A2 paper size and dimensions: everything you need to know

Although it often goes unnoticed, A2 paper is used extremely frequently: anyone who has dealings with the printing world will know that it has countless different uses. If you’re thinking of embarking on a graphic design project, you’ll find it very useful to know more about A2 paper, a paper size established by the ISO 216 standard. Below you’ll find the size of A2 paper in centimetres, inches and pixels, its main areas of use and some tips on how to make best use of it in the printing process.

Let’s get started!

A2 paper: dimensions and weight

Before we get to the size of A2 paper, let’s briefly refresh our memories about ISO 216. This international standard that defines paper sizes and their dimensions applies in Europe and in many other countries across the world, but not in the USA and Canada, where they use the Letter standard instead.

Proportionally, A2 paper is equivalent to a quarter of a sheet of A0 paper and four times the size of a sheet of A4 paper. A2 paper measures 42.0 x 59.4 cm or 16.5 x 23.4 inches.

The number of pixels depends on the resolution in dpi (dots per inch):

• 72 dpi = 1,191 x 1,684 px
• 150 dpi = 2,480 x 3,509 px
• 300 dpi = 4,960 x 7,016 px
• 600 dpi = 9,933 x 14,043 px

And the weight? That all depends on the paper’s grammage or basis weight, in other words the ratio between the weight of the paper and its surface area. A sheet of 80 gsm A2 paper will weigh 20 g, a sheet of 100 gsm A2 paper will weigh 25 g and a sheet of 160 gsm paper will weigh 40 g.

Here are the dimensions for the entire series of paper sizes in millimetres, inches and pixels when printed at 300 dpi.

Paper size	Millimetres	Inches	Pixels (300 dpi print quality)
A0	841 x 1,189	33 x 47	9,933 x 14,043
A1	594 x 841	23 x 33	7,016 x 9,933
A2	420 x 594	16.5 x 23	4,961 x 7,016
A3	297 x 420	11.5 x 16.5	3,508 x 4,961
A4	210 x 297	8.3 x 11.7	2,480 x 3,508
A5	148 x 210	5.8 x 8.3	1,748 x 2,480
A6	148 x 105	5.8 x 4.1	1,240 x 1,748
A7	105 x 74	4.1 x 2.9	874 x 1,240
A8	74 x 52	2.9 x 2.0	614 x 874
A9	52 x 37	2.0 x 1.5	437 x 614
A10	37 x 26	1.5 x 1.0	307 x 437

Table of dimensions for A series paper sizes in millimetres, inches and pixels

A2 paper: what is it used for?

When is A2 paper the preferred option?

Now we’ve had a look at its dimensions, it’s easier to imagine what a sheet of A2 paper might be used for. One of its most common uses is for folded leaflets: A2 paper’s large surface area means it can be folded multiple times, allowing you to print brochures containing a lot of information on several printed sides. It is also common for theatre and cinema posters, and is used for smaller decorative posters too.

A2 paper: resolution and printing tips

As with all paper sizes, there are a few tricks to employ to ensure your printing is successful. The first thing to check is whether your image is completely central, and whether it is suitable for the paper size.

If not, use your graphic design software to help you centre the image and adapt it for use with A2 paper.

Finally, don’t forget to add an additional margin to avoid the inaccuracies that can sometimes occur (albeit rarely) during printing. 

For A2 paper, 2-5 mm of extra margin is sufficient.

Now you have all the essential information, you can make a start on your graphic design projects using A2 paper!

Happy printing!