[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":446},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-make-an-ingramspark-cover-template":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":436,"extension":437,"meta":438,"navigation":441,"path":442,"seo":443,"stem":444,"__hash__":445},"content\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-make-an-ingramspark-cover-template.md","How to Make an IngramSpark Cover Template: A Beginner's Guide",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":424},"minimark",[9,13,18,26,33,72,75,79,94,97,127,134,138,149,169,180,184,189,196,200,211,215,230,234,240,244,255,259,266,270,285,289,301,338,341,345,376,380,409],[10,11,12],"p",{},"IngramSpark lets independent authors print paperbacks and get them into bookstores and libraries. But its cover requirements can feel technical the first time. This guide explains, in plain language, what an IngramSpark cover template is, how to get the right measurements, and how to avoid the most common rejections.",[14,15,17],"h3",{"id":16},"what-is-a-cover-template","What Is a Cover Template?",[10,19,20,21,25],{},"A paperback cover is printed as ",[22,23,24],"strong",{},"one wide sheet",": back cover, spine and front cover side by side. It's then wrapped around your pages.",[10,27,28,29,32],{},"A ",[22,30,31],{},"cover template"," is a guide that shows you exactly where everything goes on that sheet:",[34,35,36,44,51,58,65],"ul",{},[37,38,39,40,43],"li",{},"where the book will be ",[22,41,42],{},"trimmed"," (cut),",[37,45,46,47,50],{},"where the ",[22,48,49],{},"spine"," folds,",[37,52,53,54,57],{},"the extra ",[22,55,56],{},"bleed"," area that gets cut away,",[37,59,60,61,64],{},"the ",[22,62,63],{},"safe area"," where text won't be cut off,",[37,66,67,68,71],{},"and space for the ",[22,69,70],{},"barcode",".",[10,73,74],{},"You design your cover on top of the template, then remove the guides before exporting.",[14,76,78],{"id":77},"the-key-measurement-spine-width","The Key Measurement: Spine Width",[10,80,81,82,85,86,89,90,93],{},"Your spine width depends on your ",[22,83,84],{},"page count"," and ",[22,87,88],{},"paper type",". Here is the tricky part for beginners: ",[22,91,92],{},"IngramSpark doesn't publish the paper thickness it uses",", and its spine widths are different from Amazon KDP's. So you can't just reuse your KDP cover.",[10,95,96],{},"To get the exact number:",[98,99,100,103,113,120],"ol",{},[37,101,102],{},"Log in to your IngramSpark account.",[37,104,105,106,109,110,71],{},"Open ",[22,107,108],{},"My Tools"," on your dashboard and choose the ",[22,111,112],{},"Cover Template Generator",[37,114,115,116,119],{},"Enter your book details. IngramSpark ",[22,117,118],{},"emails you a template",", which can take up to two hours.",[37,121,122,123,126],{},"The ",[22,124,125],{},"spine width"," is printed on the template.",[10,128,129,130,133],{},"One more detail: IngramSpark calculates the spine from an ",[22,131,132],{},"even page count",". If your book has 181 pages, it's treated as 182.",[14,135,137],{"id":136},"make-your-template-instantly","Make Your Template Instantly",[10,139,140,141,148],{},"Once you know your spine width, you don't have to wait for anything else. Fileverter's free ",[142,143,147],"a",{"className":144,"href":146},[145],"text-primary","\u002Ftools\u002Fpublishing\u002Fingramspark-cover-template","IngramSpark Cover Template tool"," builds the template right away:",[98,150,151,158,163],{},[37,152,153,154,157],{},"Choose your ",[22,155,156],{},"trim size"," (for example 6\" × 9\").",[37,159,160,161,71],{},"Enter your ",[22,162,84],{},[37,164,165,166,168],{},"Enter the ",[22,167,125],{}," from IngramSpark.",[10,170,171,172,175,176,179],{},"You'll see your full cover size and pixel size at 300 DPI, and you can download a ",[22,173,174],{},"PDF"," or a transparent ",[22,177,178],{},"PNG"," template for Canva, Photoshop or Affinity. If you change trim size later, you can make a new template in seconds.",[14,181,183],{"id":182},"ingramspark-cover-rules-in-plain-english","IngramSpark Cover Rules in Plain English",[185,186,188],"h4",{"id":187},"bleed-0125-inches-on-all-four-sides","Bleed: 0.125 inches on all four sides",[10,190,191,192,195],{},"Printers print slightly larger than your book, then trim the edges. Stretch your background color or image ",[22,193,194],{},"0.125\" (3 mm) past the trim line on every side",", so no white slivers show after cutting.",[185,197,199],{"id":198},"safe-area-keep-text-inside","Safe area: keep text inside",[10,201,202,203,206,207,210],{},"Keep text and important images ",[22,204,205],{},"at least 0.125\" inside the trim and the spine folds",". IngramSpark recommends ",[22,208,209],{},"0.25\""," on the front and back covers for extra safety.",[185,212,214],{"id":213},"spine-text-only-for-thicker-books","Spine text: only for thicker books",[10,216,217,218,221,222,225,226,229],{},"Books need ",[22,219,220],{},"at least 48 pages"," for text on the spine. Leave a small gap on each side of the spine text: ",[22,223,224],{},"0.0625\""," for spines 0.35\" or wider, or ",[22,227,228],{},"0.03125\""," for thinner spines.",[185,231,233],{"id":232},"barcode-required-on-every-cover","Barcode: required on every cover",[10,235,236,237,71],{},"Every IngramSpark cover needs a barcode on the back. You can move it anywhere inside the safe area, but don't resize it. If you don't have one, leave a clear space of at least ",[22,238,239],{},"1.75\" × 1\"",[185,241,243],{"id":242},"image-quality-300-ppi","Image quality: 300 ppi",[10,245,246,247,250,251,254],{},"Use images at ",[22,248,249],{},"300 ppi"," (the same idea as 300 DPI). Images below ",[22,252,253],{},"200 ppi"," may be rejected because they'd print blurry.",[185,256,258],{"id":257},"color-cmyk","Color: CMYK",[10,260,261,262,265],{},"Printers use CMYK ink (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). Convert images to CMYK. For small text (24 pt or below), use ",[22,263,264],{},"100% black"," so it prints crisp.",[185,267,269],{"id":268},"file-format-one-page-pdfx","File format: one-page PDF\u002FX",[10,271,272,273,276,277,280,281,284],{},"Export your cover as a ",[22,274,275],{},"single-page PDF"," using the ",[22,278,279],{},"PDF\u002FX-1a:2001"," or ",[22,282,283],{},"PDF\u002FX-3:2002"," preset. Most design programs, like InDesign, Affinity Publisher and Photoshop, have these presets in the PDF export window.",[14,286,288],{"id":287},"check-your-cover-before-uploading","Check Your Cover Before Uploading",[10,290,291,292,295,296,300],{},"IngramSpark reviews every file, and a rejection means fixing and resubmitting. Save time by running your finished PDF through the ",[22,293,294],{},"cover check"," on the ",[142,297,299],{"className":298,"href":146},[145],"IngramSpark Cover Template page",". It checks:",[34,302,303,310,317,323,329,335],{},[37,304,305,306,309],{},"the page size matches your template, ",[22,307,308],{},"including bleed",";",[37,311,312,313,316],{},"it's a ",[22,314,315],{},"single page"," (two pages only for special duplex covers);",[37,318,319,320,309],{},"all ",[22,321,322],{},"fonts are embedded",[37,324,325,326,309],{},"images are high enough ",[22,327,328],{},"resolution",[37,330,331,332,309],{},"the file is marked as ",[22,333,334],{},"PDF\u002FX",[37,336,337],{},"the file isn't password protected.",[10,339,340],{},"Your file is checked in your browser and never uploaded anywhere.",[14,342,344],{"id":343},"beginner-mistakes-to-avoid","Beginner Mistakes to Avoid",[98,346,347,353,359,365,370],{},[37,348,349,352],{},[22,350,351],{},"Reusing your KDP cover."," The spine width is different, so the full cover size is different too.",[37,354,355,358],{},[22,356,357],{},"Designing before your page count is final."," Every page changes the spine. Finish the interior first.",[37,360,361,364],{},[22,362,363],{},"Leaving the template guides visible."," The colored areas will print if you don't hide or cover them.",[37,366,367],{},[22,368,369],{},"Forgetting the barcode space.",[37,371,372,375],{},[22,373,374],{},"Exporting as a regular PDF"," instead of PDF\u002FX.",[14,377,379],{"id":378},"summary","Summary",[34,381,382,385,392,402],{},[37,383,384],{},"A cover template shows trim, spine, bleed, safe area and barcode space.",[37,386,387,388,391],{},"Get the ",[22,389,390],{},"exact spine width"," from IngramSpark's Cover Template Generator.",[37,393,394,395,398,399,401],{},"Use ",[22,396,397],{},"0.125\" bleed"," on all sides and keep text ",[22,400,209],{}," from the edges.",[37,403,404,405,408],{},"Export a ",[22,406,407],{},"one-page PDF\u002FX"," file and check it before uploading.",[10,410,411,412,417,418,423],{},"Make your template now with the ",[142,413,416],{"className":414,"href":146},[145,415],"font-bold","free IngramSpark Cover Template tool",". Also publishing on Amazon? Our guide to ",[142,419,422],{"className":420,"href":421},[145],"\u002Fblog\u002Fkdp-cover-size-and-spine-width-explained","KDP cover size and spine width"," explains the differences.",{"title":425,"searchDepth":426,"depth":426,"links":427},"",2,[428,430,431,432,433,434,435],{"id":16,"depth":429,"text":17},3,{"id":77,"depth":429,"text":78},{"id":136,"depth":429,"text":137},{"id":182,"depth":429,"text":183},{"id":287,"depth":429,"text":288},{"id":343,"depth":429,"text":344},{"id":378,"depth":429,"text":379},"New to IngramSpark? Learn what goes into a paperback cover template, where to find your spine width, the key cover rules, and how to check your file before uploading.","md",{"date":439,"slug":440},"2026-10-25","how-to-make-an-ingramspark-cover-template",true,"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-make-an-ingramspark-cover-template",{"title":5,"description":436},"blog\u002Fhow-to-make-an-ingramspark-cover-template","waWmOJUfaovwmiK8M4Gn3-pEVIeGccls8HfJ5JobCLY",1792934425436]