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International Paper Sizes and Dimensions

Measurements for international paper sizes & envelope dimensions.

There are three ranges of paper sizes, prefixed A, B and C. The most widely used for general printing and letterhead stationery is the A series. The most common of these sheet sizes is the international letterhead size A4, which measures 8-1/4 x 11-3/4 in, or 210 x 297 mm. These paper measurements are defined by the ISO 216 standard.

Explore Neenah's extensive selection of quality paper and envelopes to find the right fit for your printing or mailing needs.

Standard International Paper Sizes and Measurements

Standard international envelope sizes and measurements, folding examples:.

A Paper Sizes - Quick Lookup

Select the standard paper size from the 'Size' selector and the unit from the 'Unit' selector - the dimensions will be shown in the dimensions box.

Dimensions Of A Series Paper Sizes

The dimensions of the A series paper sizes, as defined by the ISO 216 standard, are given in the table below the diagram in both millimetres and inches (cm measurements can be obtained by dividing mm value by 10). The A Series paper size chart, below left, gives a visual representation of how the sizes relate to each other - for example A5 is half of A4 size paper and A2 is half of A1 size paper.

A Series Paper Sizes Chart.

Table of Paper Sizes From 4A0 to A10

To obtain paper sizes in centimetres, convert mm values to cm by dividing by 10 and in feet by dividing inch values by 12. More units here and sizes in pixels here .

4A0 & 2A0 - The DIN 476 Oversize Formats

The paper sizes bigger than A0, 4A0 & 2A0, aren't formally defined by ISO 216 but are commonly used for oversized paper. The origin of these formats is in the German DIN 476 standard, that was the original base document from which ISO 216 was derived. 2A0 is sometimes described as A00, however this naming convention is not used for 4A0.

A Series Paper Size Tolerances

ISO 216 specifies tolerances for the production of A series paper sizes as follows:

• ±1.5 mm (0.06 in) for dimensions up to 150 mm (5.9 in)
• ±2 mm (0.08 in) for lengths in the range 150 to 600 mm (5.9 to 23.6 in)
• ±3 mm (0.12 in) for any dimension above 600 mm (23.6 in)

A Series Paper Sizes Defined

The A series paper sizes are defined in ISO 216 by the following requirements:

• The length divided by the width is 1.4142
• The A0 size has an area of 1 square metre.
• Each subsequent size A(n) is defined as A(n-1) cut in half parallel to its shorter sides.
• The standard length and width of each size is rounded to the nearest millimetre.

Note: For reference the last item is there because the root 2 aspect ratio doesn't always give a whole number.

For more information about A paper size areas and areas of sizes other than A0 in square metres and square feet click here .

International Usage

The A series paper sizes are now in common use throughout the world apart from in the US, Canada and parts of Mexico . The A4 size has become the standard business letter size in English speaking countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the UK, that formerly used British Imperial sizes . In Europe the A paper sizes were adopted as the formal standard in the mid 20th century and from there they spread across the globe.

RA & SRA Untrimmed Sizes

RA & SRA sizes define untrimmed paper for commercial printing. These formats are designed to allow for ink bleed during the printing process so that the paper can then be trimmed to one of the A series sizes. Click here for more on RA & SRA sizes .

A3+ (Super A3)

A3 Plus, or Super A3 as it is sometimes known, is not an ISO 216 paper size. It has dimensions of 330mm x 483mm (13" x 19"). This gives it an aspect ratio of 1:1.468 rather than the 1:root 2 aspect ratio of the ISO series paper sizes. In actuality the A3+/Super A3 name is quite misleading as this paper size is known as B+ or Super B in the United States and is ANSI B with a 1" margin for print bleed.

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A Paper Sizes

Further information.

The dimensions of the A series paper sizes are defined by the ISO 216 international paper size standard. The A series was adopted in Europe in the 19th century, and is currently used all around the world, apart from in the USA and Canada. The most common paper size used in English speaking countries around the world is A4, which is 210mm × 297mm (8.27 inches × 11.7 inches). The largest sheet from the A series is the A0 size of paper. It has an area of 1m2, and the dimensions are 841mm × 1189mm. The A series uses an aspect ratio of 1:√2, and other sizes in the series are defined by folding the paper in half, parallel to its smaller sides. For example, cutting an A4 in half, will create an two A5 sheets, and so forth. Any size of brochure can be made using paper from the next larger size, for example A3 sheets are folded to make A4 brochures. The standard lengths and widths of the A series are rounded to the nearest millimetre.

