KDP cover requirements: how to make a paperback cover that passes review
Short answer
A KDP paperback cover is one PDF: back cover, spine and front. Width = 0.125 in bleed + back + spine + front + 0.125 in bleed; height = trim height + 0.25 in. Spine = page count × paper thickness; spine text needs 80+ pages. Exact size and a free template: kdpbook.io/kdp/cover-size-calculator.
Key numbers
- Bleed: 0.125 in on each outside edge
- Barcode area: 2 × 1.2 in, lower right of the back cover
- Spine text only on books with more than 79 pages
- Cover text at least 7 pt; images at 300 DPI
- Kindle cover: 1,600 × 2,560 px
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Get the exact size for your book from the cover size calculator and the spine from the spine width calculator: both follow KDP’s formula. Below, each rule KDP reviews (bleed, safe areas, spine text, the barcode area and resolution) with a worked example you can check, then the hardcover and Kindle covers.
How big is a KDP paperback cover?
Width = bleed + back + spine + front + bleed. Height = trim height + bleed top and bottom. The bleed is 0.125 in (3.2 mm) on each outside edge. The trim width and height of every KDP size are listed on the trim sizes page.
Example: a 5.5 × 8.5 in novel with 240 pages on cream paper has a 0.6 in spine, so its cover is 0.125 in + 5.5 + 0.6 + 5.5 + 0.125 in = 11.85 in wide and 8.75 in tall.
Spine width
The spine is the page count times the thickness of one page, which depends on the paper:
| Ink & paper | Per page |
|---|---|
| Premium color · white paper | 0.002347 in |
| Standard color · white paper | 0.002252 in |
| Black & white · white paper | 0.002252 in |
| Black & white · cream paper | 0.0025 in |
| Black & white · groundwood paper | 0.00235 in |
Spine text is only printed on books with more than 79 pages, and must stay 0.0625 in away from each fold. Details and a calculator on the spine width page.
Hardcover cover size
A KDP hardcover is case laminate: the printed cover wraps around rigid boards. The file has no bleed; instead it has a 15 mm wrap on every edge that folds around the boards. Each board is 5 mm wider and 6 mm taller than the trim, the spine gets an extra 4.8 mm, and a 10 mm hinge on each side of the spine must stay free of text.
The same 5.5 × 8.5 in, 240-page book needs a 13.364 × 9.917 in hardcover cover, with a 0.789 in spine.
Where must text and the barcode go?
Inside the safe area, and never in the barcode box:
- Keep text and important art at least 0.125 in inside the trim (paperback) or 0.125 in inside the board edge (hardcover).
- Leave a 2 × 1.2 in white area in the lower right of the back cover: KDP prints the ISBN barcode there unless you add your own.
- Text on the cover must be at least 7 pt.
- The title and author on the cover must match the book details you enter in KDP exactly.
Resolution and file
Images at 300 DPI: the example paperback cover is 3,555 × 2,625 pixels. Export a single-page PDF with fonts embedded, and remove every template guide and crop mark first. The cover size calculator gives you a template with every zone marked on separate layers.
Kindle cover
The Kindle eBook cover is a separate front-only JPEG. KDP’s ideal size is 1,600 × 2,560 pixels (height 1.6 times the width), at least 625 × 1,000. Light covers need a thin grey border so they stand out on Amazon’s white pages.
Questions
How do I calculate my KDP cover size?
Width = 0.125 in + trim width + spine width + trim width + 0.125 in. Height = trim height + 0.25 in. The spine width is the page count times the paper factor.
Can I reuse my paperback cover for the hardcover?
Not as is. A hardcover cover is bigger: it wraps around boards, has hinges next to the spine and a wider spine for the same page count. Recalculate it and adjust the layout.
Can I reuse my print cover as the Kindle cover?
Use the front panel only, exported as a JPEG. KDP's ideal Kindle cover is 1,600 × 2,560 pixels, which has a different shape from most print trims, so some cropping or extension is usually needed.