Paper Sizes Explained: Letter vs Legal vs A4 vs Tabloid (and When to Use Each)
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Quick answer
In North America, the four paper sizes you'll meet most often are Letter (8.5×11"), Legal (8.5×14"), A4 (8.27×11.69") and Tabloid / Ledger (11×17"). Letter is the default for almost everything you print at home and at work in the US and Canada. Use Legal for contracts and long forms, A4 if you're sending documents to anyone outside North America, and Tabloid for spreadsheets, posters or two-up booklets — only on printers that specifically support 11×17.
Why there are two paper standards in the world
Most of the world uses the ISO 216 "A series" (A4, A3, A5…) developed in Germany in the 1920s. The US, Canada, Mexico, and a few other countries use the older "ANSI" sizes (Letter, Legal, Tabloid). Both work fine — you just have to know which one your printer is loaded with, and which one your document was designed for, or your margins will be off and your text will get cut off.
The four sizes you actually need to know
Letter — 8.5×11 inches
Also called US Letter or just "8.5 by 11." The standard for:
- Resumes, cover letters, business letters
- School papers and homework
- Most everyday office printing in the US/Canada
- Printed forms, invoices, statements
If you're not sure what to load, load Letter.
Legal — 8.5×14 inches
Same width as Letter, three inches taller. Used for:
- Legal contracts (hence the name)
- Long affidavits and real estate documents
- Some HR and government forms
- Long spreadsheets in portrait mode
Most home inkjets can handle Legal but you'll need to extend the paper tray and tell the printer driver you're loading Legal so it doesn't expect 8.5×11.
A4 — 8.27×11.69 inches (210×297 mm)
The international standard. Slightly narrower and slightly taller than Letter. Used for:
- Anything you're sending to or printing for someone outside North America
- Academic papers for international journals
- Documents from companies headquartered in Europe, Asia, Australia, etc.
If you print a Letter document on A4 (or vice versa), you'll get either chopped edges or weird white space. Always match the paper size to the document.
Tabloid / Ledger — 11×17 inches
Same as two Letter sheets side by side. Used for:
- Wide spreadsheets and engineering drawings
- Small posters and signs
- Two-up booklets (two Letter pages per sheet, folded)
- Newspaper-style layouts
Most home inkjets do not support 11×17. You'll need a printer specifically advertised as "wide format" or "11x17" — typically the larger Epson, Canon, or HP OfficeJet wide-format models.
Other sizes you'll see less often
Half Letter (5.5×8.5)
Half a Letter sheet. Used for journals, flyers, and zines. Most printers handle it via a custom size setting.
Executive (7.25×10.5)
An older "fancy" letterhead size. Almost nobody uses it anymore.
A5 (5.83×8.27)
Half an A4 sheet. Common in Europe for notebooks, novels, and small forms.
A3 (11.69×16.54)
Twice the size of A4. International equivalent of Tabloid — same use cases (spreadsheets, posters), same need for a wide-format printer.
4x6 and 5x7 photo sizes
Standard photo print sizes. Most home photo printers have a dedicated tray or feed slot for these.
How to switch paper sizes correctly
Loading a different size is only half the job — you also have to tell the printer driver. Here's the order:
- Adjust the paper tray guides to fit the new size, snug but not tight
- Load the paper with the print side down (or up, depending on your model — check the label inside the tray)
- Open the printer software on your computer
- Set the paper size in the print dialog (File → Print → Paper Size on Mac; Print → Properties → Paper on Windows)
- Match the document to the paper in your application's page setup
If you skip step 4, the printer will print as if it's still on the previous size and you'll waste a sheet.
Quick reference table
- Letter — 8.5×11 in (216×279 mm) — default in US/Canada
- Legal — 8.5×14 in (216×356 mm) — contracts, long forms
- A4 — 8.27×11.69 in (210×297 mm) — international standard
- Tabloid / Ledger — 11×17 in (279×432 mm) — wide format only
- A3 — 11.69×16.54 in (297×420 mm) — international wide format
- Half Letter — 5.5×8.5 in — zines, small flyers
- A5 — 5.83×8.27 in — international half-size
Where to buy each size
- Letter (8.5×11): stocked everywhere. Browse Letter paper on Amazon.
- Legal (8.5×14): harder to find at retail; Amazon and office stores carry it. Browse Legal paper on Amazon.
- A4 (210×297 mm): rare in US retail; easy on Amazon. Browse A4 paper on Amazon.
- Tabloid (11×17): specialty item, but Amazon stocks it. Browse Tabloid paper on Amazon.
FAQ
Can I print a Letter document on A4 paper?
Yes, but use your print dialog's "Scale to fit" or "Shrink to fit page" option, or your margins will be wrong and the bottom may get cut off.
What size paper does my printer support?
Check the spec sheet for your model. Most home inkjets handle Letter, Legal, A4, A5, 4x6 and 5x7. Only wide-format printers do Tabloid or A3.
Why is Legal paper so awkward to use?
Because it's longer than the standard tray fits. You have to extend the tray and the output catch tray, and a lot of printers can't do duplex (double-sided) Legal at all.
Is "letter" the same everywhere?
No. In the US/Canada/Mexico, Letter = 8.5×11. In most of the rest of the world, the equivalent everyday size is A4 (8.27×11.69).
Stocking up? Browse our printer paper collection or grab a fresh set of ink cartridges while you're at it.