Guides/7 min read/2026-08-28
Letter vs A4 in PDF page sizing
Letter is wider and shorter. A4 is narrower and taller. “Fit to page” hides the mismatch until a footer clips.
Screens lie. Every PDF page is drawn to the window, so Letter and A4 both look “full.” Paper does not scale. If the MediaBox does not match the tray, you get a clipped footer or a white strip.
The numbers
US Letter: 8.5×11 in = 612×792 pt. A4: 210×297 mm = 595.28×841.89 pt. Letter is 16.72 pt (5.9 mm) wider. A4 is 49.89 pt (17.6 mm) taller. A footer 12 mm from the A4 bottom edge sits ~5.6 mm off the Letter sheet if you print actual size. A left margin that was 18 mm on A4 is still 18 mm on Letter, but the extra width shows as a gap on the right.
“Fit to printable area” hides this by scaling. That is how a 10-pt disclaimer becomes 9.4-pt and a barcode on a form becomes slightly too small for a cheap scanner. Prefer matching the page box to the stock, then print actual size.
Photos into PDF
JPG to PDF offers Fit, A4, and Letter. Fit sizes the page to the photo — correct for a receipt you will only view. A4 and Letter fit the photo inside that sheet (letterboxing, no stretch). If a portal said “A4 PDF,” do not send Fit. If you merge an A4 scan with a Letter offer letter, both sizes survive in one file; see why merged PDFs look wrong.
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