# KDP cover requirements: how to make a paperback cover that passes review

Source: https://kdpbook.io/guides/kdp-cover-dimensions-and-spine-width · Updated 2026-10-15

A 5.5x8.5, 240-page cream novel needs an 11.85 × 8.75 in cover. The formula, spine width, barcode box, Kindle size and the rules KDP checks.

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

Sections: How big is a paperback cover? · Spine width · Hardcover cover size · Where do text and the barcode go? · Resolution and file · Kindle cover

Get the exact size for your book from the [cover size calculator](https://kdpbook.io/kdp/cover-size-calculator) and the spine from the [spine width calculator](https://kdpbook.io/kdp/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](https://kdpbook.io/glossary/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](https://kdpbook.io/kdp/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](https://kdpbook.io/kdp/spine-width-calculator).

## Hardcover cover size

A KDP hardcover is [case laminate](https://kdpbook.io/glossary/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](https://kdpbook.io/glossary/barcode-area):

- 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](https://kdpbook.io/kdp/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.

Sources (checked 2026-09-26):
- [KDP Help: Create a Paperback Cover](https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201953020)
- [KDP Help: Create a Hardcover Cover](https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GDTKFJPNQCBTMRV6)
- [KDP Help: Barcodes](https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G5HDYGP4BXLX4RUW)
- [KDP Cover Calculator](https://kdp.amazon.com/cover-calculator)
- [KDP Help: Kindle eBook Cover Guidelines](https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G6GTK3T3NUHKLEFX)

## Questions

Q: How do I calculate my KDP cover size?
A: 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.

Q: Can I reuse my paperback cover for the hardcover?
A: 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.

Q: Can I reuse my print cover as the Kindle cover?
A: 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.