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Printer paper sizes

• 02 March 2023
• 4 minute read

Printing is something we may be guilty of taking for granted from time to time. But now and then we’ll need to print something very specific, that isn’t your standard A4, one-pager Word doc.

This usually involves using different sized paper, which always brings up questions such as ‘is A3 bigger than A4?’.

With paper sizes operating on a reverse scale, with the largest dimensions being the smallest number, you can see why this could get confusing.

To help you out with these on-going questions, we’ll run through some common paper sizes, what they look like, and how they’re used.

How many different sizes are there?

Paper not only comes in different sizes but classes as well. Below outlines the A-class, which is the one most of us use day-to-day. A-class paper is defined as paper with the correct ratios, meaning it can be folded in half perfectly to create the next smallest size.

Read on to discover the sizes and uses for these paper sizes, and their compatible printers.

Despite having the lowest number, this is the largest of them all, with A0 paper size being 841 x 1189 mm. In other words, they’re over a metre in height, which is the same as 16 pieces of A4 paper. Typically, these would be used for making large signs and posters.

Similar to A0 paper, these sheets of paper would be used for creating signs, window displays and posters. However, they aren’t as big as A0, with A1 paper size coming in at 594 x 841 mm.

Scaling down from the above, A2 paper size is 420 x 594 mm. The kinds of things this size of paper would be used for are notices, posters, art prints and window displays. It’s slightly larger overall than a British broadsheet newspaper.

A form of paper you’ll have encountered at work or school, A3 paper size stands at 297 x 420 mm, a similar size but slightly different in proportions to a tabloid newspaper. One of the more popular paper sizes around, this tends to be for posters, plans, charts and presentations. While not a go-to paper size for home use, many business smart inkjet printers offer A3 print capability, with some even offering this from an A4 size machine!

The most common and recognised sheet of paper, A4 paper size is 210 x 297 mm. Used throughout the UK, this is used for everyday printing for everything from Word documents to stationery letterheads. These are the universal home printing format, and all laser and inkjet printers – along with some mobile printers – should have A4 capability.

Another set of dimensions you’ll be used to seeing, A5 paper size is 148.5 x 210 mm, and has many common uses. From flyers and invitations, to booklets, planners and diaries, it makes for a handy and portable size. While several mobile printers offer A5 printing facilities, many standard home printers offer A5 prints, as it is half the size of A4, allowing two A5 prints to be printed on one sheet of A4.

Standard A6 paper size is 105 x 148.5 mm, which makes it too small for long blocks of text, but it still has plenty of uses. Some mobile printers offer the capability to print this size, which is most regularly used for flyers, postcards, leaflets and save the dates.

Paper size chart

While we’ve talked you through A0 to A6, the A-Class actually runs all the way to a tiny A10 size. Below, you’ll find a paper size chart detailing all the sizes in the A-class, including the ones not mentioned above, in cm, mm and inches.

As you can see, there’s more to paper sizing than you might have thought – and this is just one class of many! But for common and convenient sizes like A3, A4 and A5, you can rely on a Brother  printer  to deliver high-quality and reliable printing page after page.

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A Paper Sizes

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Popular paper sizes and printing formats: A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8

Listed are some common economical ‘A’ series paper sizes:

Kwik Kopy can also trim paper to any size you require. Request a quote online or visit your nearest Centre for advice on printing sizes, stationery formats and poster printing .

Although the A series of paper formats is the most popular, sometimes your project may call for something that falls outside these parameters. Some booklets, for example, may require a paper size that sits between a standard A4 and A5 . Kwik Kopy can provide specialist assistance and advice for such custom jobs.

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Drawing paper sizes A0, A1, A2, A3, A4

ISO standard determines the paper dimensions for the A paper series. The most common paper sizes are A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5.  The table below shows the dimension of the most common A series paper sizes.

