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AI cover design guide

An AI cover is not automatically a problem. An unchecked cover is.

The AI cover debate in publishing communities usually begins and ends at disclosure. The practical problem is different: covers that fail resolution, geometry, or typography — regardless of how they were made.

Checked:

KDP: disclosure rules focus on content, not toolsAI covers get flagged on quality signalsGeometry and DPI are tool-agnostic

Paperback cover dimensions

Spine width0.450 in11.44 mm
Full cover size12.700 × 9.250 in322.59 × 234.95 mm
Canvas at 300 DPI3810 × 2775 px300 DPI
Spine text

Eligible: more than 79 pages. Keep at least 0.0625 in from each spine edge.

Paperback calculation uses KDP's published 0.125 in bleed and current paper thickness factors. Always confirm the final page count after interior formatting.

What the rules actually say

Amazon's disclosure requirements address AI-generated content in books and marketplaces; cover art by itself is evaluated on visibility and accuracy like any other visual asset. What gets flagged in practice is not 'AI use' — it's typographic mangling, odd artifacts, and covers that misrepresent the book's content.

Publishing community threads about AI covers converge on the same complaints: hands, lettering, and overall 'generic' look. Those pass or fail a free visual audit, not a policy question.

  • Title legibility at thumbnail size is #1
  • Aspect ratio and bleed must match the print trim
  • If the art is AI, disclose per marketplace guidance

The checks every cover needs — AI or not

Bleed-safe geometry, 300 DPI minimum, spine width matching page count, and legibility at 100px. Free tools handle these: the cover calculator checks trim and spine, the file checker audits the actual file resolution.

Next release checks

Free KDP cover calculator

KDP cover calculator for exact spine and full wrap size.

Choose trim size, page count, and paper. Get the full-wrap dimensions before you place a single cover element.Open check

Free cover file check

Check DPI and bleed before uploading the cover.

Choose a PNG or JPG to see width, height, estimated print DPI, and whether the outside edges suggest a bleed area.Open check

Free book image DPI checker

Book image DPI checker for the size you will actually print.

A 3,000-pixel image may be sharp at four inches and soft at twelve. Check the effective resolution at its intended width and height before placing it in the interior.Open check

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell an AI-created cover on KDP?

Yes, provided the cover truthfully represents the book and you follow applicable disclosure guidance. What reviewers reject is dishonest or low-quality imagery, not the tool chain.

Do I have to tell Amazon the cover is AI?

Review Amazon's current AI-content policy at upload; when in doubt, accurate metadata and honest labeling are the safe path. The question is about disclosure, and the answer is always 'when in doubt, disclose'.

Why does my AI cover look wrong at small sizes?

Most AI output is generated at banner-friendly sizes. Run the cover file checker for DPI and the calculator for geometry before upload — small-size legibility is a spec issue, fixable in one pass.

Make the cover readable at 100 pixels.

Check the cover's DPI, bleed, and spine geometry free — before the thumbnail decides your book's fate.

Check my cover