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What is the Safety Zone?

The safety zone (also called safe area or live area) is the region inside your design where all important content—text, logos, and critical imagery—must stay to avoid being accidentally trimmed off.
Simple Rule: Keep everything important at least 3mm away from the trim edge.

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Why We Need a Safety Zone

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The Cutting Reality

Even with precise crop marks, cutting isn’t perfect:
  • Guillotine cutters can shift ±1-2mm
  • Paper can slide slightly during stacking
  • Multiple cuts can have cumulative errors
Result: Content too close to the edge risks being cut off. 
Without Safety Zone ❌
┌─────────────────┐
│ Text on edge ───│ ← Text too close!
│                 │
│   [Content]     │
└─────────────────┘
      ↓ Cut slightly off
┌────────────────┐
│ ext on edge ───│ ← First letter cut off!
│                │
└────────────────┘

With Safety Zone ✅
┌─────────────────┐
│                 │
│   Text inside ──│ ← 3mm+ from edge
│                 │
│   [Content]     │
└─────────────────┘
      ↓ Cut slightly off
┌────────────────┐
│                │ ← Still looks perfect!
│  Text inside ──│
│                │
└────────────────┘

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Standard Safety Zone Guidelines

Content TypeMinimum Distance from EdgeRecommended
Body Text3mm (0.118”)5mm
Headlines3mm4mm
Logos5mm7mm
Critical Info5mm6-8mm
DecorativeCan approach edge2-3mm
BackgroundMust extend to edgeFull bleed
Standard Rule: Keep all important content 3mm minimum inside the trim line. For extra safety, use 5mm.

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Calculating Your Safety Zone

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The Three Zones

Every print design has three distinct areas: 
┌───────────────────────────────┐
│ ░░░ BLEED ZONE (3mm) ░░░░░░░░ │ ← Design extends here
│ ░┌─────────────────────────┐░ │
│ ░│ ······················· │░ │ ← TRIM LINE (where cut happens)
│ ░│ ·  SAFETY ZONE (3mm+)  · │░ │ ← Important content here
│ ░│ ·  ┌───────────────┐  · │░ │
│ ░│ ·  │   CONTENT     │  · │░ │ ← Text, logos, etc.
│ ░│ ·  │               │  · │░ │
│ ░│ ·  └───────────────┘  · │░ │
│ ░│ ······················· │░ │
│ ░└─────────────────────────┘░ │
│ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
└───────────────────────────────┘
Dimensions Example (Business Card):
  • Bleed Size: 96mm × 60mm (full design)
  • Trim Size: 90mm × 54mm (final product)
  • Safety Zone: 84mm × 48mm (content area)

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The Math

Safety Zone = Trim Size - (Safety Margin × 2)
Example with 3mm safety margin:
  • Trim: 90mm × 54mm
  • Safety: 90 - 6 = 84mm wide
  • Safety: 54 - 6 = 48mm high

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Setting Up Safety Zone in Figma

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Method 1: Visual Guides

1

Create Your Frame

Set frame to full bleed size (e.g., 96mm × 60mm)
2

Enable Rulers

Press Shift + R to show rulers
3

Add Trim Guides

Drag guides 3mm from each edge (marks trim line)
4

Add Safety Guides

Drag guides 6mm from each edge (marks safety zone)
5

Design Within Safety Guides

Keep all text and important elements inside the inner guides

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Method 2: Layout Grid

1

Select Your Frame

Click on your frame
2

Add Layout Grid

Right panel → Layout Grid → + button
3

Configure as Margin

  • Type: Grid
  • Margin: 6mm (adjust to safety zone size)
  • Color: Red (high visibility)
4

Design Within Grid

Keep content inside the red margins
Color-Code Your Guides:
  • Red = Safety zone (critical)
  • Blue = Trim line
  • Green = Bleed edge

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What Goes Where?

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Must Stay in Safety Zone ✓

Every letter, number, and special character. No exceptions.
Company logos, brand marks, icons - all must be well inside.
Phone numbers, emails, addresses - critical info needs protection.
Must be fully scannable, so keep them safe from cutting.
Faces, product photos - don’t risk cutting off key elements.

