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Self-publishing tools

IngramSpark Cover Template & Checker

Turn your IngramSpark spine width into an instant paperback cover template with bleed and safe areas, then check your finished cover PDF before you upload it.

YOUR BOOK

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Cover dimensions

Full cover with bleed
12.25" × 9.25"
Spine width
0"
At 300 DPI
3,675 × 2,775 px
Bleed (each edge)
0.125"
Text safe margin
0.125" (0.25" rec.)
Spine text
Allowed · 0.0313" margin
Barcode area
1.75" × 1"
  • Enter the spine width from your IngramSpark cover template.
BARCODE AREABACK COVERKeep text inside the green dashed linesHide or delete this guides layer before exportingFRONT COVERTrim 6" × 9" · Spine 0"Full cover with bleed 12.25" × 9.25"IngramSpark · 200 pages
Bleed (trimmed off)Trim and spine foldsSafe area for text
PNG is transparent, 300 DPI, for Canva, Photoshop or Affinity.

Before you upload

Check your cover PDF

Checks size, bleed, spine width, fonts and image resolution against the settings above. Your file stays in your browser.

Also check by hand
  • Images are CMYK and transparencies are flattened.
  • The template guides layer is hidden or deleted, with no crop marks or color bars.
  • Text 24 pt or smaller uses 100% black, and total ink stays under 240%.
  • The barcode area is clear, or your own barcode is black on a white box.

Publishing on Amazon too? Use the KDP cover calculator. To check interior images, use the PDF DPI checker.

FAQ

Why do I need to enter the spine width?

What bleed and safe area does IngramSpark require?

When can I put text on an IngramSpark spine?

Why does my page count change by one?

What file format does IngramSpark accept for covers?

Where does the barcode go?

Instant IngramSpark Cover Template

IngramSpark's own Cover Template Generator emails your template, and it can take up to two hours to arrive. Enter your trim size, page count and spine width here to get a template with bleed, trim lines, spine folds, safe areas and barcode space right away, as a vector PDF or a transparent 300 DPI PNG.

Getting the Spine Width

IngramSpark doesn't publish the paper thickness behind its spine widths, and they differ from Amazon KDP's. Request one template from IngramSpark (dashboard → My Tools → Cover Template Generator), copy the spine width printed on it, and enter it above. If your page count changes later, request a new spine width.

IngramSpark Cover Requirements

  • Bleed: 0.125" on all four sides.
  • Safe area: keep text and important artwork at least 0.125" inside the trim and spine folds; 0.25" is recommended on the front and back.
  • Spine text: only for books with 48 pages or more. Leave 0.0625" on each side for spines 0.35" or wider, or 0.03125" for narrower spines.
  • Page count: spines are calculated from an even page count, so odd counts round up.
  • Barcode: required on every cover. If you don't supply one, leave a clear area of at least 1.75" × 1" on the back cover.
  • Format: a one-page PDF/X-1a:2001 or PDF/X-3:2002 file with CMYK images at 300 ppi. Images below 200 ppi may be rejected.
  • Ink: text 24 pt or smaller in 100% black, and total ink coverage no more than 240%.

Check Your Cover PDF

Upload your finished cover to the checker above. It confirms the page size matches your template, that fonts are embedded and images are high enough resolution, and that the file is marked PDF/X, before IngramSpark's review finds the problem.

Publishing the same book on Amazon? Use the KDP cover calculator, which calculates the KDP spine width for you.