KDP Paperback Formatting Template UK (2026): Page Sizes, Margins, Fonts (Copy-Paste Settings)

Last reviewed by Robert Prime — July 2026

Quick Answer: UK fiction standard is 203 × 127 mm (5" × 8"). Set inside margin to 19.1 mm (under 150 pages) or wider for thicker books, outside/top/bottom to 12.7 mm, and use 0.125" (3.175 mm) bleed if your cover or interior has edge-to-edge images. Font: 11pt Garamond or 10.5pt Georgia, 1.3–1.5 line spacing. Full settings tables below for every trim size.

Table of Contents

• Trim sizes that work for UK books
• Margin settings by trim size and page count
• Bleed settings
• Font and typography settings
• Page layout settings (Word)
• Page layout settings (Atticus)
• Page layout settings (InDesign)
• Headers, footers, and page numbers
• Front matter page order
• Common formatting errors KDP rejects
• Frequently asked questions
• Final thoughts

Trim sizes that work for UK books

KDP offers dozens of trim sizes. These are the ones UK authors actually use:

My recommendation: If you're publishing fiction or memoir, use 203 × 127 mm (5" × 8"). It's the size most UK readers expect for a paperback novel. Pick it up — it feels right. Non-fiction authors: 216 × 140 mm or 229 × 152 mm, depending on how much visual space your content needs.

Margin settings by trim size and page count

KDP's minimum margins change based on page count because thicker books need a wider inside (gutter) margin — the pages curve into the spine and you lose readable space. These are KDP's minimum requirements. I recommend adding 1–2 mm to the inside margin for comfort.

203 × 127 mm (5" × 8") — Fiction standard

Recommended settings (copy these):

Trim: 203 × 127 mm (5" × 8")
Inside margin: 19.1 mm (0.75")
Outside margin: 12.7 mm (0.5")
Top margin: 12.7 mm (0.5")
Bottom margin: 12.7 mm (0.5")

These work for books up to 500 pages and give comfortable reading margins — not just the bare minimum KDP allows.

216 × 140 mm (5.5" × 8.5") — Non-fiction standard

Recommended settings (copy these):

Trim: 216 × 140 mm (5.5" × 8.5")
Inside margin: 19.1 mm (0.75")
Outside margin: 15.9 mm (0.625")
Top margin: 15.9 mm (0.625")
Bottom margin: 15.9 mm (0.625")

229 × 152 mm (6" × 9") — Reference / workbook

Recommended settings (copy these):

Trim: 229 × 152 mm (6" × 9")
Inside margin: 19.1 mm (0.75")
Outside margin: 15.9 mm (0.625")
Top margin: 19.1 mm (0.75")
Bottom margin: 15.9 mm (0.625")

210 × 148 mm (A5) — Poetry / journal

Recommended settings (copy these):

Trim: 210 × 148 mm (A5 / 5.83" × 8.27")
Inside margin: 19.1 mm (0.75")
Outside margin: 12.7 mm (0.5")
Top margin: 12.7 mm (0.5")
Bottom margin: 12.7 mm (0.5")

Bleed settings

Bleed is the extra area beyond the trim edge that gets cut off during printing. You need bleed if:

• Your cover wraps to the edge (KDP handles this separately via the cover template)
• Your interior has images, colour blocks, or design elements that touch the page edge

Most fiction and text-only non-fiction: select No bleed in KDP. Your PDF page size matches the trim size exactly.

Illustrated books, cookbooks, photography books: select Bleed and extend all edge-touching images 3.175 mm beyond the trim line.

Font and typography settings

Recommended body fonts

Chapter headings

Paragraph settings

First line indent: 12.7 mm (0.5") — standard for fiction
  OR
First line indent: 0 mm with 6 pt space after — standard for non-fiction

Paragraph spacing: 0 pt (fiction) or 6 pt after (non-fiction)
Alignment: Justified (both sides aligned)
Hyphenation: On (Word/InDesign) — prevents large gaps in justified text
Widows/orphans control: On

First paragraph of each chapter: no indent. This is standard UK typographic convention. Every paragraph after that gets the 12.7 mm indent.

Page layout settings (Word)

Copy these into Word → Layout → Margins → Custom Margins:

Top: 1.27 cm
Bottom: 1.27 cm
Inside: 1.91 cm
Outside: 1.27 cm
Gutter: 0 cm (already accounted for in Inside margin)
Mirror margins: Yes (tick this — essential for a print book)
Paper size: Custom — 12.7 cm × 20.3 cm (for 5" × 8")
Multiple pages: Mirror margins
Apply to: Whole document

Font: Garamond, 11 pt
Line spacing: Multiple, 1.3
Paragraph indent — first line: 1.27 cm
Paragraph spacing before: 0 pt
Paragraph spacing after: 0 pt

Export as PDF: File → Save As → PDF → Options → tick "ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A)" for best KDP compatibility. Ensure "Embed fonts" is ticked.

