How to Set Margins and Bleed for Books on Amazon: Step-by-Step Guide

Learn how to set up margins, guides, and bleed for book formatting on Amazon. This detailed tutorial covers odd and even page alignment, gutter margins, and best practices to avoid common printing issues.

October 29, 2025 By Robin Dickinson

In this guide, we'll learn how to set up margins, guides, and bleeds for book layouts intended for Amazon. The goal is to ensure that each page has the correct gutter and margin settings, so content is properly aligned for printing and binding. We will also cover how to alternate page elements like numbers and copyright information between left and right pages, and how to use guides to keep everything consistent.

Let's get started

Here is how we set margins for books on Amazon.

The first important step is to turn on the guides.

Step #1: Click on File, then Settings. Select Show Rulers and Guides. Here's where you click on "file" — Click on File, then Settings. Select Show Rulers and Guides. Here's where you click on "file"

Step #2: Click on "Settings" — Click on "Settings"

Step #3: Click on "Show rulers and guides" — Click on "Show rulers and guides"

Now, I have these presets for you. To see what they are, you have to unlock them.

Step #4: To unlock them, go to File, then Settings, and select Lock Guides to unlock them.Go to File, then Settings, and select Lock Guides. — To unlock them, go to File, then Settings, and select Lock Guides to unlock them.Go to File, then Settings, and select Lock Guides.

Step #5: Click on "Settings" — Click on "Settings"

Step #6: Click on "Lock guides" This is to unlock them. After that, you can see what they are. — Click on "Lock guides" This is to unlock them. After that, you can see what they are.

I have them set at 0.75 and 1. Do the same thing on the right side. I recommend keeping them locked so you don't accidentally move them. To do that, repeat the same process. Go to File, then Settings, and select Lock Guides.

Step #7: Click on "File" — Click on "File"

Step #8: Click on "Settings" — Click on "Settings"

Step #9: Click on "Lock guides" — Click on "Lock guides"

You need a larger margin on the left for right-hand pages, and a larger margin on the right for left-hand pages. A simpler way of saying this is that right hand pages are shifted to the right and left hand pages are shifted to the left.

To remember which is which, I remember that there are an even number of letters in the word left so even pages shift left. There are an odd number of letters in the word right so odd page numbers shift right.

Step #10: Here you can see the margin that will be on the left and there are two guides next to it. You'll switch back and forth between the guides depending on whether you're shifting everything to the right or to the left. — Here you can see the margin that will be on the left and there are two guides next to it. You'll switch back and forth between the guides depending on whether you're shifting everything to the right or to the left.

Step #11: The wider margin is called the gutter. It's where the binding is. Everything needs to be shifted over. See how this lines up with the right-hand guideline here. — The wider margin is called the gutter. It's where the binding is. Everything needs to be shifted over. See how this lines up with the right-hand guideline here.

Step #12: And here is where you can see this shifted over and lined up correctly. — And here is where you can see this shifted over and lined up correctly.

Step #13: I also have two center lines: a left center line and a right center line. This is the left center line. Everything on a page that's shifted to the left should be centered around this line. — I also have two center lines: a left center line and a right center line. This is the left center line. Everything on a page that's shifted to the left should be centered around this line.

Step #14: This is the right center line. Everything shifted right should be centered around the right center line. — This is the right center line. Everything shifted right should be centered around the right center line.

Step #15: We need to have a bleed. Your mom can tell you more about how difficult this was, but we can't let things go all the way to the edge. If they are going to the edge, you have a few options. One option is to avoid letting them reach the edge. However, this requires fixing several different issues, which can be a hassle. I'm not sure where the communication breakdown with Jovana is, but once we're at this point, the simplest solution I've found is to make a small rectangle like this. — We need to have a bleed. Your mom can tell you more about how difficult this was, but we can't let things go all the way to the edge. If they are going to the edge, you have a few options. One option is to avoid letting them reach the edge. However, this requires fixing several different issues, which can be a hassle. I'm not sure where the communication breakdown with Jovana is, but once we're at this point, the simplest solution I've found is to make a small rectangle like this.

Step #16: Click on "Square" — Click on "Square"

Step #17: Find one that is adjustable. Like this one. — Find one that is adjustable. Like this one.

Step #18: Then use it to cover the edges to 0.25" in on all sides. — Then use it to cover the edges to 0.25" in on all sides.

Step #19: Once you have a nice narrow rectangle, you can reuse it over and over on all the pages by just copying it. — Once you have a nice narrow rectangle, you can reuse it over and over on all the pages by just copying it.

Step #20: Once you have it in place, turn it white — Once you have it in place, turn it white

Next, duplicate that to make more pieces and cover all the edges.

Step #22: Click on the ellipsis to find the "duplicate" option. — Click on the ellipsis to find the "duplicate" option.

Step #23: Click on "Duplicate" — Click on "Duplicate"

You can rotate it 90 degrees to cover the vertical direction here.

Step #24: Rotating 90 degrees — Rotating 90 degrees

That one also needs to be 0.25 inches from the edge. You can add more guides if needed.

We will take this, duplicate it, and move it to the bottom.

Step #25: Often you'll just have the duplicate option there without clicking the ellipsis, which is even better. — Often you'll just have the duplicate option there without clicking the ellipsis, which is even better.

There we go. Move it down to cover the bottom 0.25 like this.

Step #26: En route to the bottom margin... — En route to the bottom margin...

Step #27: Duplicate left one for the right. — Duplicate left one for the right.

Step #28: We also need to move the page numbers page and forth. I'll usually do them on the right for pages shifted to the right and on the left for pages shifted to the left. So odd numbers on the right, even on the left. — We also need to move the page numbers page and forth. I'll usually do them on the right for pages shifted to the right and on the left for pages shifted to the left. So odd numbers on the right, even on the left.

Step #29: The book title at the top also needs to be centered correctly ( to the right or left center line). To do that, highlight the title and the little bars on either side of it and group them. Then it's easy to center it around the correct center line. — The book title at the top also needs to be centered correctly ( to the right or left center line). To do that, highlight the title and the little bars on either side of it and group them. Then it's easy to center it around the correct center line.

The page, heading, page number, and copyright are all shifted

Step #30: You also need to make sure the text is shifted correctly. — You also need to make sure the text is shifted correctly.

Step #31: These pictures appear to be separate. I will move both of them to the left. — These pictures appear to be separate. I will move both of them to the left.

You can estimate it visually or group them in different ways. However, they should be centered on the left, not the right.

The page number should go on the left.

I think what we did here should be the same on every page. The copyright should be aligned to the left. That's it.

Step #32: The copyright needs to be centered around the correct line. — The copyright needs to be centered around the correct line.

Step #33: Sometimes the block of writing is the wrong size, use the bars on the sides to make it wider or narrower. — Sometimes the block of writing is the wrong size, use the bars on the sides to make it wider or narrower.

Step #34: Make sure you also do it with pages that are less obvious like the joke pages. — Make sure you also do it with pages that are less obvious like the joke pages.

The logo on the joke pages also needs to be centered correctly around the left or right center line.

And you just go back and forth repeatedly for the entire book. When I'm done, I always do a final check where I just check a couple elements at a time. So I check just the copyright and page number and just scroll through the whole thing saying aloud "left, right, left, right, left, right" to make sure the page numbers switch back and forth. And I'll do the same with the headings/titles. And with the stuff in the middle. It's tedious! But in the end, the product is so much nicer because of it!

If something goes beyond the correct guideline, it will be down in the gutter/binding.