Bleed and safe margins
How much bleed and edge margin each kind of print needs.
At a glance
- Bleed 3 mm
- Safe zone 3 mm
- Cutting tolerance ±1–2 mm
- Card 90×50 mm file 96×56 mm
Every printed piece is printed on a larger sheet and then cut to its final size. To come out right, the file needs three zones:
- Trim line: the finished size, where the guillotine cuts.
- Bleed: backgrounds and images that reach the edge carry on a little past the trim line.
- Safe zone: a strip just inside the trim line where text and important elements don't go.
Why bother? However carefully it is done, cutting has a tolerance of about ±1–2 mm, because sheets shift slightly in the stack. Bleed makes sure no white edge appears, and the safe zone makes sure no letter gets clipped.
Important. Bleed is not a margin. The background must run past the trim line; if it stops on the line, a white edge can show after cutting.
Example: a business card
The usual business card is 90×50 mm. With 3 mm of bleed on every side, the file is set up at 96×56 mm. Text stays within 84×44 mm, that is 3 mm from the edge.
Values by product
| Product | Bleed | Safe zone | Image resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cards, flyers, menus, books (up to A3) | 3 mm | 3 mm | 300 dpi |
| Posters (A2 to A0) | 3 mm | 5–10 mm | 150 dpi |
| Stickers | 2 mm | 2–3 mmfrom the cut line | 300 dpi |
| Banners, roll-ups, large signs | 10–20 mm | 20–30 mm5 cm where eyelets go | 100 dpi |
| Shop windows, vinyl on glass | 20–30 mmfor trimming on site | 30–50 mm | 72–100 dpi |
Large formats need a wider safe zone, because that is where eyelets, hems or the stand's frame go.
Crop marks
Crop marks are short lines at the corners, outside the bleed, that show exactly where the trim line is. Turn them on when you export the PDF (in Illustrator and InDesign: “Marks and Bleeds” → “Trim marks” and “Use document bleed settings”).
Do
- Backgrounds and images out to the bleed line
- Text and logos inside the safe zone
- Crop marks turned on when exporting the PDF
Avoid
- A background that stops exactly at the trim line
- Phone numbers or text right up against the edge
- A thin border all round, close to the cut