How to Get Your Book Files Print-Ready for Professional Results
Preparing our authors’ files to be print-ready might seem like a small part of what we do but it’s a key component to ensuring a book’s milestone moments are met in a timely and organized manner. Authors often submit files that look fine on their computer, but printers see something quite different. A minor technical issue has the potential to stop a project in its tracks, delay the launch of a book, or create quality-related problems. With a few clear steps, you can avoid these surprises and get your book ready for print or platform with confidence.
Why Print-Ready Files Matter
Print-ready means your files meet the exact technical standards that printers and print-on-demand platforms expect. These standards protect your book from unwanted surprises, such as cropped text, blurry images, incorrect trim sizes, or covers that do not line up with the spine (Yikes…).
When your files are print-ready, your book prints cleanly, the first proof looks the way you intended, and you avoid extra fees or delays—Bliss!
Start With the Correct Page Setup
Set up for success with these basic tips related to the pages of your book.
Use the Exact Trim Size
Your interior PDF must match the final trim size of your book. For example, if your book will be printed at 5.5 x 8.5 inches, your document must be set to the same size. If you change the trim size after formatting, line endings shift, margins collapse, and the layout becomes unpredictable.
Choosing your trim size at the start saves a long list of layout problems later on. If you want help deciding which size is best for your genre, Foglio’s Formatting and Typesetting service can guide you through common choices for fiction, memoir, and nonfiction.
Add a Minimum Bleed of 0.125 Inches
Bleed is the part of a page that extends past the final trim line. Any background colour or image that touches the edge must extend at least 0.125 inches beyond the trim. Without this extra area, printers may leave unsightly, thin, white edges around your art. While bleeds are required for covers, the interiors may not need them if all pages have white backgrounds.
Interior File Requirements Every Author Should Know
Consider yourself warned! These interior file requirements are non-negotiable when it comes to tidy, professionally-set interiors.
Export as Single Pages, Not Spreads
Print-on-demand platforms expect one page per PDF page. When authors export spreads, printers cannot process the file correctly. This leads to instant rejection on platforms such as KDP and IngramSpark.
Single pages are the universal standard. If you design in InDesign, Affinity, or similar tools, your export settings will include an option for this.
Keep All Printer’s Marks Out of the File
Do not include crop marks, trim marks, registration marks, or colour bars unless your printer specifically requests them. Print-on-demand platforms reject files with these marks. Traditional offset printers usually add their own marks, so they do not need yours.
Use High-Resolution Images at 300 DPI
Images and illustrations must be at least 300 dpi at final size. Lower resolution leads to blurry, pixelated results.
Pro-Tip: Scaling up a low-resolution image does not improve quality! If your images come from the internet, they may not be suitable for print.
Convert All Images to CMYK Colour Space
Screens use RGB colour. Printers use CMYK. If you submit RGB files, the printer will convert them automatically, which can lead to duller colours. Converting your images to CMYK before exporting your PDF helps you control how your colours will look on paper.
Cover File Requirements
Get caught making these mistakes and your book is sure to be judged by its cover.
Export the Full Cover Spread as One PDF
Your cover must be a full spread, as follows: Back cover on the left, spine in the center, and front cover on the right.
This single PDF should include all elements of your cover, including the barcode. The spine width depends on page count, paper type, and printing method; if your spine is even slightly wrong, the whole cover shifts. Foglio’s Cover Design service calculates this for you and creates a correct, print-ready file.
Include Bleed and Safe Zones
Covers require the same 0.125 inch bleed on all sides. Title text, author name, and back-cover copy must sit inside a safe zone so nothing gets trimmed. Many cover issues come from titles placed too close to the edges.
Export the Interior and Cover as Separate PDFs
Every platform requires two uploads: one PDF for the interior, and one PDF for the cover. Never combine them into a single file.
Common Print-Ready Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Authors often bring us files with issues that are easy to prevent. Here are the mistakes we see most often:
Incorrect trim size: If the PDF size is slightly wrong, printers will reject it. Always confirm trim size before formatting.
Missing bleed: A small detail that makes a big difference. Missing bleed causes white edges on covers or image pages.
Spreads instead of single pages: Most POD systems cannot process spreads and will reject the file automatically.
Crop marks included: Print-on-demand platforms require clean pages without any marks.
Low-resolution artwork: Anything below 300 dpi prints poorly, even if it looks sharp on screen.
Incorrect spine width: A tiny miscalculation can make your cover wrap incorrectly.
Fonts not embedded: If your PDF does not embed fonts, the printer may substitute them, changing your layout.
Foglio checks every file for these issues during our eBook Design and Validation and Formatting and Typesetting services, so authors do not have to troubleshoot alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Most of the time, no. If your book uses standard sizes and meets general print-ready requirements, one PDF set can work for both. Some special paper or colour choices may require small adjustments.
-
Print-ready illustrations must be at least 300 dpi at final size. For art books or photography, higher resolution offers better detail.
-
You can, but colours may shift. Converting to CMYK before exporting gives you more control over the final appearance.
-
Print-on-demand platforms usually reject the file. Traditional printers may remove marks for you, but this can shift placement. The safest choice is to export a clean PDF with correct bleed.
-
Every printer lists recommended margins. Foglio checks margin safety as part of our formatting service, including gutter calculations for thicker books.
Why Professional File Preparation Saves Time and Stress
When your files are prepared by professionals, you avoid the most common pitfalls, assuring your project is completed by deadline, and does not incur any extra expense. Professional designers understand trim sizes, colour profiles, spine calculations, and the technical rules behind every platform. This leads to smoother production, faster approval, and better-looking books. Connect with us for your free consultation to see how we can help you overcome some of the more technical hurdles of book production—you’ll be glad you did!
