Photo Book Template
Lay out a photo book page by page. Choose the book size (8 × 8, 8.5 × 11, 11 × 8.5 or 12 × 12 in, or A4), list the page layouts you want in order (a title page, full-bleed photos, or one to six photos with a border) and add your photos: they fill the slots in reading order. Each photo can fill its slot or fit whole, with a focus point and zoom, and each page can take a caption. Download a print-shop PDF, one page per book page with 0.125 in bleed for trimming and the safe area kept clear, a proof on US Letter or A4 with crop marks, or a PNG of each spread. Your photos never leave your device.
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Print-shop PDF: one page per book page, in reading order, with 0.125 in bleed. Keep faces and words inside the pink safe line. Proof: print at 100% (Actual size) on US Letter or A4 and trim on the crop marks.
Book
full = 1 photo, full bleed (to the page edge), one = 1 photo with a border, two = 2 photos side by side, two-v = 2 photos stacked, three = 3 photos: 1 large and 2 small, three-r = 3 photos in a row, four = 4 photos (2 × 2), five = 5 photos (2 above, 3 below), six = 6 photos, title = title page with 1 photo, text = text page (no photo).
Photos
Each photo: Fill crops it to the slot, Fit shows all of it; focus and zoom choose the part you see.
Words
Runs in your browser with our own code: your photos and words are read on your device and never uploaded, and nothing is saved. You may use what you make here, including commercially, with no credit needed.
How to make a photo book
- Choose the book size and whether you want the print-shop PDF or a home proof.
- Type the page layouts in order, such as title one two four full, and how many pages you want.
- Add your photos; they fill the slots in order. For each photo choose Fill or Fit, the focus and the zoom.
- Type the title and one caption line per page, and pick the page colour.
- Download the PDF (or a PNG of each spread) and upload it to your print shop or photo-book lab, or print the proof at 100%.
What you can use it for
- Family, baby and wedding photo books
- Travel and holiday albums
- Year-in-review and anniversary books
- Portfolios and lookbooks for print
- Gift books for grandparents
- Planning a layout before ordering from a photo-book lab
Book sizes, bleed and safe area
| Book size | Trim | Print-shop PDF page (with bleed) | Safe area | Proof on US Letter | Proof on A4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 8 in square | 203.2 × 203.2 mm | 8.25 × 8.25 in (209.6 × 209.6 mm) | 190.5 × 190.5 mm | 93.8% | 90.8% |
| 8.5 × 11 in portrait | 215.9 × 279.4 mm | 8.75 × 11.25 in (222.2 × 285.8 mm) | 203.2 × 266.7 mm | 88.2% | 85.5% |
| 11 × 8.5 in landscape | 279.4 × 215.9 mm | 11.25 × 8.75 in (285.8 × 222.2 mm) | 266.7 × 203.2 mm | 88.2% | 85.5% |
| 12 × 12 in square | 304.8 × 304.8 mm | 12.25 × 12.25 in (311.2 × 311.2 mm) | 292.1 × 292.1 mm | 62.5% | 60.6% |
| A4 portrait, 210 × 297 mm | 210.0 × 297.0 mm | 8.518 × 11.943 in (216.4 × 303.4 mm) | 197.3 × 284.3 mm | 85.5% | 87.9% |
Bleed 0.125 in on every side, as in printers’ 8 × 8 templates (bleed box 9 pt outside the trim); safe area 0.25 in inside the trim, as printers advise for critical text and art. Proofs print at the scale shown so the crop marks fit inside 0.5 in margins.
Page layouts
| Name to type | Layout | Photos |
|---|---|---|
| full | 1 photo, full bleed (to the page edge) | 1 |
| one | 1 photo with a border | 1 |
| two | 2 photos side by side | 2 |
| two-v | 2 photos stacked | 2 |
| three | 3 photos: 1 large and 2 small | 3 |
| three-r | 3 photos in a row | 3 |
| four | 4 photos (2 × 2) | 4 |
| five | 5 photos (2 above, 3 below) | 5 |
| six | 6 photos | 6 |
| title | Title page with 1 photo | 1 |
| text | Text page (no photo) | 0 |
Type the names in order, such as title one two three four full five six two-v three-r. The title page is used once; the rest repeat until the book is full, and pages are added if you have more photos than slots.