Page layout settings (Atticus)

Atticus handles much of this automatically, but verify these settings:

Trim size: Select "5 × 8" from the dropdown
Theme: Choose a body font (Garamond, Georgia, or Baskerville)
Font size: 11 pt (adjust in the preview)
Line height: 1.3–1.4
Chapter heading style: Choose from Atticus templates
Page numbers: Bottom centre or bottom outside corner
Front matter: Add via the "Add front matter" panel (title page, copyright, dedication, contents)

Atticus exports print-ready PDF and EPUB. After export, run a KDP Readiness Score to verify margins and embedding.

Page layout settings (InDesign)

For authors using Adobe InDesign:

New Document:
  Intent: Print
  Width: 127 mm
  Height: 203 mm
  Pages: Facing pages (tick)
  Bleed: 0 mm (or 3.175 mm if illustrated)

Margins:
  Top: 12.7 mm
  Bottom: 12.7 mm
  Inside: 19.1 mm
  Outside: 12.7 mm

Master pages:
  Running headers: 9 pt, same font as body, author name (verso) / book title (recto)
  Page numbers: 9 pt, centred at bottom or outside corner

Paragraph styles:
  Body Text: Garamond 11/14.3 pt, justified, first line indent 12.7 mm
  Body First: Same but no first line indent
  Chapter Title: 22 pt, centred, space before 200 pt (drops title down page)

Export:
  Format: PDF (Print)
  Preset: PDF/X-1a:2001
  Subset fonts below: 100% (embeds all fonts)
  Colour: Greyscale (fiction) or CMYK (colour interior)

Headers, footers, and page numbers

Front matter page order

The standard UK front matter sequence:

Page i     — Half-title page (book title only, no subtitle, no author)
Page ii    — Blank (or "Also by" list)
Page iii   — Full title page (title, subtitle, author name, imprint)
Page iv    — Copyright page
Page v     — Dedication (optional)
Page vi    — Blank (if dedication is present)
Page vii   — Table of contents (non-fiction) or Epigraph (fiction, optional)
Page viii  — Blank
Page 1     — Chapter 1 begins (always on a recto/right-hand page)

Odd-numbered pages are always on the right. Even-numbered pages are always on the left. If a section ends on a right-hand page, insert a blank left-hand page before the next section. KDP requires the total page count to be even.

Common formatting errors KDP rejects

1. Text too close to the spine edge. Inside margin below KDP's minimum for your page count. Fix: widen the inside margin.
2. Text in the bleed area. If you selected bleed, keep all text at least 15.9 mm from trim edges. Fix: increase margins or move text inward.
3. Fonts not embedded. The PDF uses a font that isn't embedded. Fix: re-export with font embedding enabled.
4. Wrong page size. PDF dimensions don't match the trim size you selected in KDP. Fix: set your document to the exact trim size.
5. Odd total page count. KDP requires an even number of pages. Fix: add a blank page at the end.
6. Low-resolution images. Interior images below 300 DPI. Fix: replace with higher-resolution versions.
7. RGB colour mode for print. Interior images in RGB instead of CMYK (or greyscale). Fix: convert images in Photoshop or GIMP.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between gutter and inside margin?

In KDP's context, they're the same thing — the margin on the spine side of the page. In Word, you can set a "gutter" value separately from margins. If you're using mirror margins in Word, set the inside margin to include the gutter amount and leave the gutter field at 0 to avoid doubling up.

Can I use any font I want?

You can use any font you have a licence for. Most system fonts (Garamond, Georgia, Palatino, Times New Roman) are fine. If you're using a purchased font, check the licence allows embedding in a PDF for commercial distribution. Avoid display fonts for body text — they're designed for headlines, not 300 pages of reading.

Should I use cream or white paper?

KDP offers both. Cream (off-white) is standard for fiction and memoir — it's easier on the eyes for long reads. White is better for non-fiction, illustrated books, and anything with colour images. You choose this when setting up the paperback in KDP, not in your formatting.

How do I make sure my PDF is print-ready?

Run a KDP Readiness Score — it checks margins, font embedding, image resolution, and page count before you upload. Alternatively, upload to KDP and use their built-in previewer, but our tool catches more issues and gives specific fix instructions.

What if my book has tables or complex layouts?

Word struggles with complex tables at small trim sizes. InDesign handles this better. Alternatively, our formatting service specialises in complex layouts — workbooks, cookbooks, books with sidebars, tables, and pull quotes.

Final thoughts

The settings above cover 90% of KDP paperback formatting. Copy the margin table for your trim size, pick a readable serif font at 11 pt, set mirror margins, and export a clean PDF with embedded fonts.

The other 10% is the fiddly stuff — orphan lines, chapter drop caps, running headers that don't appear on blank pages, tables that break across page boundaries. If you'd rather not learn that 10%, our formatting service handles it from £69 with a 3-day turnaround. If you're doing it yourself, run a free KDP Readiness Score on the exported PDF before you upload — it catches the errors KDP will reject for, before the rejection email.

— Robert publishing.co.uk