Crop marks, trim marks and bleed marks: what each one is
Crop marks and trim marks are the same thing: short lines outside the page that show where to cut. Bleed marks, registration marks and slug lines are different. Which ones a printer needs, and where Voidcanvas adds them.
Beginner2 min readUpdated 27 September 2026Studio · Print PDF
The marks and areas
| Name | What it is | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Trim (the page) | The finished size, where the cut goes | Everyone |
| Bleed | Artwork beyond the trim, usually 3 mm, cut away | Anything with colour or photo to the edge |
| Crop marks, also called trim marks | Lines outside the bleed pointing at the trim corners | Most printers, unless they use the PDF trim box |
| Bleed marks | Lines at the bleed edge | Rarely asked for |
| Registration marks | Targets for aligning plates | Offset press operators; usually added by the printer |
| Colour bars | Strips of ink patches to check density | Added by the printer |
| Slug line | Job details printed outside the bleed | Useful for everyone; ignored by the press |
Where Voidcanvas adds them
- Studio print PDF (on the Deliver tab): the artwork at trim size in mm, 3 mm bleed on every side, crop marks outside the bleed, TrimBox and BleedBox set so the printer's software finds the cut on its own, and a slug line with client, job, format, version, trim size, bleed and a note that the colour is RGB.
- The Editor's PDF: the page exactly at the design size, with no bleed and no marks. Add bleed with Canvas size (see How much bleed) and send it with a note, or deliver through Studio.
- No registration marks or colour bars; printers add their own.
Do I need crop marks?
If the printer asks for them, yes. Many online printers prefer a PDF with bleed and the trim box set and no marks. Ask; both are easy from Studio.
Can crop marks touch the artwork?
No. They sit outside the bleed. Marks inside the bleed can end up printed on the finished piece if the cut drifts.
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