Bleed on KDP, explained

Printers cannot print exactly to the edge of a page. To get a picture that runs off the edge, you make the page a little larger and the extra is cut away. That extra is bleed.

How much to add

• 0.125 in (3.2 mm) on the top, bottom and outside edge.
• So the page is 0.125 in wider and 0.25 in taller than the trim size. A 8.5 × 8.5 in book with bleed has 8.625 × 8.75 in pages.
• No bleed is added on the spine side.

The rule that catches people out

If any page bleeds, the whole file must be set up with bleed. You cannot mix bleed and no-bleed pages; choose bleed in KDP when even one picture touches the edge.

Keep text away from the edge

With bleed, keep text and faces at least 0.375 in from the outside edges. See margins and gutter.