Check the bleed, trim and safe zone of a print PDF
The PDF Bleed Checker answers the questions a print shop asks before it accepts your file: what size will the page be after cutting, is there enough bleed on every side, and is any text or logo dangerously close to the edge? It reads the five page boxes stored in the PDF — MediaBox, CropBox, BleedBox, TrimBox and ArtBox — measures them in millimetres or inches, and looks at the rendered page to see where the artwork actually goes.
Every page gets a verdict, plain-language findings and a diagram of its boxes, including the bleed area that normal PDF viewers hide.
The check runs in your browser and your artwork is never uploaded, so unreleased designs and client work stay private. Still setting up the file? The bleed calculator gives the document size with bleed and the safe area.
How to check bleed in a PDF
- Drop your print-ready PDF onto the upload area or click to choose it.
- Choose the bleed your printer asks for — 3 mm is usual in the UK, Europe and India, 0.125 inch (3.175 mm) in the US — and the safety margin you want to keep text inside.
- Read the overall verdict and the page table, which shows the trim size and the bleed on the left, right, top and bottom of every page.
- Click “View” on any row to see the page diagram: the green line is where the paper is cut, red is the bleed edge and the dashed purple line is the safe zone. Pink shading marks content that is too close to the trim.
- Switch units between millimetres and inches if needed, fix any problems in your design software, and download the report to send with your files.
PDF Bleed Checker features
All five page boxes
MediaBox, CropBox, BleedBox, TrimBox and ArtBox are read for every page, with defaults applied exactly as the PDF specification describes and sizes shown in mm and inches.
Bleed on each side
The distance between the trim and the bleed edge is measured separately for left, right, top and bottom, and compared with your printer’s requirement.
Trim size names
Common sizes are recognised automatically: A0–A7, B4, B5, SRA3, DL, US Letter, Legal, Tabloid, business cards, postcards and popular posters.
Looks at the artwork
The page is rendered including the bleed area, so the checker can tell whether artwork really runs past the trim, stops short of it, or does not reach the edge at all.
Safe-zone warning
Content that differs from the background inside the safety margin is highlighted on the diagram and listed by side.
Shareable report
Download a plain-text summary of trim sizes, bleed measurements and findings for your print shop.
Bleed, trim and safe zone explained
Printers print on oversized sheets and then cut them down. The cut is never perfectly accurate, so anything that should reach the edge of the finished piece — a background colour, a photo, a border — must extend a few millimetres past the cut line. That extra area is the bleed. The TrimBox marks the finished size (the cut line), the BleedBox marks how far the artwork extends, and the MediaBox is the whole sheet in the file, which may also contain crop marks.
The cut can drift inwards as well as outwards, so important content needs to stay a safe distance inside the trim. This safe zone is typically 3–5 mm for flyers and cards and more for bound books.
| Box | What it means | If it is missing |
|---|---|---|
| MediaBox | The full page in the file, including bleed and printer’s marks | Required in every PDF |
| CropBox | The area a PDF viewer shows on screen | Same as the MediaBox |
| BleedBox | How far artwork extends for trimming | Same as the CropBox |
| TrimBox | The finished size after cutting | Same as the CropBox, so there is no bleed |
| ArtBox | The meaningful content area, used when placing the page elsewhere | Same as the CropBox |
Common bleed requirements
These are typical values, not rules — always follow the specification your print shop gives you.
| Region or product | Usual bleed | Usual safe zone |
|---|---|---|
| UK, Europe and India (most printers) | 3 mm | 3–5 mm |
| United States | 0.125 in (3.175 mm) | 0.125–0.25 in |
| Large posters and banners | 5 mm or more — ask the printer | Larger, depending on mounting |
| Books and booklets | 3 mm (0.125 in) on the outer edges | Extra space on the binding side |
Fixing the most common problems
- No TrimBox: in your design app, set the document bleed (for example 3 mm) and export with “Use document bleed settings” or with crop marks, so the trim is recorded in the PDF.
- Artwork stops at the trim: stretch background colours and images past the edge of the page to the bleed line.
- Text too close to the edge: move it inside the safe zone; a small shift of the cut should never touch a letter.
- Converting colours for the printer? Try the PDF Color Converter for a quick CMYK version, and run the PDF Validator to make sure fonts are embedded and the file is not damaged.
PDF Bleed Checker FAQ
How do I check if my PDF has bleed?
Open it in the PDF Bleed Checker. The table shows the bleed on every side of every page, and the diagram draws the trim and bleed lines over the page. If there is no TrimBox, the page has no bleed defined, and the checker tells you whether artwork reaches the edge.
How much bleed do I need — 3 mm or 0.125 inch?
Use whatever your printer specifies. Most printers in the UK, Europe and India ask for 3 mm; most in the US ask for 0.125 inch, which is 3.175 mm. Choose the value in “Required bleed” and the checker compares every side with it.
What is the difference between the TrimBox and the BleedBox?
The TrimBox is the finished size after cutting. The BleedBox is larger and shows how far the artwork extends beyond the cut so that no white edge appears if the cut is slightly off.
Why does the checker say content is too close to the trim?
Something in the safety margin looks different from the background next to it — usually text, a logo or a border. Move it further from the edge. If it is a background picture that deliberately runs off the page, you can ignore the warning.
Does it add bleed to my PDF?
No. It measures and explains; it does not change your file. Bleed has to be added in the design application, because the artwork itself must extend past the trim.