A4 vs A5
A4 is 210 × 297 mm; A5 is 148 × 210 mm. A5 is exactly half of A4, and both share the 1:√2 shape, so an A4 page reduces to A5 at 71 percent and two A5 pages fit on one A4 sheet without waste.
| A4 | A5 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 210 mm | 148 mm | +62 mm |
| Height | 297 mm | 210 mm | +87 mm |
| Inches | 8.27 × 11.69 in | 5.83 × 8.27 in | |
| Pixels @ 300 dpi | 2,480 × 3,508 | 1,748 × 2,480 | |
| Area | 623.7 cm² | 310.8 cm² | 201% |
| Aspect ratio | 1:√2 | 1:√2 | |
| Scale to fit | A4 → A5: 70% | A5 → A4: 141% |
Choose A4 when
Use A4 for standard documents, forms, letters and anything that will be filed or bound with other office paper. It gives room for 12 pt text with comfortable margins and is what every printer expects.
Choose A5 when
Use A5 for notebooks, diaries, flyers, invitations, menus, booklets and instruction leaflets. It fits in a bag or jacket pocket, prints two-up on A4, and goes in a C5 envelope flat.
Which should you use?
A4 is for reading at a desk; A5 is for carrying and handing out. Anything with more than a few hundred words per page reads better on A4, since A5 at normal type sizes holds only about 250 words.
Scaling is exact: A4 to A5 is 71 percent, A5 to A4 is 141 percent. To print an A5 booklet, impose the pages two-up on A4, print double-sided, and fold; most printer drivers have a booklet mode that does this automatically.
Do not reduce an A4 document to A5 and expect it to be readable. 11 pt type becomes 7.8 pt. Reflow the text at A5 with 10 or 11 pt type instead.
Questions about this comparison
Is A5 half of A4?
Yes. A4 is 210 × 297 mm and A5 is 148 × 210 mm. Cutting A4 across its short axis gives two A5 sheets with the same 1:√2 proportion.
What size is A5 in inches?
A5 is 5.83 × 8.27 in. The closest US size is Half Letter at 5.5 × 8.5 in.
How do I print two A5 pages on one A4 sheet?
Choose two pages per sheet or booklet mode in the print dialog with the paper set to A4 and orientation landscape. Each page prints at 100 percent of A5, or 71 percent of an A4 original.
Scale one onto the other
The exact percentage for the print dialog, either direction.
Measure it, name it
Not sure which one you have? Type its width and height.