PrintTiler

Paper size guide

A4 vs Letter vs Legal: What Paper Size Does Your Country Use?

If you have ever downloaded a file and found it got cropped when you printed it, you have probably run into a simple global reality: most of the world prints on A4, but the United States and Canada print on Letter (and sometimes Legal).

This matters for PrintTiler because the tile size you choose should match the paper your printer actually uses. When the paper system does not match, your poster can be mis-sized, scaled oddly, or clipped.

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The two big paper systems

ISO paper (A-series): the A4 world

ISO 216 is the international standard used across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. The everyday default is A4, and the sizes scale neatly up and down.

  • A4 = 210 × 297 mm
  • A3 = 297 × 420 mm
  • A5 = 148 × 210 mm

If you are in places like Singapore, the UK or EU, Japan, South Korea, Australia, or New Zealand, your printer almost certainly expects A4 by default.

North American paper: the Letter world

The major exception is North America, where homes and offices typically default to Letter, with Legal used for certain documents.

  • Letter = 8.5 × 11 in (216 × 279 mm)
  • Legal = 8.5 × 14 in (216 × 356 mm)

Letter is slightly wider and shorter than A4. Printing an A4 layout on Letter, or the reverse, can cause subtle cropping or scaling.

Quick default paper size guide (home and office)

  • United States: Letter (most common), Legal sometimes
  • Canada: Letter (most common), Legal sometimes
  • UK and Europe: A4
  • Japan: A4
  • South Korea: A4
  • Australia and New Zealand: A4
  • Middle East (for example UAE, Saudi, Qatar): A4

Some countries can be mixed due to regional norms or US influence, but A4 remains the official standard in most places.

What PrintTiler supports (and how to choose)

To make printing painless, PrintTiler supports ISO sizes (A-series) for most of the world, plus Letter and Legal for US and Canada users.

Rule of thumb

  • If you are outside the US and Canada, choose A4.
  • If you are in the US or Canada, choose Letter (or Legal if needed).
One tile prints on one sheet. Larger paper will not automatically pack multiple tiles onto a single page.

Pick the paper your printer uses

Match your tile size to your actual printer paper. This keeps your poster size accurate and avoids weird scaling or clipping.

Start with the EditorSee the Paper Tile Table

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