ANSI / US · 8.5 × 11 in

Letter paper size

The 8.5 × 11 inch office standard used throughout the United States and Canada for documents, forms, and school work.

Open in the converter
Letter215.9 × 279.4 mm
215.9 mm279.4 mm
Millimeters215.9 × 279.4
Inches8.5 × 11
Centimeters21.6 × 27.9
Points612 × 792

Direct answer

Letter dimensions in every unit

In portrait orientation, width comes first: 215.9 mm × 279.4 mm. Rotate the sheet for landscape orientation and the same measurements reverse.

UnitWidthHeight
Millimeters215.9 mm279.4 mm
Centimeters21.6 cm27.9 cm
Inches8.5 in11 in
Points612 pt792 pt

Digital artwork

Letter pixel dimensions by DPI

Pixel dimensions depend on output resolution. These values describe the trimmed page only and do not include printer bleed.

ResolutionPixel widthPixel heightTypical use
72 DPI612 px792 pxScreen preview
96 DPI816 px1,056 pxScreen preview
150 DPI1,275 px1,650 pxDraft print
300 DPI2,550 px3,300 pxQuality print
600 DPI5,100 px6,600 pxHigh-detail source

Proportion & comparison

How Letter relates to nearby sizes

Letter is 5.9 mm wider and 17.6 mm shorter than A4. The formats are close, but they are not interchangeable at 100% scale.

Portrait ratio
1 : 1.2941
Area
0.0603
Orientation
215.9 × 279.4 mm

Works well for

Common Letter uses

  • Office documents
  • School work
  • Forms
  • Resumes in North America

Check before using

Where it can go wrong

  • A4-only administrative forms
  • Legal-length documents
  • International templates with fixed A4 margins

Regional & printer note

Will a printer recognize Letter?

The default page size in the United States and Canada and widely available across North American printers and office suppliers.

Always match the document size, print-driver size, paper tray, and physical sheet. A driver can silently scale a page even when the preview looks correct.

Measurement source

Checked against the defining standard

Paper Size Lab converts the stored millimeter measurements mathematically; it does not round-trip between units. The underlying sheet family is referenced to the standards organization below.

Read ASME Y14.1 sheet-size reference

Questions people ask

Letter paper FAQ

What are the dimensions of Letter paper?

Letter measures 215.9 × 279.4 millimeters, 21.6 × 27.9 centimeters, or 8.5 × 11 inches in portrait orientation.

How many pixels is Letter at 300 DPI?

Letter is 2550 × 3300 pixels at 300 DPI before adding bleed.

Is Letter the same as A4?

Letter is 5.9 mm wider and 17.6 mm shorter than A4. The formats are close, but they are not interchangeable at 100% scale.

What is Letter commonly used for?

Letter is commonly used for office documents, school work, forms, resumes in north america. Printer, postal, and finishing requirements still vary.