Setting
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Find bleed and slug area settings for printing trim marks, color bars, and page information in Adobe InDesign.
Consult this reference when preparing documents for commercial printing or when verifying bleed and slug dimensions for specific output requirements.
Bleed and slug areas extend beyond the final page trim size and serve different purposes in the printing workflow. The bleed area accommodates objects that extend past the page edge, preventing white gaps after trimming. The slug area holds printing instructions, page information, and color bars that are discarded when the document is trimmed to the final size.
Bleed area specifications
The bleed area allows objects positioned at the page edge to extend beyond the trim line, compensating for slight misalignment during printing or trimming.
|
|
Default value |
Maximum value |
Usage |
|
Top |
0 |
6 inches (15.24 cm) |
Extends beyond top edge. |
|
Bottom |
0 |
6 inches (15.24 cm) |
Extends beyond bottom edge. |
|
Inside |
0 |
6 inches (15.24 cm) |
Extends beyond left edge (single-sided) or inside edge (facing pages). |
|
Outside |
0 |
6 inches (15.24 cm) |
Extends beyond right edge (single-sided) or outside edge (facing pages). |
The industry-standard bleed is typically 0.125 inches (3 mm), but verify the requirements with your print provider.
Slug area specifications
The slug area extends beyond the bleed area and contains non-printing information such as job instructions, color calibration bars, and registration information. Objects placed in the slug area print but are removed during final trimming. The slug area appears when View > Screen Mode is set to Normal, Slug, or Preview.
The slug is turned off by default. To export it, turn it on in the Marks and Bleeds tab of File > Export > Adobe PDF (Print) or the File > Print dialog.
Print marks reference
Printer's marks aid in trimming, alignment, color calibration, and job tracking. Selecting marks expands the page boundaries to accommodate them.
|
Mark type |
Purpose |
Location |
Dimensions |
|
Crop marks |
Define trim boundaries |
All four corners |
Hairline rules extending 0.25 inches (6 mm). |
|
Bleed marks |
Define bleed extent |
All four corners when bleed exists |
Hairline rules at bleed boundary. |
|
Registration marks |
Align color separations |
Outside page corners |
Small crosshair targets. |
|
Color bars |
Calibrate ink density |
Top of page |
10% increments of CMYK. |
|
Page information |
Document identification |
Bottom of page |
Filename, page number, date, time, separation name in 6pt font. |
Offset specifications
The offset value controls the distance between the printer's marks and the page edge.
|
Setting |
Default |
Range |
Purpose |
|
Offset |
6 points (0.0833 inches / 2.117 mm) |
0-720 points |
Distance from page edge to marks. |
To prevent marks from overlapping the bleed area, set the offset value greater than the bleed value. For example, with a 0.125-inch bleed, use an offset of at least 9 points (0.125 inches).
Bleed and slug modes for verification
Before printing, verify bleed and slug areas using dedicated screen modes by selecting View > Screen Mode.
Screen modes | Display |
Normal | Standard display of editing work. |
Preview | Gray background replaces pasteboard; final trimming of the page. |
Bleed | Gray background replaces pasteboard; bleed area visible. |
Slug | Gray background replaces pasteboard; slug area visible. |
Output limitations
Content outside the defined bleed or slug area (whichever extends farther) does not print.
For PDF export, the maximum page size including bleed and slug is 200 × 200 inches (508 × 508 cm). Content beyond this dimension is cropped, not scaled. For large-format designs exceeding this limit, scale the document down before export or export in tiles.
Note
Bleed and slug areas defined in File > Document Setup serve as defaults. Override these values in the Print dialog box without affecting the document definition.
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