What Is 8.5 x 11 Paper Size? | The Standard That Runs North America

8.5 × 11 inches (215.9 × 279.4 mm) is the official Letter paper size used across North America, also known as ANSI A under the ASME Y14.1 standard.

Walk into any office, school, or print shop from New York to Vancouver, and the paper tray is almost certainly loaded with 8.5 × 11. It is the default for everything — school handouts, business letters, legal filings, and your home printer’s test page. But exactly how big is it, why is it not the same as A4, and what happens when you accidentally grab the wrong ream? Here is what you need to know.

Exact Dimensions and Official Name

8.5 × 11 measures exactly 8.5 inches wide by 11 inches tall. In millimeters, that is 215.9 mm × 279.4 mm. Covering an area of 93.5 square inches (0.0603 m²), it holds roughly one-tenth more surface area than an A4 sheet. The official technical name is ANSI A, defined by the ANSI/ASME Y14.1 standard adopted in 1996, though nearly everyone just calls it Letter size.

One common mistake is rounding the metric measurements to 216 × 279 mm. If you need precision, stick with the true conversion value — the 0.4 mm difference matters when setting up presses or die cuts.

Where 8.5 × 11 Is Used (And Where It Is Not)

Letter size is the standard in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Philippines. Its use also varies across parts of Latin America. Everywhere else follows the ISO 216 standard, where the closest analog is A4 — which measures 8.27 × 11.69 inches (210 × 297 mm). A4 is slightly narrower and a full inch taller, which creates a predictable headache when crossing standards.

Print a Letter-sized document on A4 paper, and you lose about 0.7 inches of bottom content. Print an A4 file on Letter, and the extra height gets scaled down or clipped. All major operating systems and office printers default to Letter in the Americas, so if you receive a document from Europe, check your print dialog before hitting “Print.”

US Legal size (8.5 × 14 inches) and Government Legal (8.5 × 13 inches) are different animals entirely — do not substitute either for Letter. Tabloid or Ledger (ANSI B) is 11 × 17 inches, rotated to 17 × 11 depending on orientation.

Setting Your Printer and Documents to Letter

Most domestic printers and copiers ship with 8.5 × 11 as the default, but it never hurts to confirm before a big run. Here is how to check across common platforms:

• Windows: In any program, hit File > Print > Printer Properties. Look for the “Paper Size” dropdown and select Letter (8.5 × 11).
• Mac: In the print dialog, click the Paper Size selector and choose Letter (8.5 × 11). The same setting applies system-wide in most apps.
• Word processors: In Microsoft Word or Google Docs, open the Layout or File > Page Setup menu and verify the paper dimensions. The document margins also default to Letter, but changing a shared doc to A4 can mess up formatting for everyone else on the team.
• Physical copiers: The paper tray has an adjustable width guide. Slide it snug against the stack — if it is loose, pages feed at an angle and cause jams.

If you are printing US-paginated documents from a country that defaults to A4, manually selecting Letter in the print dialog prevents cutoff errors. The same rule applies in reverse: European documents sent to a US printer will need an A4 override.

What It Costs and Where to Buy

Standard 20-pound copy paper in Letter size is widely available and affordable. A single ream (500 sheets) typically runs between $8 and $15 at major US retailers. Bulk buyers picking up a carton of 10 reams can expect to pay $70 to $100, with prices shifting by paper weight and brand. Heavier 24 lb or 28 lb stock is common for resume paper and formal documents. Cardstock starts at 60 lb and is sold separately.

For photo printing, the same 8.5 × 11 dimensions apply, but the paper itself is coated or matte finished. If you are shopping for glossy or canvas-textured sheets, our tested roundup of the best 8.5 x 11 photo paper covers the top options for inkjet and laser printers alike.

Quick Compatibility Tips

• Respect the tray guide: The adjustable width clip in your printer’s paper tray exists for a reason. Leave it loose, and pages skew through the rollers.
• US binders and file folders fit Letter only: Standard hanging folders, three-ring binders, and manila folders are designed for 8.5 × 11. An A4 page will stick out of the top and may require trimming to close flush.
• Weight matters for feeding: Light 20 lb paper is fine for everyday use. Heavier paper (24+, 28+) often requires you to flip the manual feed override in the printer driver so the rollers grip properly.