If you’re working with images in your book manuscript—whether it’s a map, an illustration, or just a background—you’ve likely come across the term bleed. It’s one of those technical things that can make a big difference when your book moves from your computer screen to printed pages.
In this post, I’ll help you with understanding image bleed for print books, why it’s important, and how to set it up, whether you’re publishing your book through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark, or other platforms available to indie authors.
Contents
What is “image bleed” in book printing?
“Bleed” is simply the area of an image or graphic that extends beyond the intended page, if it’s intended to fill the entire page or go to one or more edges.
When you’re creating a printed book, it’s essential to leave this extra space to make sure that images go all the way to the edge of the page when the book is trimmed to its final size.
(Click the video image or follow this link to my 3-minute YouTube video for a quick demonstration on understanding image bleed.)
Why bleed matters in print
Without bleed, you risk having a thin white strip along the edge of the page due to tiny shifts that naturally happen in the printing process. For books that are filled with vibrant full-page images or have graphic elements that reach the outer edges, those white lines are a pretty big problem.
When you upload a book to a printer like KDP, their machines will trim your pages to match the trim size you’ve specified. The problem is that printers are never 100% exact, which you can even spot in traditionally published books with tens of thousands of printed items. At some point, every print job shifts ever so slightly, and if your image doesn’t extend properly off the edge, your content can be trimmed inaccurately.
This is where the “bleed” becomes a buffer, ensuring that even with a small shift, your content still visually reaches the page’s edge.
And the pages will shift. At some point or another, pages will be cut off imperfectly, so you’ll save your sanity if your project will be fine with “close enough.”
How much bleed do you need?
Different printing companies have different bleed requirements. For example, Kindle Direct Publishing asks for bleed along the top, bottom, and outside edges—not the spine. Typically, the required bleed size is an eighth of an inch (0.125 inches), but it may depend on the platform you’re using.
Here’s a quick breakdown for some common print on demand (POD) companies and their recommended measurements:
- KDP and IngramSpark: .125 inches on top, outside, and bottom
- Lulu: .125 inches on all four edges
- BookVault: 3mm on all four edges
- BOD and Tredition (European companies): 5mm bleed, all edges
What if I only have KDP files?
These are bleed recommendations, so if you have files you know are fine on KDP, and another print company allows you to upload the book file without flagging or rejecting, you can just upload what you have.
I have used KDP formatted files on Lulu and BookVault with good results, despite their recommendations of having four edges with image bleed rather than just three. Next I’ll show you how to change bleed settings if you’re using the Vellum software, but ordering a proof copy from these other companies should show you whether you’ll be happy with using the same outputs you upload to KDP. (Most of the time, they’re fine.)
Don’t let fear and perfectionism hold you back at this point. DO check what proof and preview options are available to you. DO get a pre-publication “proof copy” if at all possible to make sure everything prints as you expect. But if you tend to fall into “analysis paralysis,” move forward with the mindset that done is better than perfect.
Each platform will specify its own requirements, and other printing companies besides these should tell you what they require, but having a general idea of these common numbers and basically understanding image bleed means fewer surprises when you upload.
Setting bleed in Vellum: new software features
If you’re using the Vellum software to format your manuscript, and you add a single- or double-page Heading Background or a full-page image like a map or other artwork, Vellum automatically adds bleed to your exported page size. (Hooray for easy!)
You can also adjust the bleed settings for different printing companies in the US, UK, and Europe! Here’s how to define the bleed settings in your Vellum file:
- In Vellum, go to File > Print Settings.
- Go to the bottom and select the Bleed drop-down.
- Set the Bleed Region based on where you plan to print. You’ll get platform-specific options like the .125-inch bleed KDP uses or the all-edges bleed recommended by other platforms.
2025 update: you can now choose for bleed to be added to your file “only if necessary,” or “always.” To prep a file for forced edges, choose “always,” along with the platform-specific options, whether you have full-page images in the book or not.
If you submit your print files to multiple companies, I recommend you rename the different exports to include either the printing company name or something else that will let you identify at a glance which print file you need when it’s time to upload.
Avoiding KDP upload errors: a common mistake
When you upload your file on Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, you’ll see an option under Print Options where you have to select either “no bleed” or “bleed (PDF only).”
If your file is formatted with these full-page images but you forget to click “[with] bleed,” or even vice versa (you’ve clicked “bleed” but your file isn’t formatted with it), you will get an error message with odd sizing options, and KDP will ask if you’d like them auto-correct the size.
DO NOT let KDP auto-correct your file for you.
Go check your bleed settings and make sure KDP and your file are matching up.
Yes, it’s tempting to click a button that says it will “fix” the issue, but this is not actually a problem with the file. It’s a mismatch of the file and KDP’s settings, and their fix will actually be wrong.
If you aren’t you’re understanding image bleed or KDP’s rules, come join my Facebook group, The Indie Author Toolkit, where we answer all kinds of technical questions like these. Post the exact error wording, share a screenshot with us, and we’ll help you out!
Bleed, simplified?
Understanding image bleed is a small but vital step when working on print projects. It prevents those annoying white edges and ensures your book looks polished and professional. I do love that Vellum keeps adding features that make it easier and easier to put out amazing books, especially with print on demand platforms that can be such a challenge.
Whether this is your first book or you’re a seasoned self-publisher, knowing how bleed works (and being able to explain it to others!) will help you create a book that looks as good off the press as it does on your screen.