Print ad specs – formats, bleeds, and standards (2025 guide)

Updated September 2025

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Why this page exists

Print never went away. Flyers, catalogues, shelf-edge labels, posters, packaging — they still drive sales and they still have rules. When specs are scattered, teams make expensive mistakes: missing bleeds, wrong DPI, RGB instead of CMYK, or a dieline that hides the barcode. This page collects the essentials so you can ship print with confidence.

A smart system should output these correctly every time — the same inputs that power your social and retail media should also power your print. One system. Any channel.

Common formats

A-series (EU): A5 (148 × 210 mm), A4 (210 × 297 mm), A3 (297 × 420 mm). Aspect ratio is 1:√2 — layouts scale neatly up or down.
US formats: Letter (8.5 × 11 in), Legal (8.5 × 14 in), Tabloid (11 × 17 in).
Resolution: 300 DPI at final size for photography and bitmaps. Vector graphics scale without loss.
Bleed: 3 mm (1/8 in) beyond trim unless your printer asks for more.
Safe zone: keep live text and logos at least 5 mm (0.2 in) from trim.

Color and print profiles

Color space: CMYK for press. Use RGB only for on-screen proofing.
Profiles: FOGRA39 / ISO Coated v2 for much of Europe; US SWOP for North America. Always confirm the press profile with your printer.
Spot colors: Pantone is common for brand-critical hues; check ink availability and overprint behavior.
Black: use rich black for large areas (for example C60 M40 Y40 K100) and 100% K for small text.

File types and hand-off

Preferred: PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 with fonts embedded and images linked or embedded.
Also accepted: TIFF for bitmap art; packaged INDD/AI files if required by the printer.
Preflight: verify page size, resolution, color space, overprint, bleeds, and ink limits.
Proofing: request a soft proof or contract proof for color-critical jobs.

Out-of-home (OOH) posters

6-sheet (citylight): 1200 × 1800 mm; bleed 10 mm; safe zone 20 mm; 150 DPI at final size.
48-sheet billboard: 6096 × 3048 mm; bleed 15 mm; safe zone 30 mm; 100 DPI at final size.
96-sheet billboard: 12192 × 3048 mm; bleed 15 mm; safe zone 30 mm; 72–100 DPI at final size.

Note: sizes and finishing vary by operator and country. Always check the supplier spec.

In-store print and retail fixtures

Shelf wobblers (circle): 100–120 mm diameter; 3 mm bleed; 300 DPI; die-cut.
Shelf-edge labels: common 38 × 76 mm; 1–2 mm bleed; 300 DPI; retailer templates vary.
Aisle fins (blades): example 210 × 600 mm; 3 mm bleed; 10 mm safe zone; confirm hardware and whether it’s double-sided.

Packaging basics

Dieline-based: artwork must align to provided cutting and fold lines.
Bleed and safety: 3–5 mm bleed; keep text and essential marks clear of folds, cuts, and glue areas.
Color: CMYK with spot inks as needed; observe trapping; supply barcodes at the correct size with quiet zones.
Files: PDF/X-1a with fonts embedded, or AI/INDD package including links and profiles.

Why this matters

Print is where a sloppy workflow becomes a costly mistake. A missing bleed can scrap a 50,000-copy run. A wrong profile can shift a brand color on every shelf. The point isn’t to memorize numbers — it’s to make specs part of your system so output is always right, first time.

Downloads

Print ad specs (CSV): Download