Do I have to upload a PDF for KDP print?
If your interior uses bleed, yes: upload a PDF for the manuscript. Without bleed, KDP may accept other formats and convert them.
Use this step-by-step KDP method: lock trim and bleed, set up the Word file correctly, export a clean PDF, run KDP Previewer, then fix the source file if KDP flags anything.
A print-ready PDF is more than a file that looks good on your own screen. KDP checks the page size, margins, images, fonts, and the PDF itself.
1. **Page size matches your trim size** (and bleed if you selected bleed).
2. **Margins and gutter fit your page count** so text is safe near the spine.
3. **Fonts and images are embedded and print-ready**.
4. **The PDF is clean** (no crop marks, no comments, no locked security, no hidden junk).
The safe method is simple: set up the source file in the right order, export one clean PDF, run Previewer, then fix the source file instead of patching the PDF.
If you change trim size, bleed, or paper choices late, Word can reshuffle the pages and force you to redo the margin and page-count work.
Choose trim size first. 6" x 9" is common for US paperbacks, but use the trim your edition requires.
Decide bleed before formatting. If any element prints to the page edge, use bleed and set PDF page size to trim plus bleed.
Bleed sizing rule for interior PDFs: add 0.125" to width and 0.25" to height (example: 6" x 9" trim -> 6.125" x 9.25").
Pick paper and ink settings early too, because those choices can change page count and print requirements.
1A) **Set page size first.** In Word, go to Layout -> Size -> More Paper Sizes.
• No bleed: use exact trim size.
• With bleed: use trim plus bleed dimensions.
• After page-size changes, recheck margins because text will reflow.
1B) **Set mirror margins and gutter logic.**
• Layout -> Margins -> Custom Margins.
• Multiple pages: Mirror margins.
• Apply to: Whole document.
• If you are already using mirrored inside margins, leave Word's separate gutter box at zero unless you have a specific reason to change it.
1C) **Use page-count-based inside margin minimums.**
• 24-150 pages: inside 0.375".
• 151-300 pages: inside 0.5".
• 301-500 pages: inside 0.625".
• 501-700 pages: inside 0.75".
• 701-828 pages: inside 0.875".
Outside margin minimums: no bleed at least 0.25", with bleed at least 0.375".
Before you style anything, turn on formatting marks and clean the source file so the export behaves predictably.
2A) **Turn on formatting marks.**
• Remove tab-based indents, repeated spaces, and manual line-break spacing.
• Remove extra blank paragraphs used as visual separators.
2B) **Use styles instead of hacks.**
• Normal for body text.
• Heading 1 for chapter titles.
• Keep paragraph spacing and first-line indents controlled in paragraph settings.
2C) **Start chapters consistently.**
• Use page breaks for chapter starts.
• Avoid pressing Enter repeatedly to force visual spacing.
This is where many Word files go wrong. Keep the section setup clear before you export.
3A) **Create a front-matter section and a body section** with section breaks between them.
3B) **Use Roman numerals for front matter** only if you need them.
3C) **Start Chapter 1 at Arabic page 1** for your main body.
3D) **Unlink headers/footers across sections** before final export.
3E) **Use Different First Page** on chapter-open pages if your design requires it.
4A) **Use print-safe image quality.**
• Target at least 300 DPI source images for print interiors.
4B) **Insert images cleanly.**
• Insert -> Pictures instead of copy/paste from unknown sources.
• Avoid enlarging low-resolution images after insertion.
4C) **Disable Word image compression.**
• Turn off automatic compression so print quality is preserved.
4D) **If bleed is enabled, your image content must actually bleed.**
• Extend artwork past the trim line and make sure the PDF page size includes bleed.
5A) **Embed fonts before PDF export.**
• In Word: File -> Options -> Save -> enable 'Embed fonts in the file'.
• Keep restrictive embedding sub-options disabled so full embedding is not blocked.
5B) **Verify embedded fonts in the exported PDF.**
• In Acrobat: File -> Properties -> Fonts.
• Confirm fonts show as embedded or embedded subset.
5C) **If a font will not embed, switch fonts early.**
• Some fonts fail because of licensing or file restrictions, so it is better to find that out early.
A KDP-safe export is about a clean file, not just a nice-looking page.
• No crop marks, trim marks, comments, hidden objects, or watermarks.
• Do not lock or encrypt the PDF.
• Use Word's normal PDF export unless your printer or tool specifically tells you to use a special preset.
• Keep image downsampling and compression from degrading print content.
• Keep total file size within KDP limits (currently 650MB maximum).
If something is wrong, fix the source file and make a fresh PDF. Avoid patching the final PDF directly.
After upload, use KDP Print Previewer in Bookshelf and inspect pages on purpose.
• Margins and gutter safety: no text outside safe print regions.
• Bleed match: if bleed is selected in KDP, confirm the PDF sizing and artwork align.
• Page numbering: starts where intended and does not restart unexpectedly.
• Blank pages: intentional vs accidental.
• Image quality: no pixelation or transparency artifacts.
• Chapter starts: still where you expect them after your last edits.
Use this simple rule: Previewer finds a problem -> fix the source file -> export a fresh PDF -> check Previewer again.
8A) **Trim size mismatch:** page size does not match trim or bleed settings.
8B) **Insufficient bleed:** bleed is selected, but page dimensions or image edges do not extend correctly.
8C) **Text outside margins:** inside or outside margins are too tight, or floating objects sit too close to edges.
8D) **Fonts not embedded:** embedding is disabled or the font cannot embed.
8E) **Low-resolution images:** replace source assets; metadata-only DPI edits do not improve quality.
Most books pass after one solid fix pass when the setup order is right.
• [ ] Page size matches trim (or trim plus bleed).
• [ ] Margins and gutter match your page-count range.
• [ ] Interior file uses single pages (not print spreads).
• [ ] Images are at least 300 DPI and inserted cleanly.
• [ ] Fonts are embedded and verified in PDF properties.
• [ ] PDF has no crop marks, comments, watermarks, or locked security.
• [ ] File size is below KDP upload limits.
• [ ] KDP Print Previewer is clean across representative pages.
If you want a simpler path, Senswriter is built around one loop: write, export, preview, fix, and publish.
• Write and organize front matter, chapters/scenes, and back matter in one web workspace with cloud projects and autosave.
• If connection drops briefly while a tab stays open, edits can queue and sync when connection returns.
• Generate print-ready PDF + cover PNG, EPUB, and DOCX from the same project.
• In hosted Senswriter, exports are subscriber-only: try the workflow first, then subscribe when you are ready to generate publish files.
• AI Assist is optional BYOK, so you only add your own API key if you want it.
• You still run the final print file through KDP Print Previewer before upload.
Use the same workflow in one workspace: draft, export, run checks, fix the source, and upload one clean final file.
If your interior uses bleed, yes: upload a PDF for the manuscript. Without bleed, KDP may accept other formats and convert them.
Wrong setup order, wrong bleed selection, or inside margin values that do not match page count are common causes.
Use at least 300 DPI source images for print interiors and avoid enlarging low-resolution assets in Word.
No. KDP expects interior files without crop marks, trim marks, comments, or locked security flags.
Page size, margins, fonts, and paragraph spacing can all reflow pagination. Fix the source file, export a fresh PDF, and rerun Previewer.
Some fonts fail due to licensing or technical restrictions. Test early and switch fonts if embedding does not hold in the exported PDF.