PRINTER PAPER SIZE GUIDE
What Size Is Normal Printer Paper?
In the United States and Canada, normal everyday printer paper is US Letter (8.5 × 11 in / 215.9 × 279.4 mm). In most other countries, everyday printer paper is A4 (210 × 297 mm / 8.27 × 11.69 in).
US Letter
Standard everyday format for home, school, and office documents across North America.
A4
Standard everyday format used throughout the UK, Europe, Latin America, Australia, and Asia.
QUICK DECISION
Which Printer Paper Size Should I Use?
Where will the document be printed?
DIMENSION COMPARISON
Why Is Normal Printer Paper Letter in the US but A4 Elsewhere?
North America adopted US Letter derived from traditional manual paper-making molds, standardized in inches. Most of the world adopted ISO 216 standard A4, based on the metric system with a consistent 1:√2 aspect ratio. Because of this historical split, Letter is slightly wider, while A4 is slightly taller.
US Letter
8.5 × 11 in
215.9 × 279.4 mm
Slightly wider (+5.9 mm / 0.23 in)A4
8.27 × 11.69 in
210 × 297 mm
Slightly taller (+17.6 mm / 0.69 in)QUICK REFERENCE
Common Printer Paper Sizes Chart
Compare common printer paper sizes in inches and millimeters, including Letter, A4, Legal, A3, A5 and Tabloid.
| Paper Size | Dimensions (in) | Dimensions (mm) | Common Use | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | 8.5 × 11 in | 215.9 × 279.4 mm | Everyday documents in the United States and Canada | View Letter → |
| A4 | 8.27 × 11.69 in | 210 × 297 mm | Everyday documents internationally across Europe, the UK & worldwide | View A4 → |
| Legal | 8.5 × 14 in | 215.9 × 355.6 mm | Extended page length for legal contracts, accounting, and forms | View Legal → |
| A3 | 11.69 × 16.54 in | 297 × 420 mm | Double the area of A4; spreadsheets, diagrams, and small posters | View A3 → |
| A5 | 5.83 × 8.27 in | 148 × 210 mm | Half the area of A4; compact booklets, flyers, and notepads | View A5 → |
| Tabloid | 11 × 17 in | 279.4 × 431.8 mm | Double Letter size; newsletters, broadsheets, and CAD drawings | View Tabloid → |
PRINT ACCURACY
How Do I Know What My Printer Uses?
To prevent paper jams, cropped text, and scaling distortion, ensure these three settings always match:
If these settings do not agree, the document may scale, crop, or trigger a paper-size mismatch.
Fix a paper-size mismatch →FIND ANY SIZE
Looking for Another Paper Size?
Search our comprehensive database of standard paper formats, envelopes, cards, and drawing sheets:
ESSENTIAL UTILITIES
Paper Size Tools
Work with paper formats, convert dimensions across metric and imperial units, and calculate digital print resolutions: