US Letter paper

US Letter paper measures 8.5 inches (216 mm) wide and 11 inches (279 mm) tall. It is the standard paper size in the United States, Canada, and a few other countries, used for everything from office memos to school assignments. This page covers the exact dimensions, how it compares to A4, and where it is used.

Dimensions

Area and aspect ratio

US Letter has an area of about 0.0603 square meters. Its aspect ratio is roughly 1:1.294, noticeably squarer than the 1:1.414 ratio used by A4 and the rest of the ISO A-series. This is why Letter paper looks slightly shorter and wider next to an A4 sheet of similar size.

North American paper sizes

Unlike the ISO A-series, US paper sizes do not scale by simple doubling or halving in every case. Legal keeps the same 8.5-inch width as Letter but extends the length to 14 inches. Tabloid is exactly two Letter sheets side by side. Half Letter is exactly half of a Letter sheet.

US Letter vs A4

Letter is wider but shorter than A4. The difference is small in absolute terms, but it matters for anyone sending documents internationally. A document formatted with Letter margins can shift or crop when printed on an A4 printer, since the page proportions do not match exactly.

Common uses

US Letter is the default paper size for word processors, printers, and photocopiers throughout the United States and Canada. Resumes, business letters, legal documents (outside of dedicated Legal-size forms), school papers, and most home printing use Letter size. Binders, folders, and filing systems in North America are built around this size.

Practical tips for working with US Letter

If you regularly exchange documents with people outside North America, check the page size setting in your word processor before sending a file, since a Letter-formatted PDF will not print cleanly on an A4 printer without adjustment. When printing on an A4 printer, use “fit to page” or “scale to fit” in the print settings to avoid cut-off text or awkward margins.

Frequently asked questions

What is US Letter size in inches?

8.5 x 11 inches. In millimeters, that is 216 x 279 mm.

Is US Letter the same as A4?

No. Letter is 216 x 279 mm and A4 is 210 x 297 mm. Letter is wider but shorter than A4.

Why is US Letter a different size than A4?

Letter size predates the ISO 216 standard that A4 and the rest of the world use. The US, Canada, and a few other countries never switched over, so Letter has remained the default.

Can I print a Letter document on A4 paper?

Yes, but the proportions differ slightly. Use “fit to page” when printing to avoid text being cut off or margins looking uneven.

What size is Legal paper compared to Letter?

Legal is the same width as Letter (8.5 inches) but 3 inches longer, at 14 inches total instead of 11.

Related objects

• US Legal paper
• A4 paper
• A5 paper
• A3 paper