What Is Print Bleed?
Bleed is a little extra image around the edges of your design, so it can print edge to edge with no white border. Get it right and your cards, layouts, and scrapbook pages come out exactly the way you pictured them.
Three lines worth knowing
The bleed
Extra background that runs past the edge of your design. It gets trimmed away, so the color goes all the way to the edge.
The trim line
Where the paper is cut. This is the finished size of your print, like 5×7.
The safe zone
The area just inside the trim. Keep names, dates, and faces here so nothing important gets close to the cut.
Full bleed = edge to edge
The background runs past the dashed trim line into the bleed. When the print is cut, the color goes right to the edge, with no thin white sliver.
The words sit inside the dotted safe zone, so even a tiny shift in cutting never clips a letter.
Photographic prints vs. press prints
How much bleed you need depends on how your design is printed.
| Photographic prints | Press prints | |
|---|---|---|
| Includes | Classic photo prints on photo paper | Double-sided cards and fine paper prints |
| Printed | Edge to edge | On larger paper, then trimmed |
| Bleed to add | None. Trim is less than 1/8" | Add 0.25" total (1/8" on every side) |
| Design a 5×7 at | 5 × 7 | 5.25 × 7.25 |
| Shop | Photographic prints → | Press papers → |
Why so little trim on photo prints? Many labs enlarge your image over the paper to hide any white edge, and thin borders end up uneven or gone. Persnickety centers your image evenly with as little overlay as possible, so your design prints the way you made it.
Design sizes with bleed
Making your own design in Canva, Photoshop, or another app? Set your canvas to the "design at" size below. Pixels are at 300 DPI for the sharpest print.
| Finished size | Design at (with bleed) | Pixels at 300 DPI |
|---|---|---|
| 4×6 | 4.25 × 6.25" | 1275 × 1875 |
| 5×7 | 5.25 × 7.25" | 1575 × 2175 |
| 8×10 | 8.25 × 10.25" | 2475 × 3075 |
Any other size works the same way: add 0.25" to the width and the height.
A quick design checklist
Checked by hand, every time
Persnickety certified lab techs look at every single print before, during, and after it's printed. If it isn't right, it gets printed again.
Get every print just right
Photo resolution
Find out how big any photo can print, with a quick size calculator.
How big can it print? →Pixels explained
Why a photo looks perfect on your phone but fuzzy in print, and the easy fix.
Read the pixels guide →Aspect ratio
Why some photos get cropped when they print, and how to choose the right size.
Aspect ratio tips →Print bleed FAQ
What is print bleed?
Bleed is extra image or background that extends past the edge of your design. It's trimmed off after printing so the color runs edge to edge with no white border.
Do photographic prints need bleed?
No extra bleed is needed. Photographic prints are printed edge to edge, and the trim is less than 1/8 inch, so your image appears as expected.
How much bleed do press prints need?
Double-sided and fine paper press prints need 0.25 inch of bleed added to the width and height, which is 1/8 inch on every side. For example, design a 5×7 press print at 5.25 × 7.25 inches.
Why did the thin border on my design come out uneven?
Trimming can shift by a tiny amount, and a very thin border right at the edge shows every bit of it. Make borders thicker, or keep them inside the safe zone.
Want a second set of eyes?
Send your design over and the team will check the size and bleed before it prints. Email support@persnicketyprints.com or call 801-225-7020.
Your pictures matter. Your memories matter. Print them.