Cover PDF Checker
Check your cover PDF against the exact full-cover spread your book needs before you send to print.
ⓘRuns entirely in your browser — your file is never uploaded. It checks page dimensions and page count only, not fonts, colour space or image DPI. Use the Print-Ready PDF Checker for the full pre-flight checklist.
A cover that prints wrong is an expensive mistake. This free cover PDF checker compares your finished cover file against the full-cover spread your book actually needs, front, spine, back and 3mm bleed, worked out from your trim size, page count and paper. It flags the wrong dimensions, the wrong page setup or missing bleed before your file ever reaches the press.
Your whole file stays in your browser; nothing is uploaded, so your cover never leaves your computer. Bear in mind this is a dimensional check: it confirms the size, spread and bleed are right, but it does not check fonts, colour or resolution, so confirm those separately. Used alongside our Print-Ready PDF Checker, it gives you a fast, practical way to catch the most common cover problems early.
- Lock your page count and paper before designing; both set the spine.
- Always include 3mm bleed and extend artwork fully into it.
- Run our Print-Ready PDF Checker too, for fonts, colour and resolution.
- 01
Enter your book spec
Add your trim size, page count and paper stock. The tool calculates the exact full-cover spread, including spine width and 3mm bleed, that your file should match.
- 02
Upload your cover PDF
Choose your finished cover PDF. It is read in your browser only and never uploaded, so your artwork stays private to you.
- 03
Read the results
See whether your dimensions, page count and bleed match the required spread, with any mismatches flagged clearly so you know what to fix.
Common questions
- What does the cover PDF checker actually check?
- It compares your cover file's page size and page count against the full-cover spread your book needs, front, spine, back and 3mm bleed, calculated from your trim, page count and paper. It flags wrong dimensions, an incorrect page count or missing bleed. It checks size and structure, not the artwork inside.
- Does it check fonts, colour or resolution?
- No. This tool verifies dimensions, page count and bleed only. It does not check whether fonts are embedded, whether your file is CMYK, or whether images meet 300dpi. Confirm those separately, our Print-Ready PDF Checker walks through fonts, colour and resolution, so use both for a fuller picture before you send to print.
- Is my cover file uploaded anywhere?
- No. The check runs entirely in your browser, so your PDF is read on your own device and never sent to a server. Your cover artwork stays private to you. That means you can check confidential or pre-release covers safely, and nothing leaves your computer at any point during the process.
- Why does my cover need to match an exact spread?
- A printed cover is one flat spread, back on the left, spine in the centre, front on the right, plus bleed. If the size or spine width is off, your design shifts and text can creep onto the wrong panel. Matching the exact spread keeps everything aligned. Our Cover Template Generator builds that spread for you.
- My spine width looks wrong. What should I do?
- Spine width comes from your page count and paper, so a mismatch usually means one of those changed after you designed. Recalculate it with our Book Spine Width Calculator, update your cover document to the corrected spread, then re-check the file here. Always confirm the spine before finalising, as even a small error is visible on press.
Ready to print your book properly?
Run the numbers with our free tools, then print with real UK book printers.