How to make your graph paper
- Choose the square size. 4, 5, 8 or 10 squares per inch, or 1 cm, 5 mm or 2 mm squares. Choose Custom size for anything from 1 mm to 5 cm, typed in millimeters or inches.
- Choose the bold lines. By default a bold line falls every inch on inch paper and every centimeter on 5 mm and 2 mm paper, which makes counting and measuring easier. You can pick every 2, 4, 5, 8 or 10 squares, or none.
- Add axes if you need them. Centered axes give four quadrants for plotting points and graphs; Corner axes put the origin at the bottom left for charts with positive values. Tick Number the axes to label them.
- Choose the paper, line color and darkness, then select Download PDF and print at Actual size (100%).
The grid is always made of whole squares and is centered on the page, so there are no cut-off half squares at the edges. Thin lines are 0.4 pt, bold lines 0.75 pt and axes 1.1 pt, so they stay easy to tell apart in black and white.
Graph paper square sizes
Every size on this page, with the number of whole squares on a portrait page with the standard 1/2 in (12.7 mm) margins, exactly as the PDF draws it:
| Size | Square | In PDF points | Bold lines | US Letter | A4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 squares per inch | 1/4 in (6.35 mm) | 18 pt | every 4 | 28 x 36 | 28 x 40 |
| 5 squares per inch | 0.2 in (5.08 mm) | 14.4 pt | every 5 | 35 x 45 | 35 x 50 |
| 8 squares per inch | 1/8 in (3.18 mm) | 9 pt | every 8 | 56 x 72 | 56 x 80 |
| 10 squares per inch | 0.1 in (2.54 mm) | 7.2 pt | every 10 | 70 x 90 | 70 x 100 |
| 1 cm squares | 10 mm (0.394 in) | 28.35 pt | none | 18 x 24 | 18 x 26 |
| 5 mm squares | 5 mm (0.197 in) | 14.17 pt | every 2 | 36 x 48 | 36 x 52 |
| 2 mm squares | 2 mm (0.079 in) | 5.67 pt | every 5 | 90 x 120 | 90 x 130 |
4 squares per inch, often called quad paper, is common in the US and Canada, and 5 mm squares are usual in Europe. Wikipedia's article on graph paper puts it like this:
In Europe, it usually has 5 mm by 5 mm squares.Wikipedia, Graph paper
Engineering paper may have 4, 5 or 10 squares per inch. 1 cm squares suit young children, bar charts and big diagrams. 2 mm squares with a bold line every centimeter are for precise plotting, such as science graphs.
Graph paper with x and y axis and numbers
Choose Centered axes to make a coordinate plane: the x axis runs across the middle, the y axis up the middle, and the four quadrants are the same size. With Number the axes ticked, the numbers sit on the bold lines (or on every square when there are no bold lines), with negative numbers to the left of and below the origin.
For a classic coordinate plane 20 x 20, set Grid size to 20 x 20 squares with centered axes. With 1/4 in squares that is a 20 x 20 grid, 5 in square, numbered from minus 10 to 10 on both axes, with a bold line every 5 squares. A 10 x 10 grid with 1 cm squares is a good size for younger students.
Choose Corner for a single quadrant with the origin at the bottom left, as used for line graphs, bar charts and science results where every value is positive.
A4 graph paper, 1 cm and 5 mm
For A4 graph paper, choose A4 and 5 mm or 1 cm squares. With the standard margins, 5 mm squares give a 36 x 52 grid and 1 cm squares an 18 x 26 grid on portrait A4. Landscape is useful for wide charts and timelines. A3 doubles the area for wall charts and big drawings.
Inch and metric sizes are never mixed: 5 mm means 5 mm, not 1/5 in (which is 5.08 mm). Over 40 squares that difference adds up to more than 3 mm, enough to throw out a scale drawing.
How to print it true to size
The graph paper is drawn as a vector PDF at exactly the size you choose. An inch is exactly 25.4 mm, and the PDF measures everything in points of exactly 1/72 inch, so 1 mm is 72 / 25.4 points. The spacing is worked out for every line from the top of the sheet, not added up step by step, so no rounding builds up down the page.
Your printer can still change the size. To keep it exact:
- Choose the same paper in the print dialog as on this page (for example A4 or US Letter).
- Set the scale to 100% or Actual size. Turn off "Fit to page", "Shrink oversized pages" and "Scale to fit". Adobe's help says Fit reduces or enlarges each page to fit the printable area, which changes the spacing.
- Measure the check-ruler. At the bottom of every sheet there is a printed scale of exactly 5 cm, or 2 in for inch sizes. Lay a ruler along it. If it measures 5 cm (or 2 in), every line on the sheet is true to size. If it is shorter, the printer shrank the page; print again at 100%.
The PDF also asks your viewer to print without scaling, though not every viewer follows that setting. Most home printers cannot print right to the edge of the paper, so the standard margin is 1/2 in (12.7 mm). The narrow 1/4 in (6.35 mm) margin may be clipped by some printers.
What graph paper is used for
- Math: plotting points and lines, drawing graphs of equations, working with area and perimeter, and lining up columns of numbers in long multiplication and division.
- Science: plotting results with labeled axes, where 2 mm squares make readings precise.
- Design and planning: floor plans, garden plans, knitting and cross stitch charts and pixel art, where one square stands for a fixed length or a stitch.
For freehand drawing, sketching and journaling, dot grid paper gives the same guide with less ink on the page. For 3D drawings, use isometric paper.
Questions and answers
What size are the squares on standard graph paper?
In the US and Canada, graph paper often has 4 squares per inch, so each square is 1/4 in (6.35 mm). In Europe it usually has 5 mm squares. Both are on this page, with 1 cm squares for younger children.
How do I make graph paper with an x and y axis?
Under Axes choose Centered for four quadrants or Corner for the origin at the bottom left. Tick Number the axes to add numbers. The preview updates straight away and the PDF matches it.
How do I print a 20 x 20 coordinate grid?
Set Grid size to 20 x 20 squares and Axes to Centered. The axes run through the middle and are numbered from minus 10 to 10, with a bold line every 5 squares.
How many squares are on a page of 1/4 inch graph paper?
On US Letter with half-inch margins this page draws 28 x 36 squares of exactly 1/4 in, which is 7 by 9 in of grid.
Why are some lines bold?
Bold lines mark every inch on inch paper and every centimeter on 5 mm and 2 mm paper, so you can count and measure without counting single squares. You can change or turn them off under Bold line every.
Why is my printout smaller than it should be?
The printer or PDF viewer scaled the page to fit, usually because "Fit to page" or "Shrink to fit" was on. Print again with the scale set to 100% or Actual size, and with the same paper size selected as on this page. The 5 cm (or 2 in) check-ruler at the bottom of the sheet shows straight away whether it worked.
Is anything I type saved or uploaded?
No. The paper and the PDF are made in your browser on your own device. Your options and any text you type are not saved or sent, so if you reload the page you start again from the defaults.
Can I copy, share or sell these sheets?
Yes. You can print, copy and share them for home, school and work. You may also sell printed copies or the PDFs, as long as the print.dexaloop.com credit line at the foot of each page stays on it, unchanged and readable. The Terms page has the details.
Sources
Checked on 13 October 2026. If a size has changed, please tell us.