Folded PDF instructions

Printable Card Guide

Printable card guide explains how to print a folded card correctly at home. Print at actual size or 100 percent, choose landscape for double sided printing, flip on the short edge, and test on plain paper first because printer settings vary between machines.

Print the two-page card PDF in landscape orientation at Actual Size or 100%. Use double-sided printing and select flip on the short edge. Page one places the back cover on the left and front cover on the right. Page two places the inside-left panel on the left and the main message on the right.

Create a printable card

What print settings should I use?

  1. Choose Print and then select A4 or US Letter.
  2. Select Home printer for safe margins and optional fold marks.
  3. Open the PDF and print a test copy on ordinary paper.
  4. Use landscape orientation, Actual Size or 100% and double-sided printing.
  5. Select flip on short edge, then fold the sheet down the centre.

How are the four card panels arranged?

PDF pageLeft halfRight half
OutsideBack coverFront cover
InsideInside-left panelMain inside message

What paper should I use?

Start with plain paper to confirm orientation. For the final copy, use card that your printer can feed safely. Many home printers handle 160 to 220 gsm, but the supported weight is model-specific. Check the printer manual before using heavy stock.

What should I choose for a print shop?

Select Print shop in the card maker. This reduces the home-print margin and removes fold marks. Tell the printer the finished folded size and ask whether they need bleed, crop marks or a different PDF specification. The exported design is raster-based, so very large resizing is not recommended.

Why did the back print upside down?

The duplex flip setting is the usual cause. For a landscape sheet that folds vertically, select flip on the short edge. Printer drivers sometimes describe this differently, which is why a test on ordinary paper is essential.

Questions About Printable Card Guide

Do I need to sign up before I start on a printable card guide?

None at all. You can begin immediately and only create an account once you have made several cards. Because everything happens locally, your work stays on the device you made it on, which also means clearing your browser data will clear an unfinished card. Export anything you want to keep rather than relying on it being there tomorrow. If something does not fit what you need, the wording, design, size and fonts can all be changed before export. Everything described here applies to the printable card guide specifically, not just to the site in general.

Will there be a watermark on my printable card guide?

No. Nothing you export carries a watermark, a logo or any reference to this site, at any size or in any format. That includes the PDF export, which on many comparable tools is where branding is added or resolution is reduced. What you download is the card exactly as you designed it, ready to print or send without anything to crop out first. The preview redraws as you work, so you are never guessing at what the exported file will look like. If something does not fit what you need, the wording, design, size and fonts can all be changed before export. This applies to the printable card guide exactly as described, and the settings are remembered while you work.

Can I change the font and text size when making a printable card guide?

Yes. Every line has its own font and size control, so the occasion label, the heading, the main message, the closing wish and your name can each be set separately rather than following one template. There are seven typefaces and six sizes. All of the typefaces are standard system fonts, so there is nothing to download and no licensing restriction on anything you create. Changes appear on the live preview immediately. If something does not fit what you need, the wording, design, size and fonts can all be changed before export. On the printable card guide specifically, the preview redraws as you change anything, so the result is never a surprise.

Can I add my own photo with the printable card guide?

You can, and the photograph never leaves your device. That is a deliberate design choice rather than a limitation: photographs on cards are usually of family, and uploading them to a stranger's server to make a greeting card is an unnecessary risk. Position and zoom the image inside its frame, and replace or remove it at any point without losing your wording. Everything described here applies to the printable card guide specifically, not just to the site in general. The preview redraws as you work, so you are never guessing at what the exported file will look like.

Can I print what I make on a printable card guide?

Printing works well once two settings are right: print at actual size rather than letting the printer scale the page, and flip on the short edge when printing both sides. The exported PDF already has the fold line and panel positions worked out. Card stock feeds differently from paper in most home printers, so one test sheet before using the good stock is worth the minute it takes. The preview redraws as you work, so you are never guessing at what the exported file will look like. Everything here is available on the printable card guide without a sign up, a watermark or a paid tier.

What sizes can I export for a printable card guide?

There are three families of size: digital, one page print and folded. Digital sizes are cut to the proportions the major messaging and social apps expect, which avoids the awkward cropping you get from a generic square. Print and folded sizes export at print resolution as a PDF. Switching between them mid way costs you nothing, since the wording and design carry across. Everything described here applies to the printable card guide specifically, not just to the site in general. The preview redraws as you work, so you are never guessing at what the exported file will look like.