List of paper sizes in color printing

Complete Guide to Paper Sizes for Color Printing | ColorCopiesUSA

Complete Guide to Paper Sizes for Color Printing

Master American ANSI, International ISO, and English paper standards for professional printing

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Understanding Paper StandardsAmerican ANSI SizesInternational ISO 216English Traditional SizesSize Comparison ToolPractical Selection GuideCommon Questions

Understanding Paper Size Standards

Paper sizing can be confusing because different regions use different standards. Here's what you need to know to make informed decisions for your printing projects.

American ANSI

Used in USA, Canada, and Mexico. Based on the standard 8.5" × 11" Letter size.

Best for: Business documents, reports, presentations
International ISO

Used worldwide except North America. Based on √2 aspect ratio for consistent scaling.

Best for: International documents, academic papers, books
English Traditional

Historic British sizes still used for specialty printing, books, and artistic applications.

Best for: Books, artistic prints, specialty applications
Quick Reference

1 point = 1/72 inch • Points are commonly used in graphic design and printing specifications

American ANSI Paper Sizes

The ANSI (American National Standards Institute) system is based on the common Letter size (8.5" × 11") and scales proportionally. Each larger size doubles the area of the previous size.

ANSI SizeCommon NameInches (W × H)Millimeters (W × H)Points (W × H)Aspect RatioSimilar ISOCommon Uses
ANSI ALetter8.5 × 11216 × 279612 × 7921.29A4Business letters, documents, resumes
ANSI BLedger/Tabloid11 × 17279 × 432792 × 12241.55A3Newspapers, large reports, posters
ANSI C—17 × 22432 × 5591224 × 15841.29A2Architectural drawings, large posters
ANSI D—22 × 34559 × 8641584 × 24481.55A1Engineering drawings, large displays
ANSI E—34 × 44864 × 11182448 × 31681.29A0Technical drawings, large format displays
Pro Tip: ANSI sizes alternate between two aspect ratios (1.29 and 1.55) as they scale up, unlike ISO sizes which maintain the same ratio.

International ISO 216 Paper Sizes

The ISO 216 standard uses the √2 (1.414) aspect ratio, which means when you fold any size in half, you get the next smaller size with the same proportions. The A0 size has an area of exactly one square meter.

A-Series (General Use)
SizeMillimetersInchesPointsCommon Use
A0841 × 118933.1 × 46.82384 × 3370Technical drawings
A1594 × 84123.4 × 33.11684 × 2384Large posters
A2420 × 59416.5 × 23.41190 × 1684Small posters
A3297 × 42011.7 × 16.5842 × 1190Magazines, reports
A4210 × 2978.3 × 11.7595 × 842Standard documents
A5148 × 2105.8 × 8.3420 × 595Notebooks, flyers
A6105 × 1484.1 × 5.8298 × 420Postcards
B-Series (Posters & Large Formats)
SizeMillimetersInchesCommon Use
B01000 × 141439.4 × 55.7Large posters
B1707 × 100027.8 × 39.4Medium posters
B2500 × 70719.7 × 27.8Small posters
B3353 × 50013.9 × 19.7Tabloid newspapers
B4250 × 3539.8 × 13.9Books, magazines
B5176 × 2506.9 × 9.8Books, notebooks
ISO Magic: The √2 ratio means every ISO size scales perfectly. An A4 document enlarged to A3 maintains perfect proportions without distortion.

Visual Size Comparison

Letter
8.5" × 11"
Select size above

English Traditional Paper Sizes

Traditional British paper sizes are still used for book publishing, artistic applications, and specialty printing. These sizes have historical significance and specific use cases.

NameInches (W × H)Millimeters (W × H)Traditional UseModern Applications
Quarto10 × 8254 × 203Books, manuscriptsArt books, portfolios
Foolscap13 × 8330 × 203Legal documentsSpecialty stationery
Imperial9 × 7229 × 178Books, pamphletsArtistic prints
Kings8 × 6.5203 × 165Royal documentsLuxury stationery
Dukes7 × 5.5178 × 140Noble correspondenceGreeting cards

How to Choose the Right Paper Size

For Business Documents
  • Letter (8.5" × 11") - Standard business letters, reports
  • Legal (8.5" × 14") - Contracts, legal documents
  • A4 (8.3" × 11.7") - International correspondence
  • Tabloid (11" × 17") - Presentations, charts
For Marketing Materials
  • A3 (11.7" × 16.5") - Medium posters, displays
  • A2 (16.5" × 23.4") - Large posters
  • A5 (5.8" × 8.3") - Flyers, brochures
  • A6 (4.1" × 5.8") - Postcards, invitations
Quick Measurement Converter
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Frequently Asked Questions

Letter (8.5" × 11") is the American standard, while A4 (8.27" × 11.69") is the international standard. A4 is slightly narrower and taller than Letter. For international documents or when working with global partners, choose A4.
The √2 (1.414) aspect ratio is mathematically perfect for scaling. When you fold any ISO paper size in half, you get the next smaller size with exactly the same proportions. This makes it ideal for reducing or enlarging documents without distortion.
Yes, but you'll need to adjust margins or scale the document. A4 is taller than Letter, so content may be cut off at the bottom. Most printers offer "fit to page" options to automatically scale A4 content to Letter size.
Poster Size Recommendations:
• Small posters: A3 (11.7" × 16.5") or Tabloid (11" × 17")
• Medium posters: A2 (16.5" × 23.4") or ANSI C (17" × 22")
• Large posters: A1 (23.4" × 33.1") or ANSI D (22" × 34")
• Display boards: A0 (33.1" × 46.8") or ANSI E (34" × 44")
Conversion formulas:
• Points to inches: Divide by 72 (1 inch = 72 points)
• Inches to millimeters: Multiply by 25.4
• Millimeters to inches: Divide by 25.4

Use the converter tool above for quick calculations.

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