Spreads in a 20-page book
| Spread | Left | right |
|---|---|
| Spread 1 | (inside cover) | 1 |
| Spread 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Spread 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Spread 4 | 6 | 7 |
| Spread 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Spread 6 | 10 | 11 |
| Spread 7 | 12 | 13 |
| Spread 8 | 14 | 15 |
| Spread 9 | 16 | 17 |
| Spread 10 | 18 | 19 |
| Spread 11 | 20 | (inside cover) |
Page 1 faces the inside of the front cover and the last page faces the back cover, as in a bound book.
How this differs from a collage
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| A multi-page book with bleed, safe area and captions | This page |
| One collage picture for social media | Photo Collage Maker |
| Instant-film style frames at real film sizes | Polaroid Frame |
| A class yearbook with names under portraits | Yearbook Template |
For one collage picture to post, use the Photo Collage Maker; for instant-film style prints, the Polaroid Frame. Check how big a photo can print with the Print Size Calculator or the Photo Print Sizes chart, shrink big files with the Image Compressor, and convert iPhone photos first with HEIC to JPG.
Tips for a sharp photo book
- Use photos of at least 2400 px on the long side for a full 8 × 8 page (300 DPI); the PDF uses your original files.
- Keep faces and words inside the pink safe line.
- Turn the guide lines off before sending the PDF to a print shop.
- Most labs want an even page count: the tool adds a page if needed.
- Print the proof at 100% (Actual size) to check sizes before ordering.
More free tools
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Frequently asked questions
How do I make a photo book template?
Choose the size, list the page layouts in order, add your photos and captions, and download the PDF. Each PDF page is one book page at the trim size plus bleed, in reading order.
What are bleed and safe area?
Bleed is the extra 0.125 in (3.2 mm) of picture beyond the trim on every side, so a photo that runs to the edge has no white sliver after cutting. The safe area is 0.25 in inside the trim: keep faces and words inside it, because the cut can move a little.
What sizes can I choose?
8 × 8 in, 8.5 × 11 in portrait, 11 × 8.5 in landscape, 12 × 12 in and A4 portrait. The print-shop PDF page is the trim plus 0.125 in on every side, such as 8.25 × 8.25 in for an 8 × 8 book.
Which layouts are there?
A full-bleed photo, one photo with a border, two side by side or stacked, three (one large and two small, or in a row), four in a 2 × 2 grid, five (two above, three below), six, a title page with a photo and a text page.
Can I crop each photo?
Yes. Fill crops the photo to the slot, and you choose the focus (centre, top, bottom, left or right) and zoom (100 to 200%). Fit shows the whole photo inside the slot with the page colour around it.
Will my photo-book lab accept the PDF?
The PDF has one page per book page at trim plus 0.125 in bleed, which is what most print shops and many photo-book labs ask for when you upload your own pages. Check your lab’s page size, bleed and page-count rules first, and turn the guide lines off in the PDF.
How do I check the layout at home?
Choose Proof on US Letter or A4. The book page is centred with crop marks, at 100% when it fits inside 0.5 in margins; an 8 × 8 page prints at 93.8% on Letter so the marks fit.
Why is page 1 on its own?
A bound book opens with page 1 on the right and ends with the last even page on the left, so the spread preview and the PNG of each spread show pages 1, then 2 | 3, 4 | 5 and so on.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit.
Are my photos uploaded?
No. Your photos are read by JavaScript in your browser and never leave your device; the PDF is made on your device too. Only the free fonts load from a public font CDN, and nothing is saved when you close the page.