Canva and the KDP gutter margin
The gutter is the inside margin: the strip of each page next to the binding. Drop your PDF to measure it on every page.
If the pages come out cropped wrongly
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Report
| Check | Your file | What the fix does |
|---|
Pages that need a look
First 4 corrected pages
Clean pages, no watermark.trim linesafe area for text
Margins are measured from live text; pictures, lines and shapes that end inside a margin are listed as a note. The fix does not embed fonts, sharpen pictures or reflow text. Rules read from the official KDP help pages on 10 November 2026. This is an information tool, not professional advice, and not an approval.
How wide the inside margin must be
| Page count | Inside margin (gutter) | Top, bottom, outside: no bleed | Top, bottom, outside: with bleed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 to 150 | 0.375 in (9.6 mm) | at least 0.25 in (6.4 mm) | at least 0.375 in (9.6 mm) |
| 151 to 300 | 0.5 in (12.7 mm) | at least 0.25 in (6.4 mm) | at least 0.375 in (9.6 mm) |
| 301 to 500 | 0.625 in (15.9 mm) | at least 0.25 in (6.4 mm) | at least 0.375 in (9.6 mm) |
| 501 to 700 | 0.75 in (19.1 mm) | at least 0.25 in (6.4 mm) | at least 0.375 in (9.6 mm) |
| 701 to 828 | 0.875 in (22.3 mm) | at least 0.25 in (6.4 mm) | at least 0.375 in (9.6 mm) |
Source: KDP help, Set Trim Size, Bleed, and Margins; KDP help, Paperback Submission Guidelines. Read on 10 November 2026.
The inside margin is on the left of odd (right-hand) pages and on the right of even (left-hand) pages. That mirror pattern is easy to miss when every page of a design is laid out the same way. A design with the same margin on both sides can be fine for a short book and too tight at the spine for a long one.
Two ways to get it right
- In Canva: on every odd page keep text at least the inside margin from the left edge; on every even page, from the right edge. Leave at least 0.25 in on the other three sides (0.375 in with bleed).
- After export: the fix above moves odd pages right and even pages left by the missing amount. It only moves a page as far as its outside margin allows, and tells you which pages still need a change. When there is room it aims 0.02 in past the minimum.
A page with a full-page background that gets moved shows a blank strip at the spine edge as wide as the move. The report lists those pages.
Questions
Is gutter the same as inside margin on KDP?
Yes. The KDP margin table has one column called "Inside (gutter) margins". There is no extra gutter on top of it.
What inside margin does a 300-page book need?
At least 0.5 in. From 301 pages it is 0.625 in.
Does the page count include blank pages?
Yes. Every page in the PDF counts, and an odd total is rounded up to an even number.
More answers
- Canva PDF rejected by KDPThe four file causes and which ones a fix can repair
- Canva and the KDP gutter marginHow wide the inside margin must be and how to get it
- Remove crop marks from a PDF for KDPTwo ways, with the page size each one leaves
- KDP trim size does not match the PDFRead the two numbers in the error and find the cause
- 6 x 9 in, 300 pages: inside marginThe exact numbers, with a diagram