# Bleed on KDP, explained

What bleed is, how much to add, and the one rule that catches most people out.

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](https://kdpbookai.com/guides/kdp-margins-and-gutter).

## Sources

- Source: [KDP · Set Trim Size, Bleed, and Margins](https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GVBQ3CMEQW3W2VL6), checked 2026-11-07.
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Page: https://kdpbookai.com/guides/kdp-bleed-explained · Checked 2026-11-09

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