Print Bleed: Size Your File So Colour Reaches the Edge
Without bleed, tiny trimming shifts leave white edges. Adding bleed on all sides gives the trim room to land cleanly.
What is the Bleed Calculator?
Enter a trim width and height plus a bleed amount, and the tool gives the full document size including bleed on all sides. Bleed keeps colour running to the trimmed edge instead of leaving a white sliver.
How to use it
- Enter the trim width and height in millimetres.
- Enter the bleed amount, usually 3 mm.
- Click Calculate Bleed Size.
Worked example
An A4 trim of 210 x 297 mm with 3 mm bleed gives a full size of 216 x 303 mm.
What is the full size of A4 with 3 mm bleed?
Add 6 mm to each side: 216 x 303 mm instead of 210 x 297 mm.
Frequently asked questions
How much bleed do printers usually want?
3 mm is standard in most regions; some US printers ask for 0.125 inches, which is about 3.18 mm.
Does bleed change the visible page size?
No, the trim size stays the same; bleed is extra area that gets trimmed away.