Crop Marks: Guides for Trimming Print
Crop marks are thin lines placed outside the artwork area to show the printer where the final trim should occur.
Crop marks help the print shop cut accurately, especially on multi-up sheets. They do not replace bleed. You still must extend backgrounds into bleed and keep important elements inside the safe area.
Example
A print-ready PDF export can include crop marks and 3 mm bleed. The crop marks sit outside the bleed area and indicate the trim size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. Many printers prefer crop marks on print-ready PDFs, but some automated workflows can work without them. Follow the printer’s spec.
They should not if trimming is done correctly. Crop marks must be outside the trim, and ideally outside bleed as well.
Crop marks indicate where to cut. Bleed is extra artwork beyond the cut. You often need both for edge-to-edge designs.
Export a PDF with crop marks enabled, include bleed, and keep the correct trim size. Use the printer’s preferred PDF standard if provided.
Your bleed or page box settings are wrong, or your artwork extends too far. Set trim and bleed correctly, then regenerate marks on export.
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