Printing Guide

Paper Selection

Choosing the right paper is crucial for professional-looking results. Paper weight is measured in GSM (grams per square meter) — higher numbers mean thicker, sturdier paper. GSM is worth shopping by even in the US, where the same stock also gets sold as 12pt or 100lb cover: searching for a GSM number is far more reliable. For labels, use sticker paper. For slipcovers and full wraps, aim for 300 GSM cardstock. Lighter paper (160-200 GSM) folds more easily and is what you want for inserts that slide inside a case, but it feels flimsier as a wrap. Score your fold lines before folding so heavier stock does not crack.

Print Dimensions

All exports are rendered at 600 DPI for high-quality printing.

Paper Recommendations

Video Guides

Printing VHS Labels

Print and apply VHS face and spine labels with bleed for edge-to-edge color.

Making VHS Slipcovers

A deep dive into paper types, weights, and finishes for different projects.

Printing & Cutting Slipcovers

Step-by-step guide for printing and cutting VHS slipcovers.

Making Cassette J-Cards

Create and fold custom J-cards for your cassette tapes.

Adding Photos to J-Cards

Add photos to double-sided J-card designs for a custom cassette look.

Making Cassette Labels

Print and apply custom cassette labels for your mixtapes and music collections.

Quick Guides

CD Labels

Make custom CD disc labels.

Blu-ray Slipcovers

Design and print custom Blu-ray slipcovers.

Card Deck Box

Create custom playing card deck boxes.

Printer Settings

One of the most important things to do when printing is to choose your right paper size and set your scale to 100%. The gallery below shows a variety of example printer dialog boxes to show how to set your print at 100% scale.

Every browser has a different printer dialog, and we've attempted to guess your setup below:

Print Dialog Examples

Click any image to enlarge. Find the 100% scale setting in your browser or app.

Chrome (Windows)

Chrome (Mac)

Microsoft Edge

Firefox (Windows)

Firefox (Mac)

Mac Preview

Adobe Acrobat (Mac)

Paper Size Guide

Most VHS sleeves and covers require Legal, A3, or Tabloid paper. If your printer only supports Letter/A4, consider using a print shop for larger designs.

Cutting & Assembly

Professional Print Services

Don't have a printer, or need a paper size yours can't handle? Any local print shop or copy shop can print these designs. Bring or email them the PDF and tell them what paper you want — cardstock for covers, sticker paper for labels. They can usually advise on weight and finish, and many will cut it to size for you.

Whichever shop you use, ask them to print at 100% scale ("actual size") — never "fit to page", which shrinks the design and throws off every measurement.

Some chain print shops turn away anything that looks like studio artwork, and it comes down to the person at the counter. If that happens, the Export menu on every mode has a Print shop letter: a short one-page note in your own words saying the copies are for your personal collection, with a declaration you sign in the store. Print it with your design. Smaller local shops and self-service kiosks are usually more relaxed than the big chains.

Troubleshooting

Photopea Print Templates

Each template opens a blank canvas in Photopea (a free, no-install browser editor). After you tap Copy on a design, paste it in with Ctrl/Cmd + V and print at 100% (actual size).

General-Purpose Sheets

Blank sheets in every common size — best when a design's dimensions vary, like Obi strips. US sizes on the left, international on the right.

Templates by Mode

Pre-sized templates for each label type. Most modes surface these automatically under the Paste & Print button once you copy a design.