How to Publish Your Print Book on Amazon KDP
KDP Print is Amazon's print-on-demand service for paperbacks and hardcovers. When a reader orders your print book, Amazon prints and ships it — no inventory, no upfront printing costs. The service is free, but getting your files right requires technical precision. Interior formatting, bleed settings, spine width calculations, and cover template specifications all need to be correct before KDP's automated review will accept your submission.
This guide walks through every step and every technical requirement in the order you'll encounter them.
What You Need Before You Start
A print-ready interior PDF formatted to your chosen trim size, with correct margins, embedded fonts, and 300 DPI images
A cover PDF built from KDP's Cover Template Generator — requires your exact final page count first
Your exact final page count — you need this before generating the cover template
An ISBN (optional — KDP provides a free one, or bring your own from Bowker)
Your KDP account with tax interview and banking complete (see the KDP Ebook guide)
Step 1: Start a New Print Title
From your KDP Bookshelf, click + Create and select Paperback or Hardcover. If you already published the ebook version of this title, from your Bookshelf click the ellipsis (…) next to the ebook title and select Add Paperback — this links the editions on the same Amazon product page.
The workflow has three pages: Details, Content, and Rights & Pricing.
Step 2: Details Page
Complete language, title, subtitle, series, edition, author, contributors, description, keywords, and categories exactly as you would for an ebook — the same guidelines apply. See the KDP Ebook guide for full detail on each metadata field.
Additional field for print: Adult Content — if your book contains explicit sexual content, check this box. The age restriction applies to the print listing.
Step 3: Content Page — Print Specifics
ISBN
KDP offers a free ISBN for print books. This ISBN lists 'Independently published' as the publisher of record in Bowker's global ISBN database. If you want your own publishing company name as publisher of record, provide your own ISBN from Bowker (myidentifiers.com). Buy ISBNs in a block of 10 — the per-unit cost drops significantly versus buying singly.
⚠ The ISBN choice is permanent. Once published with a specific ISBN, you cannot change it. To switch to your own ISBN later, you must unpublish and republish as a new title — resetting your review history and sales rank from zero.
Print Options — Interior
|
Field / Spec |
Value / Requirement |
Notes |
|
Interior type |
Black & white or Color |
Color costs 3–5× more per page |
|
Paper color |
White or Cream (B&W only) |
Cream preferred by many fiction readers |
|
Bleed |
No bleed or Bleed |
Use bleed if any image/design reaches the page edge |
|
Cover finish |
Matte or Glossy |
Matte feels more premium; glossy is more vibrant |
Trim Size — Choose Before You Format
Choose your trim size before formatting your interior. Changing trim size after formatting requires reformatting the entire interior PDF.
|
Field / Spec |
Value / Requirement |
Notes |
|
5" × 8" |
Standard trade paperback |
Common for fiction; slightly compact |
|
5.5" × 8.5" |
Most popular indie fiction size |
Good balance of cost and readability |
|
6" × 9" |
Standard nonfiction / trade |
Common for business, nonfiction, academic |
|
8.5" × 11" |
Large format |
Workbooks, journals, activity books |
|
7" × 10" |
Large nonfiction |
Textbooks, illustrated content |
Interior File Specifications
|
Field / Spec |
Value / Requirement |
Notes |
|
File format |
PDF only |
No Word, ePub, or other formats |
|
PDF version |
PDF/X-1a, X-3, X-4 or PDF 1.3–1.7 |
PDF/X-1a preferred |
|
Color mode |
Grayscale (B&W) or CMYK (color) |
RGB images in B&W book will be converted |
|
Image resolution |
300 DPI minimum |
Lower = blurry printed images |
|
Fonts |
Must be fully embedded |
Non-embedded fonts = review failure |
|
Bleed (if selected) |
0.125" on all bleed edges |
Extend page content to bleed edge |
|
Safety zone |
0.375" from each trimmed edge |
Keep text and critical elements inside |
|
Page size in PDF |
Must match trim size exactly |
Plus 0.125" bleed if bleed selected |
Gutter (Inner Margin) Requirements by Page Count
|
Field / Spec |
Value / Requirement |
Notes |
|
24–150 pages |
0.375" minimum gutter |
|
|
151–300 pages |
0.500" minimum gutter |
|
|
301–500 pages |
0.625" minimum gutter |
|
|
501–700 pages |
0.750" minimum gutter |
|
|
701+ pages |
0.875" minimum gutter |
Books over ~900 pages may be rejected |
⚠ Most formatting tools (Vellum, Atticus, InDesign) handle gutter requirements automatically when you enter your trim size and page count. If formatting manually, verify your gutter measurements against KDP's current specs before generating your PDF — KDP does update these requirements.
