Print files
Bleed in print: what it is and how many millimetres to add
Bleed is extra artwork beyond the cut line. Guillotines and plotters cut with a tolerance of a fraction of a millimetre, so the background must extend past the product edge. Without bleed a white strip may remain at the edge.
- Flyers, posters
- 2–3 mm on each side
- Business cards
- 2 mm
- Banners, roll-ups
- As the print shop requires, often 10–50 mm
- Stickers
- 1–3 mm beyond the cut line
How to calculate the file size with bleed
Add the bleed on both sides to the net size. A 90 × 50 mm business card with 2 mm bleed: a 94 × 54 mm file. An A3 poster (297 × 420 mm) with 3 mm bleed: a 303 × 426 mm file. A 200 × 100 cm banner with 20 mm bleed: a 2040 × 1040 mm file.
| Product | Net | Bleed | File |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business card | 90 × 50 mm | 2 mm | 94 × 54 mm |
| A5 flyer | 148 × 210 mm | 3 mm | 154 × 216 mm |
| A3 poster | 297 × 420 mm | 3 mm | 303 × 426 mm |
| Banner | 2000 × 1000 mm | 20 mm | 2040 × 1040 mm |
Bleed vs safety margin
Bleed lies outside the cut line and is trimmed off. The safety margin lies inside the cut line: a zone where you do not put text or logos, because the cut may shift by a fraction of a millimetre. On a banner with eyelets the margin is often larger, e.g. 30 mm, so an eyelet does not pierce the text.
In the kreatorproduktow.pl designer the cut line is a red dashed line and the safety margin a green one. Bleed is added automatically.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I do not add bleed?
The print shop either adds bleed by stretching the artwork or prints the file without it. Then white strips or a cut-off part of the background may appear at the edges.
Is bleed needed with a white background?
If nothing touches the edge, bleed is not visible, but print shops still ask for a file with bleed so the size matches.
How do I add bleed in Canva?
Turn on “Show print bleed” in the File menu, and when downloading “PDF Print” tick “Crop marks and bleed”. Details in the Canva guide.
See also
Try the designer on your own products
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