US Letter or A4: Which File to Print

Print the US Letter file if you’re in the United States or Canada, and the A4 file almost anywhere else. The rule underneath is simpler still: pick the file that matches the paper in your printer.

The two sizes look alike but aren’t the same shape, and that difference is why most of our PDF printables come in both.

How the two sizes compare

Letter is a little wider, by about 6 mm (a quarter inch). A4 is taller, by about 18 mm (roughly three quarters of an inch). Hold one sheet of each together and A4 sticks out at the top while Letter sticks out at the side.

How to tell which paper you have

• Check the package. A ream is labeled with its size, usually “Letter” or “8.5 x 11” in North America and “A4” or “210 x 297 mm” elsewhere.
• Measure one sheet. 8.5 inches across means Letter. 21 cm across means A4.
• Look at the printer settings. The paper size set there should match what’s in the tray. If it doesn’t, change the setting before you print.

What happens if the file and paper don’t match

You can still print, but something gives.

Printing an A4 file on Letter paper. At actual size, the page doesn’t fit top to bottom, so a strip can be cut off at the top or bottom edge. With Fit, the page shrinks to about 94% so all of it lands on the paper.

Printing a Letter file on A4 paper. At actual size, the sides can be clipped slightly. With Fit, the page shrinks to about 97%.

For a coloring page or a journal page, either result is usually fine. For printables where size matters, such as calling cards cut along set lines, bingo boards meant to be square, actual-size bead sheets and sewing pattern pieces, the matching file is the one to use. How to print at actual size shows the setting to choose and a quick way to check the result.

When a product has only one size

Most of our PDF printables come as two files, one in US Letter and one in A4, with the same pages in each. A few are made in a single size, such as a book laid out on A4 only or card sets built on their own card size. The file details on each product page list the sizes you’ll download, so check there before you buy if your printer only takes one paper size.

Printing on the other size on purpose

Sometimes the matching paper just isn’t at hand. If you print on the other size, choose Fit rather than actual size so nothing is cut off, and accept that everything will be a few percent smaller. That’s fine for most pages. It isn’t fine for anything you’ll measure, match or cut to a template.