Choosing the right paper size matters more than most people think. A letterhead designed for the wrong size gets stretched, cropped or leaves awkward gaps when printed. Here are the sizes you are most likely to need.
Common paper sizes
| Size | Millimetres | Inches | Where it’s used |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 | 210 × 297 | 8.27 × 11.69 | The standard in India and most of the world |
| A5 | 148 × 210 | 5.83 × 8.27 | Prescription pads, receipts, short notes |
| A3 | 297 × 420 | 11.69 × 16.54 | Certificates, notices, large forms |
| Letter | 215.9 × 279.4 | 8.5 × 11 | USA and Canada |
| Legal | 215.9 × 355.6 | 8.5 × 14 | Legal and long-form documents (US) |
Which size should you pick?
If your documents are printed or shared in India, use A4. It fits standard office printers, files and envelopes. Choose A5 for compact pads such as doctors’ prescriptions, and US Letter only if you mainly correspond with clients in North America.
Leave a safe print margin
Most office and home printers cannot print right up to the edge of the paper. If your design has colour bands that touch the edge, either print at a shop that supports full-bleed printing or leave a margin of around 5 mm on every side.
Resolution for sharp printing
- Aim for at least 200–300 DPI for anything you print.
- Keep your logo as SVG or a large PNG so it doesn’t look blurry.
- PDF is the safest format for printing because it keeps sizes exact.
Sahayak Docs’ letter pad download lets you choose A4, A5, A3, Letter or Legal, add an optional 5 mm print margin, and export a multi-page PDF.