ISO 216 · A-series
A5 paper size — 148 × 210 mm
A5 is 148 × 210 millimetres — that's 14.8 × 21.0 cm, approximately 5.83 × 8.27 inches, and 1748 × 2480 pixels at 300 DPI. A5 is the ISO 216 half-step below A4 (sizes are rounded to whole millimetres), and is the standard worldwide for notepads, paperback books, half-page flyers and invitation cards.
A5 — instant conversion
| Unit | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Millimetres (mm) | 148 mm | 210 mm |
| Centimetres (cm) | 14.8 cm | 21 cm |
| Inches (in) | 5.827 in | 8.268 in |
| Pixels @ 300 DPI | 1748 px | 2480 px |
| PostScript points (pt) | 419.5 pt | 595.3 pt |
| Picas | 34.96 | 49.61 |
Change the DPI selector to see the pixel resolution at 72, 96, 150, 200, 300 or 600 DPI. Physical dimensions (mm, cm, in, pt, picas) do not change with DPI.
A5 dimensions across every unit
The full reference table below covers every unit designers, printers and developers ask for. All values are derived directly from the ISO 216 definition (148 × 210 mm exactly) — no approximations were used before rounding to the shown precision.
| Unit | Width | Height | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millimetres | 148 mm | 210 mm | 1 : √2 |
| Centimetres | 14.8 cm | 21.0 cm | |
| Inches | 5.827 in | 8.268 in | |
| Pixels @ 72 DPI | 420 px | 595 px | |
| Pixels @ 150 DPI | 874 px | 1240 px | |
| Pixels @ 300 DPI | 1748 px | 2480 px | |
| Pixels @ 600 DPI | 3496 px | 4961 px | |
| PostScript points | 419.5 pt | 595.3 pt | |
| Picas | 34.96 | 49.61 |
A5 · 148 × 210 mm
A5 compared to related sizes
The three sizes people most commonly compare A5 against are A4 (double the area), A6 (half the area) and the US Half Letter format. Here are the exact numbers.
| Size | Millimetres | Inches | Area vs A5 | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A3 | 297 × 420 | 11.69 × 16.54 | 4 × A5 | A3 page |
| A4 | 210 × 297 | 8.27 × 11.69 | 2 × A5 | A4 vs A5 |
| A5 | 148 × 210 | 5.83 × 8.27 | — | (this page) |
| A6 | 105 × 148 | 4.13 × 5.83 | ½ × A5 | postcard size |
| US Half Letter | 139.7 × 215.9 | 5.5 × 8.5 | ≈ 0.97 × A5 | US personal planner |
| US Letter | 215.9 × 279.4 | 8.5 × 11 | ≈ 1.94 × A5 | US Letter |
Where A5 is used
- Notepads, planners and personal journals
- Paperback book interiors (trade fiction and non-fiction)
- Half-page flyers and direct-mail leaflets
- Event programmes, concert booklets and gallery handouts
- Restaurant menus and wine lists
- Zines, self-published magazines and short-run catalogues
- Wedding invitations and RSVP inserts
- Recipe cards and instruction inserts
Design specs for A5 print
- Bleed
- 3 mm on every side → export at 154 × 216 mm
- Safe area
- 3 mm inset from trim → keep text inside 142 × 204 mm
- Recommended DPI
- 300 DPI for commercial print · 150 DPI for large volume
- CMYK vs RGB
- CMYK for offset print; RGB acceptable for most digital press
- File format
- PDF/X-1a is the most widely accepted press format; many workflows also take PDF/X-4
How to print A5 on a home printer
Most home printers do not accept A5 paper in the main tray. The reliable way to produce A5 output is to print two A5 pages per A4 sheet and cut along the fold. The steps below apply to almost every operating system and PDF reader.
Step 1
Open your A5 file
Verify the document page size is set to 148 × 210 mm — not Letter, not A4. In Word or Docs check Page Setup; in a PDF reader check Document Properties.
Step 2
Choose 2 pages per sheet
In the print dialog find "Pages per sheet" or "Multiple pages per sheet" and set to 2. Some dialogs call this "Booklet" or "N-up printing".
