US Letter vs A4: Which Paper Size Should You Print Printables On?
US Letter (8.5 x 11 in) is standard in the USA and Canada; A4 (210 x 297 mm) is standard in the UK, Europe and most of the world. Here is how to pick the right file and print it at the correct size.
Quick answer: print the US Letter file if you live in the USA or Canada, and the A4 file if you live in the UK, Ireland, Europe, Australia or most other countries. Always print at Actual Size / 100%, not “Fit to page”, so stickers and cards come out at the size they were designed.
The exact sizes
- US Letter: 8.5 x 11 inches (215.9 x 279.4 mm). Standard in the USA, Canada, Mexico and parts of Latin America.
- A4: 210 x 297 mm (8.27 x 11.69 inches). The international standard used in the UK and almost everywhere else.
A4 is slightly narrower and about 18 mm (roughly three quarters of an inch) taller than US Letter. That small difference is why a file made for one size can look cropped or shrunk when printed on the other.
Which file should I use?
Check the paper in your printer, not where the shop is based. If a pack of sticker paper from a US or Canadian store says “8.5 x 11”, use the US Letter file. If your UK paper says “A4”, use the A4 file. Every RockPaperPop printable includes both sizes, so you never have to convert anything yourself.
How to print at the right size
- Open the PDF that matches your paper.
- In the print dialog choose your paper size (Letter or A4).
- Set scale to Actual Size or 100%. Turn off “Fit”, “Shrink oversized pages” and borderless printing.
- Print one test page on plain paper and hold it over your sticker paper to check the layout.
- Measure one item. Our cards and labels list their finished size, for example 3 x 4 inches.
What happens if I print the wrong size?
Printing an A4 file on Letter paper usually clips the bottom edge or, with “Fit to page” turned on, shrinks everything by around 6%. Printing a Letter file on A4 leaves a slightly bigger margin at the bottom. Neither damages anything, but stickers sized for planner boxes may no longer fit. Use the matching file and you will not have to think about it.
Can a print shop print it for me?
Yes. Send the PDF that matches the paper they stock and ask for single-sided, actual-size printing. Staples, Office Depot, UPS Store and Canadian and UK print shops all handle both sizes.
Printables with both sizes included
Frequently asked questions
Is A4 bigger than US Letter?
A4 is taller (297 mm vs 279.4 mm) but narrower (210 mm vs 215.9 mm). Neither is bigger in both directions.
Does Canada use A4 or Letter?
Canada mostly uses US Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) for home and office printing, the same as the USA.
Does the UK use A4?
Yes. A4 is the standard home and office paper size in the UK and Ireland.
Why do my printed stickers look smaller than expected?
Your printer probably used “Fit to page”. Re-print with the scale set to Actual Size or 100%.
New to printing stickers? Read our beginner guide to printing stickers at home.
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