Cover File: Using KDP's Cover Template Generator
Your cover must be a single PDF wrapping back cover, spine, and front cover. Spine width is calculated by KDP's Cover Template Generator — do not try to calculate it independently. Access the generator from the Paperback Content page under Cover. Enter your trim size, page count, interior type, and paper type. Download the template and design over it.
|
Field / Spec |
Value / Requirement |
Notes |
|
Cover file format |
PDF only |
No JPEG, PNG, or layered files |
|
Color mode |
CMYK or RGB |
CMYK preferred for accurate color reproduction |
|
Resolution |
300 DPI minimum for all images |
|
|
Outer bleed |
0.125" on all outer edges |
Always required for covers |
|
Safety zone |
0.0625" inside trim lines |
Keep text and logos inside |
|
Barcode area |
Back cover, bottom right |
Leave clear — KDP places its barcode here |
|
Spine text |
Only if spine ≥ 0.25" wide |
Cannot add text to very thin spines |
|
Spine width |
Calculated by KDP template only |
Never reuse a template from a different page count |
⚠ The most common reason print files are rejected is cover errors — wrong spine width, text outside safety zone, missing bleed, wrong dimensions. Always download a fresh Cover Template Generator file for your specific page count. Never reuse a cover template from a book with a different page count.
Book Preview
After uploading both files, use KDP's digital book preview. Review every page before publishing. Check: margins are even, no text is clipped, images are clear, spine text is centered, and back cover text is legible. Fix any issues before submitting.
Step 4: Rights & Pricing Page
Territories
Select 'All territories' if you hold worldwide rights. Otherwise select individual countries where you hold rights.
Pricing and Royalty Calculator
KDP pays 60% of list price minus the printing cost for Amazon.com sales. For expanded distribution sales, it's 40% minus printing cost. The printing cost depends on your trim size, page count, interior type, and paper. Use KDP's royalty calculator on the Pricing page — it shows your exact printing cost and calculates your per-copy royalty at any price you enter.
|
Field / Spec |
Value / Requirement |
Notes |
|
Amazon.com royalty |
60% of list price − printing cost |
Example: $14.99 × 60% = $8.99 − printing |
|
Expanded distribution |
40% of list price − printing cost |
Lower rate for non-Amazon channels |
|
Minimum viable price |
Must yield positive royalty |
Calculator shows minimum |
|
Author copies |
Printing cost + shipping only |
No retail markup on your own copies |
Practical example: A 300-page 5.5" × 8.5" B&W paperback has a KDP printing cost of approximately $3.65. At $13.99, your royalty is ($13.99 × 60%) − $3.65 = $4.74 per copy. At $14.99, it's $5.34. Pricing slightly above genre average in your format is typically more profitable than pricing at the lowest viable point.
Expanded Distribution
KDP Print's Expanded Distribution makes your book available through channels beyond Amazon. The royalty drops to 40%. Note: in practice, independent bookstores and library systems rarely order KDP Print titles through Expanded Distribution — they prefer Ingram's wholesale catalog. For genuine bookstore and library distribution, publishing through IngramSpark is the more effective path. See the IngramSpark How-To guide.
Step 5: Publish
Click Publish Your Paperback Book. Print book review takes 72 hours to a week. Once approved, status changes to 'Live' and the book is available on Amazon.
Order an author proof copy before promoting. Author copies are available at printing cost plus shipping — no retail markup. Hold the physical book, check that cover colors are accurate, text is readable, and binding quality is acceptable. If anything needs correction, upload revised files.
Hardcover on KDP
KDP offers case-laminate hardcover POD (printed board cover, no dust jacket). The workflow is identical to paperback. Hardcover printing costs are higher — typically $7–$12 for a standard novel — so price accordingly: most indie hardcovers are $22.99–$34.99. KDP does not offer dust-jacket hardcovers or cloth-bound covers. For those formats, use IngramSpark or BookVault.
Updating Files After Publication
Upload revised interior or cover files at any time from your Bookshelf. Revisions go through the same review process and take 72 hours or more. During review, your book remains on sale with the old files. There is no charge for file revisions on KDP Print.
Once your KDP Print book is live, your print royalties appear in ScribeCount alongside your ebook royalties. ScribeCount tracks both formats on Amazon — ebook sales, KU page reads, and print royalties — in a unified view without switching between reporting dashboards.
Common KDP Print Mistakes
Submitting interior PDF at wrong page size — must exactly match trim size plus bleed if applicable
Calculating spine width manually instead of using KDP's Cover Template Generator
Leaving text or critical elements outside the cover safety zone — will be cut off in the final print
Not ordering a proof copy — cover color, image quality, and paper can surprise you
Pricing below the royalty floor — always use the royalty calculator before finalizing price
Relying on Expanded Distribution for bookstore/library placement — use IngramSpark for that purpose
Getting your print files right the first time saves
significant frustration. KDP's error reports are specific enough to diagnose
and fix any issue. Take your time with the cover template, validate your
margins, use the royalty calculator, and always preview before publishing.
-Randall Wood