How to Print Colouring Pages at Home: Paper, Settings and Tips

Last updated: 23 October 2026

Quick answer: to print colouring pages at home, open the PDF in a PDF reader, choose the right paper size (A4 in the UK, US Letter in the US), select "fit to page" or "scale to fit" so nothing is cut off, and print a single test page before printing more. Thicker paper suits markers and gel pens; standard copy paper is fine for crayons and coloured pencils.

1. Start with the right file and reader

Most printable colouring books and workbooks come as a PDF. Open the file in a PDF reader rather than a web browser preview where you can, because readers give you fuller print settings, including page ranges and scaling. Save the file somewhere easy to find on your computer or tablet, so you can come back and reprint favourite pages later.

If your printable arrives as a ZIP file (for example, a wall art bundle of JPG images), extract or "unzip" the folder first. Then open each image and print it from your photo viewer or image app.

2. Pick your paper size: A4 or US Letter

A4 (210 × 297 mm) is the standard size in the UK and Europe. US Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) is the standard in the US and Canada. The two are close but not identical: A4 is slightly narrower and taller.

Our colouring books and toddler workbooks print on either size. Some are laid out on A4, so on US Letter paper use "fit to page" (see the next step). Whichever paper you use, set the same size in your print dialogue so the printer isn't trying to fit an A4 page onto Letter paper, or the other way round.

3. Use "fit to page" so nothing gets cut off

Home printers can't print right to the edge of the paper, so artwork that reaches the edge may lose a few millimetres. To avoid that:

  • Choose Fit to page, Scale to fit or Shrink oversized pages in your print settings (the wording depends on your reader and printer).
  • Check the print preview: you should see a small white margin all the way round the artwork.
  • Make sure the orientation (portrait or landscape) matches the page.

4. Print one page first

Before printing a whole set, print a single page. Check that the lines are crisp, the page isn't cut off and the size looks right. It saves paper and ink if a setting needs changing.

You don't have to print a whole book at once either. Use the page range box (for example "3" or "5-8") to print only the pages you want today. With our printables you can reprint favourite pages as often as you need for your own home or classroom, within the licence.

5. Choose paper for your colouring tools

Paper weight is usually shown in gsm (grams per square metre). Standard UK copy paper is often around 80gsm.

  • Crayons and coloured pencils: everyday copy paper works well, and it's cheap enough for lots of reprints.
  • Felt-tips, markers and gel pens: a heavier paper or thin card helps reduce bleed-through and show-through. Check your printer's manual for the heaviest paper it accepts before loading card.
  • Paints: standard printer paper will wrinkle when wet. Use a heavier paper suited to your printer, and use paint sparingly.

Whatever you use, test your pens on a spare printed sheet first, and slip a protective sheet underneath when using markers.

6. Print quality and ink

Colouring pages are black-and-white line art, so you can usually print them in greyscale or black ink only to save colour ink. A standard or normal quality setting is often enough for clear lines. Draft mode can make thin lines look faint, so if detail looks patchy, switch to a higher-quality setting.

For printable wall art, which is in colour, use your printer's photo or best-quality setting and a paper that suits the look you want. Matte paper suits moody, vintage-style prints. Colours can vary slightly between printers, inks and papers.

7. Printing on a phone or tablet

Many phones and tablets can print to a wireless printer. Open the PDF, tap the share or print option, choose your printer and check the paper size and page range before printing. Options vary by device and app.

Prefer to colour digitally? Import the PDF into a drawing app that supports PDF import, and colour on screen. App compatibility varies.

8. No printer? Use a print shop

If you don't have a printer, or you want heavier paper or larger wall art prints, you can take your file to a local print shop or use an online print service. Tell them the paper size you want, and for wall art, check that the file's dimensions suit your frame before ordering.

9. Quick troubleshooting

  • Edges cut off: turn on fit to page or scale to fit, and check the paper size matches.
  • Lines look faint: move from draft to normal or high quality, and check your ink levels.
  • Page prints tiny in a corner: the paper size setting probably doesn't match the paper in the tray.
  • File won't open: try a different PDF reader, or unzip the folder first if it's a ZIP. Still stuck? Contact us and we'll help.

Printables to try

Questions about files, printing or the licence? See our FAQ and Digital Downloads & Licence page.

Browse the Colouring and Art collection. You might also like: Colouring Pages for Kids and Adults and Halloween Colouring Pages for Kids. More from Dreaming Aisles.

About the author

Written by the DreamingAisles team. DreamingAisles makes printable planners, kids’ workbooks, ebooks and bedtime stories, including SEND-friendly resources for families. Visit dreamingaisles.com or read more about us.

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