Add a 3 mm Bleed in Photoshop for Print
Photoshop doesn’t have a built-in bleed feature, but you can set it up quickly by using guides and expanding the canvas. In this tutorial, you’ll add a 3 mm bleed on all sides by increasing your document size by 6 mm total. You’ll also learn how to keep important elements safely inside the trim area.
Step-by-step instructions
Set up guides at the document edges
Open your finished-size document (e.g., A4).
Show rulers: View → Rulers (Ctrl+R on Windows, Cmd+R on Mac).
Drag guides from the rulers and snap them to each edge of the document to mark the final trim size.
Expand the canvas to create the bleed
Go to Image → Canvas Size.
Change units to millimeters (mm) if needed.
Add 6 mm to both Width and Height to create a 3 mm bleed on all sides.
Set Anchor to the center square so the canvas extends equally around the image.
Click OK.
Position content safely
Keep all important text and images inside the guide lines (trim area).
Extend backgrounds or artwork to the new canvas edges so no white borders appear after trimming.
