Fix: page size

How to fix the wrong PDF page size

If your book is 6" x 9" but your PDF pages are 8.5" x 11" (letter), the printer has to shrink or crop every page. Your text ends up off-center, too small, or too close to the edge.

Quick answer

Your PDF page size must equal your book's trim size (for example 6" x 9"), or trim size plus bleed if art touches the edge. Set the paper size in your original file to the trim size, re-flow the text, then export a new PDF.

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Check it in 10 seconds

Open the PDF and look at Document Properties (Acrobat: File → Properties → Description → Page Size). It must match your trim size exactly. Every page, not just the first: a pasted-in section can carry its own size.

Fix it in Word

Save a copy first. Changing page size re-flows every page.
Layout → Size → More Paper Sizes. Type your trim width and height. Apply to: Whole document.
Reset margins for the new size (see margins). Letter-size margins are far too big for a 5" x 8" book.
Check every chapter: pictures, tables and page breaks will have moved. Fix any orphaned lines and empty pages.
Your page count probably changed. Note the new count; your cover's spine depends on it.
File → Save As → PDF. In Options, choose "Standard (publishing online and printing)".

Fix it in InDesign or Affinity

File → Document Setup. Change width and height to your trim size.
Use "Adjust layout" (InDesign) or let Affinity rescale content, then check each spread.
Export again as PDF/X-1a.

Common trim sizes

Book type	Common trim sizes
Novels	5" x 8", 5.25" x 8", 5.5" x 8.5", 6" x 9"
Non-fiction, memoir	5.5" x 8.5", 6" x 9"
Workbooks, journals	7" x 10", 8" x 10", 8.5" x 11"
Children's picture books	8" x 8", 8.5" x 8.5", 8.5" x 11"

Pick a size your printer offers for your paper and binding. Not every size is available in hardcover or color.

Shortcut: format it fresh

If your Word file is a mess of sections and old settings, it can be faster to start clean. SparkPrep's free Interior Studio imports your Word file and lays it out at your exact trim size, with margins set to your printer's own table for your page count.

Want every click spelled out? Read the full walkthrough: PDF page size doesn't match trim size on sparkprep.legenddary.com.

Find out what's wrong with your files before the printer does

SparkPrep checks your cover and every interior page against the exact rules Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press and Lulu use, tells you each problem in plain English, and can fix it for you.

Scan my book free See how SparkPrep works

The scan is free and shows how many problems your files have. To see every problem and where it is, the audit is $1.99 ($3.99 after January 1). The Advanced Audit checks every page, up to 300, for $9.99.

Questions people ask

Can I upload a letter-size PDF for a 6x9 book?

You shouldn't. The printer will shrink or reject it, and the result is usually off-center text and margin errors.

Why did my page count change when I changed the page size?

Smaller pages hold fewer words, so the text re-flows onto more pages. Update your cover's spine width to match.

More on this site

Fix your book's print filesPlain-English fixes for the book file problems printers reject: bleed, margins, fonts, transparency, low-resolution pictures, color, ink, page size and spine.How to add bleedHow to add 0.125 inch bleed to a book cover or interior in Canva, InDesign, Affinity or Word, how to check it, and why bleed errors come back.How to fix book marginsFix interior margin errors: KDP's inside gutter by page count, IngramSpark's 0.5 inch safety area, and margin settings in Word, InDesign and Affinity.How to embed fontsFix 'font not embedded' and font license errors in your book PDF: how to embed every font in Word, InDesign, Affinity and Canva, and how to check in Acrobat.How to flatten transparencyShadows and see-through shapes can print as boxes. How to flatten transparency and layers for KDP and IngramSpark in Canva, InDesign, Affinity and Acrobat.Fix low-resolution picturesHow to fix low-resolution (under 300 DPI) pictures in a book: pixel sizes for common covers and pages, how to stop Word compressing images, and what not to do.Fix color and ink coverageFix 'ink coverage exceeds 240%' and 'RGB found' errors: convert book files to CMYK or true grayscale and lower total ink in Acrobat, InDesign and Canva.Fix spine width and spine textFix a wrong spine width or spine text error: how to re-fit your cover for a new page count or paper, center spine text and know when spine text is allowed.

Free help from SparkPrep

Book Preflight, ExplainedWhat book preflight is, who needs it and what gets checked before KDP or IngramSpark prints your book.Print Cover SizesFull cover size charts, spine widths, barcode space and hardcover rules for KDP and IngramSpark.Rejection Messages DecodedWhat KDP and IngramSpark rejection messages really mean, in plain English, and what to do next.First Book GuideYour first print book, step by step: costs, timeline, words to know and the mistakes to skip.Free book toolsCover calculator, spine width, margins, DPI checker and page count, on sparkprep.legenddary.com.

Last updated 2026-11-01. Written by Joshua Davis, founder of SparkPrep. Numbers come from each printer's own published guides; always double-check your printer's current rules before you upload.