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PrintNook

Guide

How to print at true scale

The whole point of graph paper and ruled paper is that the measurements are honest. A 5 mm square should be 5 mm on paper. Printers love to quietly shrink pages to fit their own margins, which throws off every measurement. Here is how to stop that from happening.

The one setting that matters most

In your print dialog, find the scaling option. It may be called Scale, Size, or Page Sizing. Set it to 100 percent, or choose Actual size. Make sure any option named Fit to page, Shrink to fit, or Shrink oversized pages is turned off. This single change fixes most scaling problems.

Match the paper size

Generate your PDF in the size your printer holds. In most of Europe and much of the world that is A4. In the United States and Canada it is Letter. If you print an A4 PDF onto Letter paper with Fit to page on, the printer rescales it and the grid drifts. Every generator on PrintNook lets you pick A4 or Letter before you download.

Check the preview

  • Open the PDF and look at the print preview. The page should sit inside the paper with an even margin, not stretched edge to edge.
  • If a ruler is handy, measure a few squares after printing. They should match the spacing you chose.
  • Use black and white or grayscale mode to save color ink, since the guides are light grey anyway.

Quick checklist. Scale 100 percent, Fit to page off, correct paper size, normal margins. Get those four right and your printables come out true every time.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my graph paper print smaller than it should?

Your printer is scaling the page to fit its margins. Set scaling to 100 percent and turn off Fit to page or Shrink oversized pages.

Should I print borderless?

No. Borderless printing can shift the layout. Use normal margins and rely on the built in page margin in the generator.

Keep reading

Not sure which paper size to choose? Read paper sizes explained, or jump straight to the paper generator. Printing dot grid pages for a notebook? See our bullet journal guide for how the scale matters there too.