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Printing With Trim Marks

HOW TO RPINT ANY PLANNER SIZE WITH TRIM MARKS

Are you tired of guessing and measuring when it comes to printing templates and digital prints at their intended size? With this simple hack, you can ensure that your home-printed digital prints come out perfectly every time.

The key to this hack is adding trim marks to your page. These marks will guide you in cutting your print to the correct size, eliminating the need for guesswork.

However, it’s important to note that for this method to work, your digital file must be set up to the correct dimensions. For example, if you want to print a 5.83″ x 8.27″ insert, the PDF file must be set up as 5.83″ x 8.27″ for the correct trim marks to appear. On the other hand, if you want to print A4 or US Letter sized files, they don’t require trim marks.

Why You Need Adobe Acrobat for Printing with Trim Marks

When printing planner inserts, it’s important to have trim marks to guide your cuts for perfectly sized pages. Unfortunately, trim marks are not available in free PDF readers like Adobe Acrobat Reader. To access advanced printing features, such as trim marks, you will need Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Adobe Acrobat Pro allows you to:

  • Add trim/crop marks to your PDF files.
  • Customize your printing options to ensure precise cuts for planner sizes like A5, Personal, and more.

While free alternatives provide basic functionality, they don’t include these advanced printing settings. If you’re frequently printing planner inserts, investing in Adobe Acrobat Pro can make a significant difference in the quality and accuracy of your prints.


Step 1: Print Actual Size

  1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat.
  2. Go to File > Print.
  3. In the Print dialog box, make sure to select Actual Size under the Page Size & Handling section.
    • This ensures the document prints at the exact size it was designed for (e.g., A5, Personal, or Half-Letter, ect) without scaling.

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Step 2: Click on Page Setup (Printing on Letter or A4 Paper)

  1. In the Print dialog, click Page Setup.
  2. Under Paper Size, select Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) or A4 (210 x 297 mm) depending on your paper size.
    • This allows you to print on standard-sized paper, which is then trimmed down to your custom size.
  3. Apply the settings and return to the Print dialog.

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Step 3: Click on Properties (Set Print Size and Add Trim Marks)

  1. In the Print dialog box, click Properties (or Preferences, depending on your printer).
  2. In Properties, select the Paper Size that matches your document size. If it’s an A5 document, select A5 (148 x 210 mm).
    • If you’re using a custom size (like Personal Size or Half-Letter Size), follow these steps:
      1. Look for User Defined or Custom Size under the Paper Size options.
      2. Input your custom size dimensions:
        • Personal Size: 95mm x 171mm (3.75 x 6.75 inches).
        • Half-Letter Size: 140mm x 216mm (5.5 x 8.5 inches).
      3. Save the custom size for future use.

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Step 4: Click on Advanced Settings (Trim Marks)

  1. In the Print dialog box, click Advanced (usually found in the lower-left corner of the dialog box).
  2. Ensure that Print as Image is unchecked (to preserve quality).
  3. Under Marks and Bleeds, verify that Trim Marks are enabled to show cutting guides.

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Step 5: Print

After setting the Page Setup and Advanced settings, click Print. Make sure your printer is loaded with Letter or A4 paper depending on your choice in Page Setup.

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Step 6: Cut Along Trim Marks

Use a paper trimmer or a ruler and craft knife to cut the document along the trim marks. This will ensure that your document is reduced to the correct size (A5, Personal Size, or Half-Letter).


Optional: Setting Up Custom Sizes (User Defined)

If you’re printing other custom sizes like Personal Size or Half-Letter, follow these additional steps in the Page Setup dialog:

  1. In Page Setup, go to Manage Custom Sizes.
  2. Add a new custom size:
    • A5: 5.83 x 8.27 in (148 x 210 mm)
    • A6: 4.13 x 5.83 in (105 x 148 mm)
    • HP Classic: 7.0 x 9.25 in (178 x 235 mm)
    • Half Letter: 5.5 x 8.5 in (140 x 216 mm)
    • Big Happy Planner: 8.5 x 11 in (216 x 279 mm)
    • HP Mini: 4.62 x 7.0 in (117 x 178 mm)
    • Personal Wide: 4.75 x 6.75 in (121 x 171 mm)
    • Personal: 3.75 x 6.75 in (95 x 171 mm)
    • Pocket: 3.2 x 4.7 in (81 x 119 mm)
    • FC Compact: 4.25 x 6.75 in (108 x 171 mm)
  3. Save and apply the custom size for future use.
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