Bleed Specifications
Bleed (Trim Allowance) – How to Ensure Clean Edges
Bleed means that the background color or image extends slightly beyond the final trim size. This ensures your printed product looks clean and professional after cutting — without unwanted white borders.
aDigi recommendation: 2 mmSafe margin: 4–6 mmBackground extends past edge
aDigi recommendation: add 2 mm of bleed on every side.
The general print standard is 3 mm, but 2 mm is sufficient for most products at aDigi.
Why is bleed necessary?
- Cutting is never perfectly “pixel precise” — small tolerance is normal.
- Even a less than 1 mm shift can cause visible white edges.
- If a background color or image reaches the edge, bleed is essential.
How much bleed should you add?
Add 2 mm on each side (top, bottom, left, right).
| Final size | Added bleed | Size with bleed |
|---|---|---|
| A4 210 × 297 mm | +2 mm / side | 214 × 301 mm |
| A5 148 × 210 mm | +2 mm / side | 152 × 214 mm |
| A6 105 × 148 mm | +2 mm / side | 109 × 152 mm |
Rule of thumb: total size increases by +4 mm in width and +4 mm in height (2 mm + 2 mm).
What can (and cannot) be placed in the bleed area?
| OK in bleed area | Not in bleed area |
|---|---|
| Background color | Text |
| Images reaching the edge | Logos |
| Patterns and background graphics | Important content (QR codes, contact details, pricing) |
Safe margin: keep text and logos at least 4–6 mm away from the trim line.
This ensures key content stays intact even if trimming shifts slightly.
Design Tip
Best practice
- Extend backgrounds and images into the bleed area.
- Keep important content safely inside margins.
- Check your PDF at 100% zoom (size) and 300% zoom (sharpness).
Avoid these
- Background stopping exactly at the trim line.
- Text placed too close to the edge.
- Raster logos when vector files are available.
How to add bleed in different software
| Software | How to set aDigi’s 2 mm bleed |
|---|---|
| Adobe InDesign | New Document → Bleed: 2 mm → Export PDF. |
| Adobe Illustrator | File → Document Setup → Bleed: 2 mm → Save as PDF. |
| Adobe Photoshop | Create the file 4 mm larger than the final size → Export as PDF. |
| Canva | Enable “Bleed” (if available) → Extend background beyond edge → Download “PDF Print”. |
| Microsoft Office / LibreOffice | Bleed is not natively supported → We recommend Canva/InDesign or ask for help. |
Summary
- Add 2 mm of bleed on every side.
- Keep key content at least 4–6 mm from the trim line.
- Only backgrounds/images belong in the bleed area — not text or logos.
- Deliver your file as a print-ready PDF including bleed.
Need a quick check? We review your file and notify you if any adjustments are needed before production.