Step 3
Disable page scaling
Set Scale to 100 % or "Actual size". Any "Fit to page" or "Shrink oversized pages" option will resize the layout away from the exact A5 dimensions.
Step 4
Print and cut
Print onto A4 paper. Fold the sheet in half along the long edge to find the exact centre, unfold and cut along the crease with a ruler and craft knife.
Related: for step-by-step help with the "Actual size" setting across specific print dialogs, see how to print at actual size.
A5 in real-world terms
If you have never held a physical A5 sheet, these comparisons help visualise the size:
- Slightly wider and taller than a typical paperback novel (most trade paperbacks are around 130 × 200 mm).
- About the size of a modern ereader (Kindle Paperwhite is roughly 116 × 174 mm — smaller than A5 but similar aspect).
- Roughly two credit cards tall by two credit cards wide (a credit card is 85.6 × 53.98 mm).
- Fold once along the long edge and you get A6 — the size of a standard postcard.
- Two A5 sheets tiled side by side make one A4 sheet, bar a 1 mm trim strip (ISO rounding).
Frequently asked questions
What is the exact size of A5 paper?
A5 measures exactly 148 × 210 millimetres, defined by ISO 216. That is 14.8 × 21.0 cm, or approximately 5.83 × 8.27 inches. It is exactly half of A4 (which is 210 × 297 mm).
How many pixels is A5 at 300 DPI?
At 300 DPI (dots per inch, the commercial print standard), A5 is 1748 × 2480 pixels. At 150 DPI it is 874 × 1240 pixels. At 72 DPI (screen) it is 420 × 595 pixels. The pixel count scales linearly with DPI.
What is A5 size in inches?
A5 is approximately 5.83 × 8.27 inches. Exact: 5.827 × 8.268 in, derived from 148 mm and 210 mm divided by 25.4 (millimetres per inch).
Is A5 half of A4?
Nominally, yes. Folding A4 in half gives 148.5 × 210 mm; ISO 216 rounds every size to whole millimetres, so the standardised A5 is 148 × 210 mm — half a millimetre narrower than the fold. Two A5 sheets tile onto one A4 leaving only a 1 mm trim strip (2 × 148 = 296 of A4's 297 mm).
How do I print A5 on a home printer without A5 paper?
Print two A5 pages per A4 sheet using the "2 pages per sheet" or "Multiple pages per sheet" option in your print dialog, then cut the A4 sheet in half along the long edge. Turn off any "Fit to page" scaling to keep the dimensions exact.
What is A5 used for?
A5 is the standard size for notepads, personal planners, paperback book interiors, half-page flyers, event programmes, zines, restaurant menus, invitation cards and mid-size print advertisements.
Is A5 the same as Half Letter?
No. A5 is 148 × 210 mm; US Half Letter is 5.5 × 8.5 inches (139.7 × 215.9 mm). Half Letter is about 8 mm narrower and 6 mm taller. They are similar enough to be interchangeable for many use cases but not identical.
What is A5 in centimetres?
A5 is 14.8 × 21.0 centimetres. This is exactly 148 × 210 millimetres — ISO 216 defines the size in mm.
What size PDF should I export for A5 print?
Set the PDF page size to 148 × 210 mm. For full-bleed designs add a 3 mm bleed on each side, giving an export size of 154 × 216 mm with the trim line at 148 × 210 mm.
What is A5 in points (pt)?
A5 is 419.5 × 595.3 PostScript points (used by PDFs, InDesign and older PostScript workflows). One point equals 1/72 of an inch.
How does A5 compare to A6?
A6 is 105 × 148 mm — exactly half of A5 (210 ÷ 2 = 105, no rounding needed at that step). A5 in turn is nominally half of A4. Each step down the A-series halves the area while preserving the 1:√2 aspect ratio, with every size rounded to whole millimetres.
What GSM paper weight is common for A5?
For notepads and paperbacks, 80–100 gsm. For premium flyers and invitations, 120–170 gsm. For business cards and postcards at A5 size, 250–350 gsm.