Notice that if we split an A1 paper into two equal parts we get two A2 papers. If we split an A2 paper into two equal part we get two A3 papers. If we split an A3 paper into two equal part we get two A4 papers and so on. This is shown visual in the picture below.

Paper sizes for technical drawing

The paper sizes for architectural, structural and mechanical drawing should be Α1, Α2 or Α3. 

• Do not use A4. A4 paper size is too small and it looks unprofessional.
• Do not use A0. A0 paper size is too big and it is difficult to ha

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Understanding Printer Paper Sizes Made Easy

Have you ever looked at a box of printer paper and wondered what all the numbers mean? Are terms like A5, A4 or Tabloid confusing, and what’s the difference between them anyway?

Let’s dive in to demystify and simplify the confusing world of paper sizes and cover the following topics:

• What is standard paper size?
• Traditional North American paper sizes
• How were standard paper sizes determined?
• How to print A4 documents
• What size paper do printers use?

What is Standard Paper Size?

There are two main paper size standards in use today: the international and North American systems. The international system, known as the ISO 216 standard, is globally recognized, but it is different from the size paper most commonly used in the United States and Canada, which use the North American system.

The most common paper sizes in the United States are:

• Letter (8.5  ×  11 inches) — the standard for everyday office print-outs and academic documents
• Legal (8.5 × 14 inches) — often used for contracts and legal documents, hence the name
• Tabloid (11  ×  17 inches) — commonly used to make tabloids, newsletters or smaller sized newspapers

Traditional North American Paper Sizes

The North American standard has established formats and aspect ratios. Below are a helpful chart and graphics summarizing the range of paper sizes that are most widely used in the United States.

How Were Standard Paper Sizes Determined?

Historical precedent and practicality have a lot to do with today’s common paper measurements. The ISO 216 standard was established in 1975 and is used for international letterhead size A4, which measures 8.25 x 11.75 inches, or 210 x 297 mm.

In the United States, however, the standard Letter (8.5 x 11) size has been used for centuries. But we could have ended up with a different standard if President Hoover had his way in the early 1930s. He insisted that all government forms and documents be printed at 8 x 10.5 inches. It wasn’t until President Reagan came into office in the early 1980s that he switched all government documents to the standard 8.5 x 11 Letter size used by most other institutions.

Finally, in 1995, the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) ANSI/ASME Y14.1 standard made it official. They standardized various U.S. paper sizes for engineering drawings, including the use of 8.5 x 11 paper.

So, if you’ve been wondering if regular copy paper used in the U.S. is the same as A4, they’re not. Below is a visual showing the size difference between the international standard (A4) and the North American standard letterhead.

How to Print A4 Documents

You’ll notice that the international paper size is similar to the US standard Letter dimension. Even so, problems can arise when trying to print documents that are received from another country that uses A4 paper. For example, if you have a colleague in Germany who emails you a PDF scaled to A4 dimensions and you try to print it on your office printer, the document could be cut off on the top and bottom.

Overcoming this problem is relatively simple. Because A4 documents are 6% taller than standard Letter size, you’ll need to set your magnification to 94% to ensure the entire document fits on the printed page. If you’re sending a standard Letter document to an international recipient, consider letting them know that they should print it at 97% magnification since the A4 is 3% narrower than standard Letter size.

What Size Paper Do Printers Use?

Most copy machines in the United States are preset to print on a standard letter 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper with options for switching to legal or tabloid with the click of a button or mouse.

Just as important as using the right-sized paper is using a good quality copy paper . Cheap paper often produces extra lint and is more prone to paper jams. In other words, don’t skimp on your paper, and your printer will thank you for it.

Our print experts are happy to help you with all of your print questions and can help you optimize your print environment. Learn more about our Managed Print Services in our FAQ infographic below. And if you’d like to learn more about which printing paper you need for your organization’s needs or other ways to maximize your print environment, reach out to the print experts at Gordon Flesch Company . 

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Paper Sizes and Formats Explained: The Difference Between A4 and Letter

The difference between a4 and letter.

