Folded Leaflet Templates
Free, print-ready templates for every size and option of our folded leaflets, with the bleed, trim and safe area marked, and the folds, cut lines and page labels where your product has them.
About these templates
Our folded leaflet templates are for an A4 sheet folded three ways: in half to A5, roll folded (tri-fold) to DL, or Z folded to DL. Each template is a landscape page of 303 x 216mm, the 297 x 210mm sheet plus 3mm of bleed, with every fold drawn and every panel named and measured.
Each template has two pages. Page 1 is the outside of the sheet and page 2 the inside. Design both, then export them together as one PDF. Keep text 5mm inside the trim and at least 5mm from each fold, so nothing sits in the crease.
The roll fold is the one that catches people out. Its three panels are not equal: the panel that tucks inside is 97mm wide and the other two are 100mm, so the flap folds in without buckling. On the inside page the order is mirrored, so the narrow panel is on the right. If you set up three equal panels for a roll fold, the folds land in the wrong place.
A Z fold has three equal 99mm panels that fold like a concertina, and a half fold has one fold at 148.5mm. Download the template for your fold, design over the guides, then delete or hide the guide layer before you export. Upload your PDF on the folded leaflets page. Our guide to half, roll and Z folds explains which to choose.
A4 leaflet half folded to A5
| Trim size | 297 x 210mm |
|---|---|
| Artwork with bleed | 303 x 216mm |
| Bleed | 3mm |
| Safe area | 5mm inside the trim, and 5mm from each fold |
| Pages | 2 |
| Formats | PDF, SVG, Word (DOCX) |
Two pages of 303 x 216mm (an A4 sheet laid landscape, plus 3mm bleed): page 1 is the outside (back cover left, front cover right) and page 2 the inside. One fold at 148.5mm. Keep text 5mm from the trim and from the fold.
A4 leaflet roll folded to DL
| Trim size | 297 x 210mm |
|---|---|
| Artwork with bleed | 303 x 216mm |
| Bleed | 3mm |
| Safe area | 5mm inside the trim, and 5mm from each fold |
| Pages | 2 |
| Formats | PDF, SVG |
Two pages of 303 x 216mm: page 1 is the outside (tuck-in flap 97mm, back cover 100mm, front cover 100mm, folds at 97 and 197mm) and page 2 the inside, mirrored (100, 100 and 97mm, folds at 100 and 200mm). The flap is 3mm narrower so it tucks in without buckling. Keep text 5mm from the trim and from each fold.
A4 leaflet Z folded to DL
| Trim size | 297 x 210mm |
|---|---|
| Artwork with bleed | 303 x 216mm |
| Bleed | 3mm |
| Safe area | 5mm inside the trim, and 5mm from each fold |
| Pages | 2 |
| Formats | PDF, SVG |
Two pages of 303 x 216mm: page 1 is the outside and page 2 the inside, each three equal 99mm panels (folds at 99 and 198mm). The front cover is the right-hand panel of the outside and the back cover the right-hand panel of the inside. Keep text 5mm from the trim and from each fold.
Sizes for Canva, Word and other apps
The artwork size is the trim size plus the bleed on every side. Use it as the custom size (in millimetres) when you set up a design without our file, and keep text inside the safe area.
| Template | Trim size | Artwork with bleed (custom size) | Bleed | Safe area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A4 leaflet half folded to A5 | 297 x 210mm | 303 x 216mm | 3mm | 5mm inside the trim, and 5mm from each fold |
| A4 leaflet roll folded to DL | 297 x 210mm | 303 x 216mm | 3mm | 5mm inside the trim, and 5mm from each fold |
| A4 leaflet Z folded to DL | 297 x 210mm | 303 x 216mm | 3mm | 5mm inside the trim, and 5mm from each fold |
What's in the file
| Mark | Colour and line | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Bleed edge | Red, thin solid line round the edge of the 303 x 216mm page | Backgrounds run to here. This 3mm strip is trimmed off. |
| Trim line | Black, solid line, with short black centre marks in the bleed | Where the sheet is cut to A4. |
| Fold line | Pink, longer dashes running the full height of the page, labelled "Fold at ...mm" | Where the sheet is creased and folded. The distance is measured from the left-hand trim. |
| Safe area | Blue, short dashes, one box per panel | Keep text and logos inside each box, clear of the trim and the folds. |
| Panel labels | Grey text in the middle of each panel, with "Panel width ...mm" | Which panel is which when the leaflet is folded. |
| Page label | Grey text, "Outside" or "Inside" | Which side of the sheet the page is. |
Product notes
| Fold | Finished size | Outside page, left to right | Inside page, left to right |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half fold to A5 | 148.5 x 210mm | Back cover 148.5mm, front cover 148.5mm (fold at 148.5mm) | Inside left 148.5mm, inside right 148.5mm |
| Roll fold (tri-fold) to DL | 99 x 210mm | Inside flap (tucks in) 97mm, back cover 100mm, front cover 100mm (folds at 97 and 197mm) | Inside left 100mm, inside centre 100mm, inside right (tucks in) 97mm (folds at 100 and 200mm) |
| Z fold to DL | 99 x 210mm | Outside left 99mm, outside centre 99mm, front cover 99mm (folds at 99 and 198mm) | Inside left 99mm, inside centre 99mm, back cover 99mm |
- Mirrored inside: when you turn the sheet over, left and right swap. That is why the roll fold's narrow panel is on the left of the outside page and on the right of the inside page. Follow the labels in the file rather than working it out.
- Fold clearance: keep text at least 5mm from each fold. Backgrounds and images can run across a fold.
- Envelopes: a leaflet folded to DL (99 x 210mm) fits a standard DL envelope.
- Paper: 135gsm or 170gsm gloss, always printed on both sides.
Using it in design apps and Canva
In InDesign, Illustrator or Affinity, make a two-page document at 297 x 210mm with 3mm bleed (or open our PDF directly), and put guides at the fold positions in the table. In Canva, create a 297 x 210mm design with Show print bleed on, add a second page, and upload our SVG for each page as a guide; delete it before you download. Word works, but folds are hard to place accurately, so a design app is easier.
Questions
Why is one panel narrower on a tri-fold leaflet?
A tri-fold is a roll fold: two panels roll in on top of each other. The panel that tucks inside has to be slightly narrower, or it would push against the fold and buckle. On our A4 to DL roll fold the tuck-in panel is 97mm and the other two are 100mm. The template marks each panel's width, so you don't need to work it out.
Which panel is the front cover?
On the roll fold and the Z fold, the front cover is the right-hand panel of the outside page. On the half fold it is also the right-hand half of the outside page, with the back cover on the left. Every panel in our templates is labelled, so follow the labels and check the on-screen proof before you pay.
How far from a fold should text be?
Keep text and logos at least 5mm from each fold, and 5mm from the trimmed edges. Folding can move very slightly, and text close to a crease looks squeezed or can disappear into it. Backgrounds, colours and photos can run straight across a fold without any problem.
Do I need to supply the outside and inside as separate files?
No. Send one PDF with two pages: page 1 is the outside of the sheet and page 2 is the inside, each 303 x 216mm with bleed. Don't send the six panels as separate pages, and don't send a folded-up preview. Our templates are already set up in this order.
Is a tri-fold the same as a Z fold?
No. Both fold an A4 sheet to DL, but a roll fold (tri-fold) wraps the panels inside each other, while a Z fold zigzags like a concertina. A Z fold has three equal 99mm panels. A roll fold has a narrower 97mm tuck-in panel. Use the template for the fold you order, because the panel positions differ.