Why was my book rejected?
What the check looks at
Rejection emails are famously vague. "Cover does not match specifications" or "fonts not embedded" tells you something is wrong but not why, or what to do. The Rejection Check reads your file with the same instruments a print vendor uses and translates each result into an actual sentence.
For a cover, it checks:
- Size vs the required wrap for your trim, page count, printer, and paper, using each printer's verified spine math.
- Bleed on the outer edges, so the artwork does not leave white slivers at the trim.
- Color and ink — RGB where CMYK is needed, and total ink over the 240 percent limit.
- PDF/X press-ready standard and font embedding.
For an interior, it checks:
- Embedded fonts — the number-one interior rejection, listed by the exact font names that are missing.
- Page size vs your trim, and whether images are grayscale for a black-and-white book.
- PDF/X and page-count sanity.
Then you get an honest path forward
We do not pretend every file can be patched. What can be safely fixed, we fix. What cannot, we tell you plainly.
If the trouble is in your cover, we rebuild it at the correct size, with proper bleed, CMYK color, capped ink, and a press-ready PDF/X file. We measure the result against your printer's checks before we hand it over, so it is guaranteed to pass your printer's file check, or your money back. One flat price, including up to two refinements.
Interior problems → an honest rebuild. An interior PDF with embedded-font or page-size trouble cannot be safely patched after export — the problem is baked in. The reliable fix is to rebuild it from your manuscript, which resolves every one of these at the source. You can see exactly how your book will look, on your own pages, with a free 30-page preview first.
How it works
- Upload your rejected PDF. Tell us whether it is the cover or the interior, and your printer, trim, and page count.
- Read your diagnosis. Every finding comes with what the printer's error meant and why it happens.
- Fix it. Buy the guaranteed Cover Fix, or start a free preview of a fresh interior build. Your call.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an account to see the diagnosis?
No. The diagnosis is free and shown right on the page. You only create a free account if you decide to buy the Cover Fix, so we can securely hold your file and deliver the finished cover.
Is my manuscript safe?
Yes. Your file is used only to run these checks and to build your fix if you buy one. Nothing is ever used to train a model, and nothing is shared.
What does "passes your printer's file check" actually mean?
It means the file measures conformant against the specific requirements your printer enforces at upload: the correct wrap size, bleed, CMYK color at or below the ink cap, embedded-free flattened type, and a valid PDF/X. We verify all of that on the delivered file before you receive it.
Upload your rejected PDF and get a free, plain-English diagnosis in seconds. From there, the fix is one click, and the cover fix is guaranteed. BookDesignerAI is built by the team behind BookDesignTemplates.com, with 15+ years of print files and 70,000+ authors.
Sources: Amazon KDP published cover and interior specifications; IngramSpark File Creation Guide (5.11.26); Lulu file specifications. Related: IngramSpark cover rejected? · KDP cover rejected? · Spine width calculator · All guides