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Can Extend to Edge ✓

Should extend all the way to bleed edge.
Decorative backgrounds can bleed off the edge.
Patterns, textures, non-critical graphics can extend.
Design elements that touch edges intentionally.

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Common Safety Zone Mistakes

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Mistake #1: Text Too Close to Edge

Problem: Headlines or body text within 2mm of trim Risk: Cut-off words, unreadable text Fix: Move all text at least 3mm (preferably 5mm) from trim line

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Mistake #2: Logo at the Corner

Problem: Logo positioned right in the corner Risk: Logo partially cut off Fix: Keep logos 5-7mm from both edges

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Mistake #3: Contact Info Near Edge

Problem: Phone number or email near trim line Risk: Critical contact info cut off or unreadable Fix: Use generous margins (5mm+) for all contact details

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Mistake #4: Forgetting Safety Zone Exists

Problem: Designing to trim edge without considering cutting variations Risk: Random cut-offs, professional-looking disasters Fix: Always set up and use safety guides from the start

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Safety Zone for Different Projects

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Business Cards

  • Standard: 3mm safety margin
  • Extra safe: 5mm for important info
  • Logos: 5-7mm from corners

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Flyers & Posters

  • Text: 5mm minimum
  • Headlines: 4-5mm
  • Borders: If used, 5mm+ inside

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Booklets & Magazines

  • Inner margin (gutter): 5-8mm (consider binding)
  • Outer margin: 5mm
  • Header/footer: 8-10mm from top/bottom

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Packaging

  • Text: 5-8mm (packaging cuts are less precise)
  • Barcodes: 10mm+ (must be fully scannable)
  • Die lines: Consult printer for specific requirements

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Checking Your Safety Zone

Before finalizing your design:
  1. Enable your safety zone guides
  2. Check every page/artboard
  3. Verify no text touches or crosses the guides
  4. Confirm logos are well inside
  1. Zoom to 200-400%
  2. Look at all four edges
  3. Measure distance of closest elements
  4. Ensure 3mm+ minimum clearance

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Special Considerations

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Borders and Frames

If your design includes an intentional border:
1

Position Border Inside Safety Zone

Border should be at least 5mm from trim edge
2

Make Border Thick Enough

Minimum 2mm thick (thin borders look accidental)
3

Consider Visual Balance

Thick borders need more margin (7-10mm+)
Thin borders near edges are risky! Even 1mm cutting variation makes the border look uneven. Either go bold (5mm+ border, well-inset) or skip the border entirely.

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Folds and Perforations

For pieces with folds:
  • Fold lines: Content can be closer (but still 2-3mm away)
  • Perforation: Same as fold lines
  • Gutter (center fold): Extra margin (5-8mm) for binding

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Multi-Page Documents

  • Facing pages: Consider left/right balance
  • Running headers/footers: Consistent position (8-10mm from edge)
  • Page numbers: Well inside safety zone

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Safety Zone Checklist

Before sending to print:
  • Guides set up: Safety zone guides at 3mm+ from trim
  • All text safe: Every character is inside safety zone
  • Logos protected: Logos are 5mm+ from edges
  • Contact info safe: Critical information well inside
  • QR codes clear: Codes have 5mm+ margin
  • Corners checked: No content in danger zones
  • Borders positioned: If used, borders are 5mm+ inside
If all boxes checked, your content is safe from the blade!

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Summary: The Three Zones

Remember the three zones in every print design:
ZonePurposeSize (from edge)Content
BleedPrevent white edges+3mmBackgrounds extend here
TrimFinal cut line0mmWhere cutting happens
SafetyProtect content-3mm to -5mmAll important content
Golden Rule: When in doubt, add more margin. Extra safety space never hurt anyone!

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Next Steps

DPI & Resolution

Ensure your prints are sharp and clear

Complete Project

Apply safety zones in a real business card

Working with Printers

Professional print communication

Troubleshooting

Common safety zone issues
Questions? Our Discord community is full of designers who can help with layout challenges!