# How to work out the full cover size for KDP

A worked example: back, spine and front plus bleed for a 6 × 9 in paperback, and how a hardcover differs.

A print cover is one image: back cover, spine and front cover side by side, with bleed all the way round.

## Paperback, worked example

A 6 × 9 in paperback with 200 pages on white paper:

| Part | Size |
| --- | --- |
| Back cover | 6 in |
| Spine | 0.450 in |
| Front cover | 6 in |
| Bleed, each side | 0.125 in |
| Full width | 12.700 in |
| Full height | 9.250 in |

Width = bleed + back + spine + front + bleed. Height = bleed + trim height + bleed. At 300 DPI the file is 3810 × 2775 pixels.

## Where text can go

- Keep text 0.125 in inside the trim on the front and back.
- Keep spine text 0.0625 in from each fold.
- Leave the barcode area clear on the back; see [barcode](https://kdpbookai.com/guides/kdp-barcode-area).

## Hardcover is bigger

A hardcover cover wraps around boards. It is 15.0 mm of wrap on every side instead of bleed, plus hinges, so the same book needs a 14.214 in × 10.417 in cover. Never reuse a paperback cover for a hardcover.

> KDP's cover calculator gives a template for any size and page count. kdpbookai works out the same sizes and builds the cover to them.

## Sources

- Source: [KDP · Print Cover Calculator and Templates](https://kdp.amazon.com/cover-calculator), checked 2026-11-07.
- Source: [KDP · Create a Paperback Cover](https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201953020), checked 2026-11-07.
- Source: [KDP · Create a Hardcover Cover](https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GDTKFJPNQCBTMRV6), checked 2026-11-07.
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Page: https://kdpbookai.com/guides/kdp-cover-size · Checked 2026-11-09

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