Your first project for print? You sent the file, and the printer replied: "No bleed. Please correct it." You open Google, read a few articles, and still don't know exactly what to do. I'll show you. all printing conceptsthat you really need, in one specific example of business cards + flyers - with exact values in mm.
In short
- Bleed = excess graphics 3 mm beyond the net edge to avoid white stripes after cutting.
- Safe margin = 3-5 mm from the cutting edge for text and logo.
- Crop marks = arrows where the printer should cut the paper.
- Registration marks = color calibration marks (the printer sets them, you don't have to).
- Net format = dimension of the finished product. Gross format = with bleeds.
Why do bleeds exist?
Cutting problem in the printing house
The paper cutting machine has accuracy ±0.5-1 mmThis means that a finished 90 × 50 mm business card can actually be:
- 89.5 × 49.5 mm (less)
- 90.5 × 50.5 mm (more)
- Slightly crooked
No bleeds
If the background color ends exactly on the edge of the net (90 × 50 mm) and the machine cuts 0.5 mm further = appear white strips of paper.
+-----------------+
|░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░| <- nasz projekt 90 x 50 mm
|░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░|
+-----------------+
↓ cięcie 0,5 mm dalej
+-----------------+
|░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░|
|░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░|
|░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░|
| B I A Ł Y | <- biały pasek papieru
+-----------------+
With drops
You are expanding the background by 3 mm in each direction (96 × 56 mm). When the machine doesn't hit perfectly, there is still a background in the visible area.
Anatomy of a Project - 3 Areas
+============================+ <- LINIA SPADU (96 × 56 mm)
║ ║ tło sięga aż tutaj
║ +----------------------+ ║
║ | | ║ <- LINIA CIĘCIA (90 × 50 mm)
║ | +----------------+ | ║ wymiar gotowej wizytówki
║ | | | | ║
║ | | bezpieczny | | ║ <- BEZPIECZNY OBSZAR (84 × 44 mm)
║ | | obszar tekstu | | ║ tekst, logo TYLKO tutaj
║ | | | | ║
║ | +----------------+ | ║
║ | | ║
║ +----------------------+ ║
║ ║
+============================+
═════ = linia spadu (gdzie kończy się tło)
----- = linia cięcia (gdzie drukarnia tnie)
spacja = bezpieczny margines (gdzie tekst/logo)
3 areas in a nutshell
| Area | Size (business card example) | What could be here? |
|---|---|---|
| Bleed | 96 × 56 mm | Just background or graphic elements |
| Cutting line | 90 × 50 mm | Ready dimension |
| Safe margin | 84 × 44 mm | Text, logo, important elements |
Bleed values for different formats
Small formats (business cards, leaflets)
- Bleed: 3 mm
- Safe margin: 3 mm
Medium (A3-A2 posters, A4 leaflets)
- Bleed: 3 mm (sometimes 5 mm)
- Safe margin: 5 mm
Large (A1 posters, banners)
- Bleed: 5 mm (banners up to 10 mm)
- Safe margin: 10-20 mm
Large format (billboards, large-size banners)
- Bleed: 50-100 mm (note: very large!)
- Safe margin: 100-150 mm
In large format the mounting system eats up the edgesThe larger the print, the greater the bleed.
Books, brochures
- Bleed: 3 mm
- Safe margin: 5 mm
- Inner margin (spine side): 12-20 mm to maintain readability after stitching/gluing
Configuration in popular programs
Adobe InDesign
File → New → Document
- Page Size: 90 × 50 mm (netto)
- Bleed: Top/Bottom/Inside/Outside: 3 mm
- Margins: 3 mm
InDesign will automatically show 3 areas colored lines:
– Red line = bleed
– Black = cutting
– Purple = safe margin
Adobe Illustrator
File → New
- Width: 90 mm, Height: 50 mm (netto)
- Bleed: 3 mm
Illustrator shows red frame = bleed line.
Affinity Publisher / Designer
File → New
- Document size: 90 × 50 mm
- Include bleed: ✓ 3 mm
- Margins: 3 mm
Canva (Pro)
Canva doesn't have "traditional" bleed settings, but when exporting to PDF Print you can check "Add bleed marks" - Canva automatically adds 3mm.
Canva's disadvantage: Limited control, sometimes bleeds are imprecise. For professional printing, we recommend InDesign / Affinity Publisher.
Printer's marks
Crop marks
Small arrows in the corners indicating the cutting line to the printer.