Have you ever really taken a look at the packs of computer paper you buy ? Or can you automatically eye the standard paper used for letters and academic purposes? You have more than likely heard of A5 or Tabloid , but for many, the only two page sizes that really matter are A4 or Letter . But there exist a number of paper sizes that are relevant to our everyday lives, and knowing them can save you time and money when printing and copying.

The Systems in Existence

Height-to-width aspect ratio alternatives, simplified enlargement and reduction, a fit for any envelope, north american sizes, printing a4 documents on letter and vice versa, untrimmed paper pages, something to think about.

Though other paper size standards exist, there are two predominant systems in use today. They are the international and North American systems.

As the term implies, the international standard, also known as the ISO 216 standard, is used throughout the world. It is based on an aspect ratio of the square root of two, like the side of a square and its diagonal. This idea was originally proposed by the German scientist Georg Christoph Lichtenberg in 1786. In 1922, Dr. Walter Porstmann brought Lichtenberg’s ideas into being in Germany. This new standard was known as the DIN 476 standard. The system became widely used during World War II. The most commonly used ISO paper size is A4.

The North American system is used primarily in the USA and Canada. The current sizes are based on traditional sizes such as Letter (8.5 in × 11 in) and Legal (8.5 in × 14 in) . The names of North American sizes have started with ANSI ever since the adoption of ANSI/ASME Y14.1 by the American National Standards Institute in 1995. Though the sizes now begin with ANSI, they are nevertheless based on the traditional sizes.

Paper Sizes Quick Lookup

The most convenient and distinguishing characteristic of ISO paper is that each format has an aspect ratio equal to the square root of two (1:4142) which makes it simple to enlarge or reduce a document for printing on another ISO paper format. The most popular series of the ISO standard is the A series. The most widely used paper of this series is the A4 format. All paper sizes of this series have a name that consists of an A followed by a number. The larger that number, the smaller the paper.

The basis for the whole system is the A0 format which has an area of one square meter. With an aspect ratio equal to the square root of two, a sheet of A0 paper ends up being 841 × 1189 millimeters. Figuring out the dimensions of the subsequent paper sizes does not require any real mathematical strain since each ensuing size can be created by simply folding the paper in half with the crease parallel to the shortest sides. If you do this with an A0 sheet of paper, the resulting dimensions will be 594 × 841 millimeters, or the A1 format. Take note that the height of A1 is equal to the width of A0.

Two other ISO paper series exist—B and C. The B series was brought into being to provide a wider range of paper sizes, where as the C series is used only for envelopes. The B paper sizes are a bit larger than their A series counterparts and are based on the geometric mean of two consecutive A series sheets. For example, B4 is between A3 and A4 in size, and B5 is between A4 and A5.

The C series was introduced to provide an envelope with enough space for an A series sheet. The sizes of the A series fit in C series envelopes of the same number. That is, a sheet of A4 easily fits into a C4 envelope. The C sizes are just between the A and B series. Below are tables with the dimensions of all three series. All of them have a height-to-width ratio equal to the square root of two.

Though these are the main formats of the ISO standard, there are other sizes used for printed items such as labels, business cards, and so on. They are often derived by cutting standard sizes into equal parts. This often leads to sizes with an aspect ratio other than the square root of two.

Depending on the project purpose, aspect ratios vary. Standard paper formats can be presented in the formula of the square root of two, according to the ISO paper size concept. Once non-standard solutions are required, the same parallel cutting takes place with the only difference being the number of achieved parts. As a result, 3, 4 or 8 equal pieces are obtained. Here are some samples of long sizes.

There are standard ways to apply this or that sub-standard size format. For instance, one-third of A4 is preferable for invitations and personal DL envelopes, while one-fourth of A4 is a nice option for flyers. Small-sized formats aren’t preferable for large volumes of text—it should typically be no more than a simple and brief message.

ISO Tips to Save You Time

Many copy machines have preset magnification factors for enlarging or reducing a copied document in order to print it on a different paper size. These presets typically take the form of buttons labelled A3→A4 and so forth. This eliminates wasted margins and saves you the trouble of trying to guess the right magnification factor, which can lead to a heap of misspent paper. Below is a table of the magnification factors between the most common A sizes in case the copiers at your local library do not have such presets.

