How to Fix Common Amazon KDP Upload Errors
Most KDP paperback rejections come from five things: the wrong page size, margins that are too narrow, fonts that aren't embedded, low-resolution images, or a cover that doesn't match your page count. Each one has a specific fix. This guide covers them in the order authors usually hit them, using the requirements in Amazon's own KDP help pages.
Before you start: set your trim size first
Everything else depends on trim size. Your margins depend on page count, your cover width depends on page count and paper, and your page size depends on whether you use bleed. Pick your trim size (6 x 9 inches is the most common in the US), then build the file to it. Changing trim size later means redoing margins, page count and cover.
Error 1: Page size doesn't match trim size
What it means: The PDF pages are a different size from the trim size you chose in KDP.
The fix:
- Without bleed, the page size must equal the trim size exactly, for example 6 x 9 inches.
- With bleed, add 0.125 inches to the width and 0.25 inches to the height. A 6 x 9 book becomes 6.125 x 9.25 inches.
- If even one interior page has an image running to the edge, the whole file must be set up with bleed.
- Export to PDF at the document's size; don't let your PDF printer fit it to Letter or A4.
Error 2: Content outside the margins
What it means: Text or images sit too close to the edge or the spine, so they could be cut off or lost in the binding.
The fix: Use mirrored margins and meet KDP's minimums, which grow with page count because thicker books curve more at the spine.
| Page count | Inside (gutter) margin | Outside margin, no bleed | Outside margin, with bleed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24–150 | 0.375 in | 0.25 in | 0.375 in |
| 151–300 | 0.5 in | 0.25 in | 0.375 in |
| 301–500 | 0.625 in | 0.25 in | 0.375 in |
| 501–700 | 0.75 in | 0.25 in | 0.375 in |
| 701–828 | 0.875 in | 0.25 in | 0.375 in |
Top and bottom follow the outside column. These are minimums; a little extra looks better and protects italics, which can lean past the text box. If your software has separate gutter and inside-margin fields, enter the same value in both.
Error 3: Fonts not embedded
What it means: The PDF refers to fonts it doesn't contain, so KDP can't print them reliably.
The fix:
- In Word, go to File > Options > Save and tick "Embed fonts in the file". Leave "Embed only the characters used" and "Do not embed common system fonts" unticked.
- Check the result in Adobe Acrobat under File > Properties > Fonts. Every font should say "Embedded" or "Embedded Subset".
- If a font still won't embed, its license probably doesn't allow it. Switch fonts; Garamond, Palatino Linotype and Amazon Endure are safe choices.
- Hunt for hidden fonts. A rejected font can hide in headers, footers, blank lines or unused styles. Change it in Word's Styles pane rather than in the text.
- Remove fake bold or italic. If you applied bold to a font that has no bold version, install the real one or remove the formatting.
Error 4: Low-resolution images
What it means: Images are below 300 DPI and will print blurry.
The fix: Use images at 300 DPI or higher at the size they print (600 DPI for comics and manga). Insert them at their original size instead of enlarging them, and turn off image compression in Word. Thin lines in charts and tables should be at least 0.75 pt, and grey fills at least 10%.
Error 5: Cover doesn't fit
What it means: The cover PDF is the wrong width for your page count and paper, or text sits where it will be trimmed.
The fix:
- Build the cover as one PDF: back cover, spine and front cover together, with 0.125 inches of bleed on the top, bottom and outside edges.
- Calculate spine width as page count times your paper factor: 0.002252 inches per page for white paper, 0.0025 for cream, and 0.002347 for premium colour.
- Re-download KDP's cover template whenever your page count changes. One extra chapter changes the spine.
- Keep cover text at least 0.125 inches inside the trim lines, and out of the spine area.
Error 6: Spine text on a thin book
Books under 79 pages can't have spine text (80 if you use Cover Creator). On longer books, leave at least 0.0625 inches between spine text and each edge of the spine, because the fold can shift slightly.
Error 7: Blank pages, page numbers and leftover marks
KDP's manual review also catches smaller problems:
- Blank pages: No more than 4 in a row at the start or middle, and no more than 10 at the end.
- Page numbers: Even numbers on left pages, odd on right.
- Single pages only: Upload individual pages, not two-page spreads.
- Clean file: Remove crop marks, comments, placeholder text from templates, and any PDF password or lock.
- Transparency: Flatten transparent objects and layers before export.
Error 8: Book details don't match the file
The title, subtitle, author name, edition and ISBN in your KDP setup must match the title page, copyright page, cover and spine exactly. Words like "hardbound" or "boxed set" on a single paperback also trigger rejection.
If KDP rejects the file again
Don't keep saving over the same file. KDP warns that repeated saves can compound corrupted data. Fix the original document and export a fresh PDF with a new file name. PDF/X-1a is the safest export setting, with image downsampling turned off.
Need help?
If you've been fighting the uploader for weeks, a second pair of eyes is often faster. Our KDP setup service fixes file errors inside your own KDP account, so your book, listing and royalties stay yours. Send us your file and we'll tell you what it needs, with no obligation.