Graph Paper
Graph paper is a sheet of evenly spaced squares; pick a square size and the sheet below is drawn to it, centred on the page. The default is 5 mm squares on A4 with a heavier line every 5, which gives 38 × 55 squares. Print it at actual size, or save it as a PDF, PNG or SVG.
Your sheet
Printing: choose Actual size or 100%, not “Fit to page”, so 1 cm prints as 1 cm. How to check.
How is the graph paper drawn?
Squares across = whole part of (page width − 2 × margin) ÷ square size. The same for squares down. The grid is then centred, so the border on each side is equal.
Worked example. A4 is 210 × 297 mm. With a 10 mm margin the usable width is 190 mm, and 190 ÷ 5 = 38 squares. The usable height is 277 mm, and 277 ÷ 5 = 55.4, so 55 whole squares. The grid is 190 × 275 mm, leaving 10 mm at each side and 11 mm top and bottom.
Inches are converted at exactly 25.4 mm, so quarter-inch squares are 6.35 mm and the heavy lines every 4 squares fall every inch.
Graph paper, grid paper or dot paper?
They are the same idea with less and less ink. Graph paper has light squares with heavier lines every few squares, which makes counting easy when you plot points. Grid paper is plain squares with no heavy lines, better for drawing and planning. Dot grid paper keeps only the corners, so your writing stays readable over it.
Metric or inch squares?
Use millimetres if your ruler and your textbook do: 5 mm and 1 cm are the school sizes in most of the world. Use inches in the US, where 1/4 inch is standard and 1/8 inch or 1/10 inch appear in science and engineering. Whichever you pick, the sheet is drawn in millimetres behind the scenes and prints at true size.
Which paper size?
A4 (210 × 297 mm) outside North America, US Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) inside it. A4 is 6 mm narrower and 18 mm taller, so a sheet drawn for A4 printed on Letter loses a strip at the bottom, and the other way round loses a strip at the side. Choose the size that is in your printer.
Questions about graph paper
How do I print graph paper at the right size?
Press “Print or save as PDF”, then in the print dialog choose Actual size or 100% scale, never “Fit to page” or “Shrink to fit”. Pick the same paper size you chose above. A 1 cm square should then measure 1 cm with a ruler; our printing guide shows how to check.
What grid size should I choose?
For school maths, 5 mm or 1 cm squares. For US classes, 1/4 inch (type 0.25 and pick inches). For engineering and detailed drawing, 2 mm or 1/8 inch. For knitting and cross-stitch charts, match the squares to your stitch count. See graph paper sizes for more.
Can I make quarter-inch or 5-squares-per-inch paper?
Yes. Switch the unit to inches and type 0.25 for quarter-inch squares (6.35 mm) or 0.2 for five squares per inch. A heavy line every 4 squares then marks every inch.
Can I save it as a PDF?
Yes. “Print or save as PDF” opens your browser’s print dialog; choose “Save as PDF” as the printer. The PDF is made on your device at the exact paper size, so it prints at true size later too.
Does the download have a watermark or a limit?
No. The PNG (300 dots per inch) and the SVG are plain files with nothing added, and there is no sign-up and no limit on how many sheets you make.
Why is there a margin around the grid?
Most home printers cannot print the outer 4 to 6 mm of a page, so a grid that runs to the edge gets cut off. The default 10 mm margin keeps every square whole. Set the margin to 0 if your printer can print borderless.