Formatting · Topic 4 of 5
Bleed
What to do
Decide whether any of your interior pages have images, colors, or design elements that touch the edge of the page, and if so, extend that artwork past the trim line by the required bleed amount.
Why it matters
Printing and trimming paper is never perfectly precise, the cutting blade can shift by a hair's width. "Bleed" means extending any edge-to-edge artwork slightly beyond where the page will actually be cut, so a tiny cutting shift never reveals an unintended white sliver at the edge.
Steps for your program
Choose a program to see its workflow. Menus can differ between versions.
Loading program instructions…
Common mistakes to avoid
- Adding bleed to a text-only manuscript that doesn't need it, this can shift your file size and margins unnecessarily.
- Extending only the image but not accounting for the trim shift on faces or important text, so a photo's subject gets cut off.
- Using the wrong bleed amount for the specific printer, 0.125" is common but always confirm; it isn't universal.
Completion checklist
0 of 3 checked
-
What does this mean? What does bleed mean?
What does bleed mean?
Bleed is extra artwork beyond the finished cut edge. It prevents a thin white strip if the cut shifts slightly. A plain page of text with blank margins usually does not need interior bleed.
Try this: A full-page photograph that reaches an edge needs bleed. A small photo surrounded by white space generally does not. Interior bleed and cover bleed must be checked separately.
-
What does this mean? How far should artwork extend?
How far should artwork extend?
Use the exact bleed dimensions required by your printer and format. Bleed is extra image area, not a wider blank margin.
Try this: Extend a background or photograph beyond the cut line, then export a PDF at the required size. Do not add white strips or stretch important faces. If the PDF has bleed, the upload settings must agree. Check each printer separately.
-
What does this mean? What is the safe area?
What is the safe area?
The safe area keeps important details inside the finished page, away from cutting and binding. Bleed can contain expendable background; essential words and faces should stay safely inside.
Try this: Let sky or background extend past the edge of a photo page. Keep its caption and the person’s face away from the cut. Use your printer’s required safety distances rather than assuming one number fits every format.
Your selections save automatically on this device. They are not synced or backed up and may be erased if browser data is cleared.
Troubleshooting
I'm not sure if my book needs bleed at all.
If every page is plain text with no background color, full-page image, or design element touching the edge, you need no bleed. Bleed only matters where art meets the trim edge.
My printer's proof came back with a thin white line at the edge of an image.
That's a bleed shortfall, the artwork wasn't extended far enough past the trim line. Increase the bleed extension to your printer's specified amount and resubmit.
Reference: KDP’s trim size, bleed, and margin requirements. Check your chosen printer’s current specifications for your edition.