How to add bleed to a PDF
- Add your PDF. Click Choose PDF files or drag files onto the box. You can add several at once.
- Choose the bleed size. Use 0.125 in for most US printers or 3 mm for most European printers, or enter your printer’s value.
- Pick how to fill the bleed. Mirrored edges for designs that run to the edge, White space for white backgrounds.
- Click Add bleed. Check the preview: the blue dashed line is where the paper will be cut, the red line is the bleed edge. Then download your file.
What is bleed, and why do printers ask for it?
Printers print on larger sheets and then cut them down. The cut can move by a fraction of a millimeter, so if your background stops exactly at the edge, a thin white line may show on some copies. Bleed is extra image that extends past the final edge. The cut lands inside it, and every copy looks clean.
A PDF with bleed is slightly larger than the finished piece. It also records the finished size as a TrimBox and the bleed area as a BleedBox, so print software knows exactly where to cut. This tool sets both for you.
Mirrored edges or white space?
Mirrored edges reflect the outer few millimeters of each page into the bleed. Backgrounds, photos and color blocks continue seamlessly past the trim line, which is what printers want. Because the bleed is a reflection, avoid placing text or faces right at the edge. Keep important content at least 0.125 in (3 mm) inside the trim, which is good practice anyway.
White space enlarges the page without touching your design. Use it when the design has a white background, or when a printer rejects files only because the page size doesn’t include bleed.
If you still have the original design file, extending the background there gives the best result. This tool is the fastest fix when you only have the PDF.
Common bleed sizes
- 0.125 in (3.175 mm): standard for most US printers and online print services.
- 3 mm: standard in the UK, Europe, Australia and most of Asia.
- 5 mm or 0.25 in: often requested for books, large posters and banners.
Frequently asked questions
How much bleed do I need?
Most US printers ask for 0.125 inch (about 3.2 mm) on every side. Printers in Europe and Asia usually ask for 3 mm. Some large-format and book printers want 5 mm or 0.25 inch. If in doubt, check your printer’s file requirements.
What does “mirrored edges” do?
It copies a thin strip of your page along each edge and flips it outward, so backgrounds and photos continue into the bleed area. When the paper is trimmed, any small shift leaves design, not a white line. It works best for photos, solid colors and gradients.
When should I use white space instead?
Use white space when your design has a white background and nothing touches the edge. The page simply grows by the bleed on every side, and the original content stays exactly as it was.
Will adding bleed change the size of my printed piece?
No. The PDF page gets bigger by the bleed amount on each side, but the tool records your original size as the TrimBox. Printers trim back to that size, so a 8.5 × 11 in flyer with 0.125 in bleed becomes an 8.75 × 11.25 in PDF that is cut to 8.5 × 11 in.
Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?
No. The bleed is added by JavaScript running in your browser. Your file never leaves your computer, which matters for client work and unreleased designs.
Does it keep text and vector graphics sharp?
Yes. The tool works directly on the PDF’s vector content, so text, logos and shapes stay sharp and selectable. Nothing is converted to an image.
Do I need crop marks?
Many online printers don’t want them and only need the bleed. Some print shops ask for crop marks so they can see where to cut. Tick “Add crop marks” only if your printer asks for them.
Related tools
Need to go the other way? Remove crop marks and bleed from a PDF to get a clean, trimmed file for screen viewing or a home printer.