KDP upload error center
Free KDP error decoder
Find the real cause of a failed KDP upload before re-trying.
Paste the complete platform message or rejection email. Match its phrases to the specific file, page, dimension, or margin check to fix, then re-export once and try again.
Checked:
✓Paste raw KDP rejection emails directly✓Concrete next actions for bleed and margin errors✓Maps a rejected message to the next file check
Decode your rejection
The message stays in your browser and is not uploaded.
Do not rebuild the whole book from one vague message
KDP messages often name a symptom rather than the source. A page-size warning can come from one stray page; a cover warning can come from a page-count change; a processing failure can come from encryption or an invalid export.
Keep the exact message and change one controlled variable at a time.
- Record the file name and page numbers
- Confirm the final trim and page count
- Export a fresh file from the source
- Compare listing metadata with the actual book
Why KDP emailed an error when the online previewer looked fine
A frequent author trap is receiving a rejection email saying 'Cover size incorrect' or 'Margins outside safe area' even when the online KDP previewer rendered the file without a visible warning. The previewer shows how your file looks; the automated review validates print specifications. KDP requires top, bottom, and outside margins of at least 0.25 inches without bleed (0.375 inches with bleed), and an inside gutter that grows with page count — from 0.375 inches for a 24–150 page book up to 0.875 inches for 701–828 pages. A cover-size error can also come from a spine width built on a different page count than the interior you upload.
Paste the exact email text into the decoder above to pinpoint whether the issue is a shifted spine width, hidden page headers in the margin, or un-flattened Canva transparencies.
- Paste the full automated email text including error paragraphs
- Check whether the page count increased after final interior export
- Verify that backgrounds extend 0.125 inches past the final trim line
When to seek custom graphic design
Complex children's books, workbooks, textbooks, and image-heavy interiors often require manual graphic design judgment. Highly visual titles may need specialist layout software instead of automated text engines.
Error code to fix: KDP rejected the manuscript
The platform message names a symptom. Keep the exact wording, change one cause, and export a fresh file. Renaming the old PDF does not repair it.
| Error phrase | Likely cause | Next check | Fix in the source file | Re-test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Font is not embedded | The PDF references a font that was never embedded, or embeds a restricted or corrupted font. | Open the PDF font properties and confirm every font shows embedded or embedded subset. | Export a fresh PDF with all fonts embedded. Remove restricted or corrupted font files before exporting again. | Re-open the new PDF, re-check the font list, then upload the new file once. |
| Content outside the margins or gutter | Text or non-bleed art sits past the inside margin, which grows with page count. | On the named pages, measure text distance from the trim and from the spine-facing edge. | On the named pages, move text and non-bleed graphics inward. Recheck the inside margin against the final page count. | Export the corrected pages and confirm no element crosses the margin guides before re-uploading. |
| Bleed, trim, or expected page size mismatch | The PDF page size does not match the KDP trim, or bleed edges were not added. | Compare the PDF page size with the chosen trim and note which edge is short. | Confirm the KDP trim. If any interior element reaches an edge, export every page at trim width + 0.125 in and trim height + 0.25 in. | Confirm the new page size in the export dialog, then upload once and watch the size check. |
| File cannot be opened or failed to process | The export is corrupted, encrypted, incomplete, or merely renamed from an unsupported file instead of being re-exported. | Confirm the file still opens in a plain PDF reader and has no password. | Re-export from the source application as an unencrypted PDF. Do not repair a failed export by changing only its filename or extension. | Open the clean export in a second reader before uploading the new, fresh-named file. |
| Title or author does not match the listing | Cover, interior, and KDP title setup carry different title, subtitle, author, language, or ISBN. | Lay the cover, the interior title page, and the KDP title setup side by side and diff each field. | Make title, subtitle, author, language, and ISBN identical across the cover, interior, and KDP title setup. | Re-read all three once the fields match, then re-upload the corrected files. |
| Crop or trim marks left in the file | A print template left crop marks, registration targets, or color bars in the exported PDF. | Page through the PDF and look for marks outside the live page area. | Export without printers' marks; disable crop marks and color bars in the export settings. | Scroll each page edge to confirm no marks remain before re-uploading. |
| Image resolution is too low | A placed image was upscaled or exported below the required resolution. | Check each placed image's effective DPI at print size in the source document. | Replace low-resolution art with a source at 300 DPI or higher at final print size. | Re-check the effective DPI of the replacement, then re-upload once. |
| File exceeds the upload size limit | Oversized source images or an unoptimized export made the manuscript larger than the limit shown by KDP. | Read the limit in the KDP message and compare it with the actual file size before changing image quality. | Downsample only oversized images at their final print dimensions, then export a new PDF within KDP's displayed limit. | Open and visually compare the smaller PDF with the source before uploading it once. |
| Unsupported manuscript file type | The extension was renamed, or the source application exported a container KDP does not accept for this book setup. | Compare the actual file type with KDP's current supported manuscript formats; bleed interiors need PDF. | Export again from the source application in a currently supported format, using PDF for a bleed interior. | Open the fresh export in a second reader, confirm its real file type, and upload that file once. |
| Blank or extra pages need visual review | Section breaks or trailing content added unintended blank pages the automated check flags. | Open the PDF in two-page view and count the blank pages versus the intended layout. | Remove unintended blank pages in the source, keeping only deliberate blanks required by the layout. | Flip through the new export page by page to confirm only intended blanks remain. |
| Transparency or layer uncertainty | Transparency, overprint, or unsupported layers can flatten unpredictably in review. | Open the PDF in a viewer and preview any transparent or layered element at final size. | Flatten transparency and merge layers on export, or rebuild the element without transparency. | Re-export and preview the flattened file, then upload once. |
| Elements shift or disappear in preview | Floating text boxes, rotated frames, stacked objects, or transparency changed during export or preview. | Compare every affected PDF page with the source at final size and identify the shifted or missing object. | Rebuild only the affected object as an inline or flattened element, then export a new print PDF. | Compare the new PDF with the source and inspect the same pages again in KDP Previewer. |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why did KDP email an error when the previewer passed?
The KDP previewer renders your file so you can review how it looks. The automated review validates print specifications—trim box, bleed, DPI, and spine thickness. A cover is sized from a page count, so after any interior change confirm the final exported page count matches the page count the cover was built from, and re-check the inside gutter against the final page count.
Why does KDP say my manuscript failed to upload?
Common causes include an unreadable or encrypted file, incorrect page dimensions, margin or bleed conflicts, missing fonts, crop marks, comments, and a damaged export.
Should I rename a failed PDF and upload it again?
No. Re-export from the source application after correcting the cause. Renaming does not repair the PDF structure.
Can ShipMyBook guarantee KDP approval?
No. ShipMyBook can identify and repair many preparation risks, but Amazon controls its review and publishing decisions.
What does “font not embedded” mean on a KDP upload?
The PDF is missing embedded font files. Export a new PDF with all fonts embedded and remove restricted fonts first. Renaming the old file will not fix it.
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Paste the rejection before you pay to repair it.
Match the message to a likely file issue, follow the free repair steps, and run the check again. Choose a paid release only after reviewing the exact scope.