The consistent aspect ratio of the ISO papers makes it easy to fit larger paper sizes into smaller envelopes. This can be done by simply folding the larger papers in half (crease parallel to the shorter sides) until you reach the desired size. The difference in the number of the page sizes equals the number of times you should fold it. So if you have a C4 or B4 envelope and a sheet of A2 paper, you should fold it in half twice. The same method works for filing larger paper sizes in file folders of a smaller size.

This works with the B and C envelope formats. Another commonly used format is the DL format. A DL format envelope will accommodate an A4 sheet folded in thirds or an A5 sheet folded in half lengthwise. Read more about common envelope sizes and styles .

The North American paper sizes are based on traditional formats with arbitrary aspect ratios. The most popular formats of the traditional sizes are the Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) , Legal (8.5 × 14 inches) and Tabloid (11 × 17 inches) formats. You more than likely use these formats in your everyday life. Letter is the standard for business and academic documents. The Legal format is used to make legal pads, and the Tabloid format is commonly used to make tabloids or smaller sized newspapers. Very little is known about the origin of the traditional American paper formats.

There have been a few attempts to standardize the paper industry in America. President Hoover brought about the Government size when he ordered that all governmental documents and forms be printed on paper with the dimensions of 8 × 10 ½ inches. The usage of this format did not find its way to the general public, so President Reagan later made the Letter format the standard again.

In 1995, the American National Standards Institute adopted the ANSI/ASME Y14.1 standard. The different formats of this system are denoted by ANSI followed by a letter. Even though this standard exists, the traditional sizes still remain the most widely used.

This relatively young standard is based on the traditional Letter format (ANSI A). The Letter format is comparable to the ISO A4 format in as much as it is widely used for business and academic needs, but the sizes do differ.

The ANSI paper formats are similar to those of the ISO standard in that cutting a sheet in half will produce two sheets of the next size. The difference lies in both size and the aspect ratio. The ANSI sizes have an aspect ratio that alternates between 1.2941 and 1.5455. This makes enlarging and reducing a page to fit other ANSI formats difficult and less systematic than with the ISO layouts. You will more than likely end up with margins differing from the original page.

The use of American paper sizes often leads to many problems when it comes to the international exchange of documents and therefore has become less common in universities where students are more often held to international standards when attending conferences or submitting articles to international journals. Luckily, documents can be prepared to be printed on both ANSI and ISO paper formats.

A business partner from Germany has just sent you a document in the A4 format that you need to print out. You print the document and notice that there are some parts cut off at the top and bottom of each page. This is due to the difference in size between the A4 and Letter (ANSI A) formats. To print or copy an A4 document on Letter, you should set the magnification factor to 94% since the Letter format is 6% less tall than A4. If you plan on printing a Letter document on A4, you should set the magnification factor to 97% since A4 is 3% less wide.

Unlike trimmed sizes, which are pieces with the final dimensional ratio, untrimmed formats are slightly bigger than the A and B series. This difference comes in handy for commercial printing, allowing the publishing of large volumes of interconnected pages in the right proportions. At the same time, they are functional tools for rotating printing presses.

There are two types of untrimmed sizes—raw format A (shortly RA) and supplementary raw format A (briefly, SRA). They are adjusted to the final trim after binding. Here is a quick sample: if A4 equals 100%, RA is 5% bigger, and SRA is 15% bigger correspondingly. The “square root of two” rule is also valid, although the dimensions of accepted untrimmed formats are rounded.

Which paper type you use really depends on your physical location. Some people should keep a supply of both ISO and ANSI paper on hand. Such people include university students and those who do business internationally or often send mail abroad. Many of your local office supply stores carry both types of paper regardless of the country, but sometimes it may require special ordering.

Thanks to Markus Kuhn for his wonderful article on paper sizes .

It is time to practice your knowledge!

Design and print all sorts of flyers, brochures, pamphlets, booklets and other materials on various paper sizes in Swift Publisher for Mac.

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