin, bleed and safe area keeps text and images from being cut off.

Document size with a typical 3 mm bleed
Trim size	Trim size (mm)	With 3 mm bleed (mm)
A6	105 × 148	111 × 154
A5	148 × 210	154 × 216
A4	210 × 297	216 × 303
A3	297 × 420	303 × 426
Letter	215.9 × 279.4	221.9 × 285.4

Printer margins

Office and home printers usually leave a small unprintable border around the sheet. The size varies by printer, so check your printer’s specification rather than assuming a fixed number. If your document uses the full page, set the print dialog to scale or fit it so nothing is cut off.

Bleed

Professional printing prints on larger sheets and trims them to size. To avoid thin white edges, images and background colours should extend slightly past the trim line. This extra area is called bleed, and a common amount is 3 mm (about 0.125 in), though your printer may ask for a different value.

Safe area

Keep important text and logos inside the safe area, a margin inside the trim line of often 3–5 mm or more, so small trimming variations do not cut into them. For a document that will be bound or folded, leave a bigger margin on the side with the fold.

Setting up the file

Start from the trim size of the paper, for example A4 or Letter.
Add the bleed on all four sides if your printer requires it, as shown in the table.
Export a PDF at the printer’s recommended settings and resolution, often 300 PPI for images.
Check the proof carefully before printing the full run.

Frequently asked questions

How large should an A5 flyer file be with bleed?

With a 3 mm bleed on each side, an A5 flyer file should be 154 × 216 mm, while the trimmed flyer is 148 × 210 mm.

Is bleed always 3 mm?

3 mm is common, but printers differ. Always check the exact specification of the printer you use.

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Last updated: 2026-10-03