┌─ ─┐
│ │
│ │
└─ ─┘
Configuration in InDesign on export:
– File → Export → PDF
– Marks and Bleeds → ☑ Crop Marks
– Offset: 3 mm (offset = distance from the cutting line so that the marks do not overlap the image)
Bleed marks
Second markers - show where the drop endsLarger printers use both crop and bleed marks.
Registration marks
Crosses (usually 4 - 1 in each corner of the page) used by the printer to CMYK color overlay calibration.
You do NOT have to add them — the printing house generates them automatically. If you see "Registration Marks" during export, leave it not checked.
Color bars
Color strips (CMYK + Pantone) used by the printer to paint density control.
You do NOT add — the printing house generates. When exporting DO NOT check "Color Bars".
Page Information
A line of text showing the file name, date, version, ICC profile.
Optional — some printers want it, some don't. Check the requirements of a specific printing house.
Most common formats + bleeds - cheat sheet
| Product | Net dimension | With bleed (+3 mm) | Safe area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business card | 90 × 50 mm | 96 × 56 mm | 84 × 44 mm |
| A6 leaflet | 105 × 148 mm | 111 × 154 mm | 99 × 142 mm |
| A5 leaflet | 148 × 210 mm | 154 × 216 mm | 142 × 204 mm |
| A4 leaflet | 210 × 297 mm | 216 × 303 mm | 204 × 291 mm |
| A3 poster | 297 × 420 mm | 303 × 426 mm | 291 × 414 mm |
| A2 poster | 420 × 594 mm | 426 × 600 mm | 414 × 588 mm |
| A1 poster | 594 × 841 mm | 600 × 847 mm | 588 × 835 mm |
| Roll-up banner 85×200 | 850 × 2000 mm | 870 × 2050 mm | 800 × 1950 mm |
| A5 book | 148 × 210 mm | 154 × 216 mm | internal: +15 mm |
Pitfalls that stop a project
❌ Trap 1: The background "almost reaches" the edge
Background on 88 × 48 mm in a 90 × 50 mm business card = 2 mm white frame after cutting. It looks like it was cut badly.
Solution: background expand for the entire bleed area (96 × 56 mm).
❌ Trap 2: Text on the cut line
Telephone "+48 123 456 789" starts 0.5 mm from the net edge. After offsetting the cut by 1 mm - you lose the first digit.
Solution: minimum text 3-5 mm from the edge (safe margin).
❌ Trap 3: Logo touches the edge
The client "wants it"—the logo on the edge of the business card. Risk: after cutting, the logo is "cut off."
Solution: the client accepts the risk and leaves a warning in the project + maintains a minimum of 1 mm of space.
❌ Pitfall 4: No bleed in PDF exported from Canva/Word
Word does not support bleeds. Every Word file for printing = problem.
Solution: print design do in InDesign/Illustrator/Affinity (or Canva Pro). Word = NO.
❌ Trap 5: Bleed without crop marks
The file is 96 × 56 mm (with bleed), but no crop marksThe printer doesn't know where to cut - they might cut it wrong.
Solution: always turn on Crop Marks when exporting PDF.
Special situations
Double-sided printing (front/back)
2-sided business card = 2 pages PDFEach with a 3 mm bleed.
Attention: the printing house needs to know if the pages are mirror image (when rotating on the "shorter side" - flip horizontal) or not.
Books, brochures
Inner margin (on the back side) must be greater than the external one - because the stitching/gluing "hides" the text close to the spine.
Standard:
– Outer margin: 12-15 mm
– Inner margin: 18-25 mm
– Top margin: 12-15 mm
– Bottom margin: 15-20 mm
Stickers, labels
Bleeds depending on the type of cutting:
– Contour cutting: bleed 1-2 mm
– Cutting on sheets: bleed 3 mm
Ask the printer — each has its own requirements.
Folded brochures (folded booklets)
Each fold = separate safe zone. Text cannot be on the fold line.
Typical A4 leaflet folded in three:
– 99 × 210 mm (each side folded)
– Safe area: 5 mm from the fold line
What's next
This week:
- Open a graphics program and create a template for a business card with a 3 mm bleed and 3 mm margins
- Save as template — use as a base for any new project
- Check if you have it enabled by default in PDF export Crop Marks
- Before sending each file - open in Adobe Acrobat and check if you see the crop marks
We create graphic designs with correct bleeds right away — business cards, leaflets, folders, posters. Contact us for a quote.
