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You need a small page for a booklet, a menu, a program, or a planner insert, and every template says "half letter." What does that actually mean in inches, millimeters, and pixels, and how is it different from A5? This guide gives you the exact half letter size, the numbers you need for design and print, and a simple way to create and print a half letter document without a design degree.
What Is Half Letter Size?
Half letter size is 5.5 x 8.5 inches (139.7 x 215.9 mm). It is exactly half of a standard US Letter sheet (8.5 x 11 inches), which is why you can print two half letter pages on one Letter sheet and fold or cut it in half. It is also called statement size or memo size.
Half Letter Dimensions in Every Unit
| Unit | Width x Height |
|---|---|
| Inches | 5.5 x 8.5 in |
| Millimeters | 139.7 x 215.9 mm |
| Centimeters | 13.97 x 21.59 cm |
| Pixels at 72 dpi | 396 x 612 px |
| Pixels at 150 dpi | 825 x 1275 px |
| Pixels at 300 dpi (print quality) | 1650 x 2550 px |
| Points (PDF) | 396 x 612 pt |
The pixel numbers are just inches multiplied by dpi (dots per inch), so you can work out any other resolution yourself. For anything you will print, design at 300 dpi.
Is Half Letter the Same as A5?
No, but they are close. A5 is half of an A4 sheet and belongs to the international ISO 216 system, while half letter is half of a US Letter sheet. In portrait, A5 is a little wider and a little shorter than half letter: A5 is 148 x 210 mm, half letter is 139.7 x 215.9 mm.
| Size | Inches | Millimeters | Pixels at 300 dpi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half letter | 5.5 x 8.5 | 139.7 x 215.9 | 1650 x 2550 |
| A5 | 5.83 x 8.27 | 148 x 210 | 1748 x 2480 |
| US Letter | 8.5 x 11 | 215.9 x 279.4 | 2550 x 3300 |
| A4 | 8.27 x 11.69 | 210 x 297 | 2480 x 3508 |
| DL (flyer) | 3.9 x 8.27 | 99 x 210 | 1169 x 2480 |
If you are printing in the US or Canada, half letter is the one that folds out of ordinary Letter paper, so it is the better choice. If you are printing elsewhere or ordering from an international printer, A5 is the standard. Do not mix them in one project, because a half letter file placed on A5 paper will be slightly cropped or scaled. For more background, see the Wikipedia pages on paper sizes, Letter, and ISO 216.
What Is Half Letter Size Used For?
Half letter is popular because it is big enough to read comfortably and small enough to carry. Common uses:
- Booklets and guides: a Letter sheet folded in half makes a four-page booklet. See how to make a booklet.
- Zines: the classic small-press format. See how to make a zine.
- Menus and table cards: a restaurant menu or a cafe drinks list. See how to make a menu.
- Event programs and invitations: wedding programs, church bulletins, and school events. See how to make an invitation.
- Planner and notebook pages: disc-bound and ring planners often use half letter sheets.
- Flyers and handouts: half-sheet flyers cost half as much to print as full-page ones. See how to make a flyer with AI.
- Statements, invoices, and memos: the "statement" name comes from business use.
How to Design a Half Letter Document
Here is a simple workflow that works in any design tool.
1. Set the Page Size and Orientation
Choose 5.5 x 8.5 inches in portrait for books, programs, and menus, or 8.5 x 5.5 inches in landscape for cards and flyers. Work at 300 dpi.
2. Set Safe Margins
Keep text at least 0.25 to 0.5 inches from the edge. Home and office printers cannot print to the very edge of the paper, and trimming is never perfectly exact.
3. Choose the Page Count Wisely
If you plan to fold and staple, use a multiple of 4 pages (4, 8, 12). Each folded Letter sheet gives you 4 half letter pages.
4. Design Every Page
In Krumzi, you can create a document directly at Half Letter size (alongside A4, A5, A3, US Letter, and DL), in portrait or landscape, with 2 to 12 pages. You describe what you want, the AI builds the layout from scratch (not from a template), and every element stays editable. A prompt example:
Create a 4-page half letter wedding program in portrait. Cover with the couple's names and date, inside left with the order of ceremony, inside right with the wedding party, back page with a thank-you note. Soft sage green and cream, elegant serif headings.
Krumzi assigns real page roles (cover, inside, back with a call to action), shows dashed safe-margin guides, and exports a print-ready multi-page PDF at 300 dpi. One honest limit: it does not add folds, bleed, crop marks, or CMYK conversion, so if a commercial printer asks for those, check what they accept first. For office printing and copy shops, the PDF is what you need. Free plans do not include AI access, and there is a 7-day free trial on paid plans.
5. Add a QR Code or Contact Info (Optional)
If the half letter piece is a flyer or menu, a QR code can send people to your website or booking page. Our guide on adding a QR code to a flyer covers size, placement, and testing.
How to Print Half Letter Size on a Standard Printer
Most home printers hold Letter paper, not half letter. These are the three reliable options.
- Print two pages per sheet, then cut. In your PDF viewer's print dialog, choose Letter paper and "Multiple" pages per sheet set to 2, landscape. Cut the sheet in half with a paper trimmer.
- Use booklet printing. If you have a multi-page document, choose "Booklet" in the print dialog (available in most PDF viewers), print double-sided, fold the stack in half, and staple the spine.
- Print on actual half letter paper. If your printer supports a Statement or custom 5.5 x 8.5 in size, choose that paper size and set the scale to 100% ("Actual size") so nothing shrinks.
Always print one test page first. Check that your margins survived and that nothing is scaled.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size is half of 8.5 x 11 paper?
Half of an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet is 5.5 x 8.5 inches when you cut it across the long side, which is the half letter size. If you cut it the other way, you get 4.25 x 11 inches, which is a tall, narrow format sometimes used for flyers and tickets.
Is half letter the same as A5?
No. Half letter is 5.5 x 8.5 in (139.7 x 215.9 mm), and A5 is 5.83 x 8.27 in (148 x 210 mm). They are similar enough to be confused, but a file made for one will not fit the other exactly.
What is the half letter size in pixels?
At 300 dpi, half letter is 1650 x 2550 pixels. At 150 dpi, it is 825 x 1275 pixels, and at 72 dpi (screen), it is 396 x 612 pixels.
How do I print half letter size?
Print two half letter pages on a Letter sheet using the "pages per sheet" setting and cut, use booklet printing for multi-page documents, or choose a Statement or custom 5.5 x 8.5 in paper size if your printer supports it. Set the scale to 100% so the file is not resized.
What is half letter size called?
It is also called statement size and, in some contexts, memo or junior size. Office supply stores often label it half letter, and planner makers use "half letter" to describe disc-bound pages.
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