Welcome to KDP Cover Design
What Is KDP?
The Cover Files You Need
A full cover wrap (PDF)
Step 1: Get Your Book's Dimensions
Step 2: Calculate Your Cover Dimensions
Full cover width (e.g., 12.7004")
Full cover height (e.g., 9.25")
Spine width (e.g., 0.4504")
Step 3: Choose Your Design Approach
Step 4: Design Principles for First-Timers
Step 5: The Back Cover
Book description (blurb) — 150-200 words
Author bio — 50-100 words (optional for first book)
Leave space for the ISBN barcode in the lower-right corner
Step 6: Exporting for KDP
Step 7: Uploading to KDP
Common First-Timer Mistakes
Getting Feedback Before Publishing
Post it in indie author Facebook groups for feedback
Ask 3-5 friends who read your genre if the cover looks professional
Compare it to the top 10 covers in your genre on Amazon
Use our [Preflight Checker](/tools/preflight) to verify technical specs
Your Cover Is Your First Marketing
Our AI Cover Generator for concept ideas
Template covers (our gallery has options for many genres)
Hiring a professional cover designer for your first book (many charge $50-200 for indie authors)