KDP Requirements
Everything Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing requires for ebook and print uploads — in one clear reference.
Last verified: April 2026
KDP requirements change periodically. Always verify against the official KDP Help Centre before submitting. Inktastic exports are pre-checked against these specifications automatically.
📄 Interior File Requirements
Print Interior (PDF)
File formatPDF (PDF/X-1a preferred)
Image resolution300 DPI minimum
Colour spaceCMYK or Greyscale
FontsAll embedded
Bleed0.125" if images touch edges
Max file size650 MB
Ebook Interior (EPUB/DOCX)
File formatEPUB 2 or 3, or DOCX
Image formatJPEG or PNG
Image resolution72–96 DPI (screen)
Max file size650 MB
DRMOptional (KDP managed)
Colour spaceRGB for ebooks
🎨 Cover File Requirements
Print Cover
File formatPDF or PDF/X-1a
Resolution300 DPI
Colour spaceCMYK
Bleed0.125" on all edges
Spine widthCalculated by page count
Barcode area2" × 1.2" reserved on back
Ebook Cover
File formatJPEG or TIFF
Min size625 × 1000 px
Ideal size1600 × 2560 px
Aspect ratio1:1.6 (portrait)
Max file size50 MB
Colour spaceRGB
📐 Supported Trim Sizes
| Size | Category | KDP Support | IngramSpark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5" × 8" | Trade Paperback | Supported | Supported |
| 5.25" × 8" | Trade Paperback | Supported | Supported |
| 5.5" × 8.5" | Trade Paperback | Supported | Supported |
| 6" × 9" | Trade Paperback | Supported | Supported |
| 6.14" × 9.21" | Trade Paperback | Supported | Supported |
| 4.25" × 6.87" | Mass Market | Supported | Limited |
| 7" × 10" | Large Format | Supported | Supported |
| 8.5" × 11" | Large Format | Supported | Supported |
| 8" × 8" | Square | Limited | Supported |
| 10" × 8" landscape | Children's | Limited | Supported |
✅ Pre-Upload Checklist
- All fonts are embedded in your PDF (not just referenced)
- Images are 300 DPI or higher at print size
- Colour mode is CMYK (not RGB) for print files
- Margins meet KDP minimums for your page count
- Chapters begin on recto (right-hand, odd) pages
- No content falls within the 0.375" safe zone boundary
- Bleed of 0.125" applied if any images touch page edges
- Spine text is only included if spine width is at least 0.625"
- Back cover barcode area (2" × 1.2") is kept clear of design elements
- Do not submit RGB print interior — colours will shift in print
- Do not use transparency or layered effects in print PDF — flatten before exporting
Let Inktastic Handle This
Every Inktastic export is pre-checked against KDP and IngramSpark specs. Upload your manuscript — we do the rest.
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