Why does KDP keep rejecting my cover?
Short answer
Most KDP cover rejections come from a file whose size doesn't match the trim size, page count and paper you chose, or from text outside the safe zone. KDP wants one PDF (back, spine and front) with 0.125 in bleed, text at least 0.125 in inside the trim, and no spine text under 79 pages.
What it costs with me, Jooneyd: Fixing a rejected file with me starts from $149, and the first check by email is free. If the design stays the same, a rejected cover is fixed within 12 hours, often in 3 to 6. A new cover from me starts at $599.
Your cover size depends on your interior
A paperback cover is one wide file: back cover, spine and front cover side by side. Its width is bleed + back cover + spine + front cover + bleed, and its height is bleed + trim height + bleed. The spine width is your page count times the thickness of your paper.
For example, 300 pages on cream paper gives a 0.75 in spine. That is why changing the page count or paper after the cover is made breaks it.
Spine text and the safe zone
Keep all text at least 0.125 in inside the trim. Spine text needs at least 79 pages, plus 0.0625 in of space from each spine edge. Below that, KDP shows the error “Book has fewer than 79 pages and can't have text on the spine”.
Check the file before you upload
- One single-page PDF, with no crop marks and no white space.
- Images at a minimum of 300 DPI.
- CMYK color, with no spot colors.
- Fonts embedded and transparencies flattened.
- A new cover size whenever the page count or paper changes.
Hardcover and IngramSpark need their own file
A hardcover cover uses a different template with a wider wrap. IngramSpark builds covers on its own template too, so don't resize a KDP cover for it.
The rules at a glance
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cover width | Bleed + back cover + spine + front cover + bleed | Amazon KDP Help |
| Cover height | Bleed + trim height + bleed | Amazon KDP Help |
| Bleed | 0.125 in on the outer edges | Amazon KDP Help |
| Text safe zone | At least 0.125 in inside the trim | Amazon KDP Help |
| Spine per page, white paper | 0.002252 in | Amazon KDP Help |
| Spine per page, cream paper | 0.0025 in | Amazon KDP Help |
| Spine per page, premium color | 0.002347 in | Amazon KDP Help |
| Spine per page, standard color | 0.002252 in | Amazon KDP Help |
| Spine text | Only on books of 79 pages or more, with 0.0625 in space from each spine edge | Amazon KDP Help |
| File | One single-page PDF, no crop marks, no white space | Amazon KDP Help |
| Images and color | 300 DPI minimum, CMYK, no spot colors, fonts embedded, transparencies flattened | Amazon KDP Help |
Checked 27 October 2026 on the stores’ own help pages.
Keeping the old cover file after the page count or paper changes, so the spine no longer fits.
“This guy really knows his stuff! I had a problem with uploading my ebook cover. I had tried several other sellers, they could not solve the problem Jooneyed handled it in 15 minutes! He is now my go-to guy for everything when it comes to formatting, promoting, and marketing my books! I recommend his services. He is courteous and professional!”
K.J. Snow
Need it done?
I fix rejected covers and rebuild them at the right size for your book. Fixing a rejected file starts from $149. Book cover design from $599.
Related answers
Why did IngramSpark reject my cover again?IngramSpark cover rejections explained: template size, PDF/X settings, CMYK and ink limits, barcode and spine Can I use my paperback cover file for the hardcover?Why a KDP hardcover needs a rebuilt cover (0.51 in wrap, hinge, safe zone), its own ISBN, 75–550 pages and oneWhy does KDP say content is outside the margins when nothing is there?Why KDP flags content outside the margins, the minimum gutter for your page count, and how to fix the PDF so iSources
- Amazon KDP Help: Create a paperback cover
- Amazon KDP Help: Fix paperback and hardcover formatting issues