How to Fix Bad PDF Formatting Before Uploading to Amazon KDP (2025 Guide)
By CreatorFormat Team
TL;DR: To fix bad PDF formatting for KDP: (1) Check margins (0.75" inside, 0.5" outside), (2) Fix line spacing to 1.15-1.5, (3) Remove hard line breaks, (4) Use KDP-approved fonts, (5) Set correct trim size, (6) Fix TOC with heading styles, (7) Convert to EPUB using CreatorFormat for best results. Upload EPUB instead of PDF to avoid most formatting issues.
Bad PDF formatting is one of the most common reasons Amazon rejects books—or why authors end up with broken Kindle layouts.
If your PDF has:
- weird line breaks
- inconsistent spacing
- text cut off
- misaligned pages
- broken chapters
- wrong margins
Then KDP will convert it poorly, and the final Kindle version will look unprofessional.
In this guide, you'll learn how to fix PDF formatting the RIGHT way before uploading it to Amazon KDP.
Why PDFs Break on KDP
A PDF is a fixed-layout format. That means:
- text position is locked
- spacing is fixed
- fonts are embedded
- page size is rigid
When KDP converts your PDF into a reflowable format (Kindle EPUB), it struggles to extract structure.
This leads to errors like:
- missing paragraphs
- uneven margins
- conversion warnings
- bad text flow
Step 1: Check Your Margins
KDP requires specific trim sizes and margins.
Minimum margins:
- Inside: 0.75 in
- Outside: 0.5 in
- Top/Bottom: 0.5 in
Common symptoms of wrong margins:
- text too close to edges
- text disappearing when converted
- rejection during upload
Step 2: Fix Line Height & Spacing
KDP recommends:
- Line spacing: 1.15 to 1.5
- Paragraph spacing: 0–1.5
- No double spaces after periods
Fix:
Convert your PDF to an editable format → adjust spacing → export again.
Step 3: Remove Hard Line Breaks
Hard line breaks cause:
- jagged paragraphs
- inconsistent text flow
- poor Kindle reflow
Fix:
Use CreatorFormat PDF Cleaner → automatically removes:
- forced line breaks
- weird spacing
- damaged formatting
Step 4: Fix Fonts & Embedding
KDP accepts:
- Times New Roman
- Georgia
- Arial
- Roboto
- Open Sans
Avoid:
- Script fonts
- Decorative fonts
- Non-embedded fonts
If your PDF uses unsupported fonts → convert to a safe font.
Step 5: Check Page Size (Trim Size)
Most popular KDP trim sizes:
- 6 x 9 in
- 5.5 x 8.5 in
- 5 x 8 in
If your PDF is A4 or Letter → KDP will distort your layout.
Fix:
Export in the correct trim size before uploading.
Step 6: Fix Table of Contents (TOC)
TOC issues cause:
- navigation errors
- broken links
- Amazon flags during review
Use:
- Heading levels (H1, H2)
- Auto-generated TOC in your tool
Step 7: Convert to Kindle-Friendly Format
Instead of uploading PDF directly → convert to EPUB using:
CreatorFormat (Best for beginners)
Automatically fixes:
- line breaks
- spacing
- margins
- TOC
- metadata
Your final EPUB will be cleaner than the original PDF.
Final Checklist Before Uploading to KDP
- Margins correct
- Page size correct
- No hard line breaks
- Fonts supported
- Clean spacing
- Valid TOC
- EPUB exported
Final Recommendation
Upload EPUB (not PDF) to Amazon KDP for the cleanest results. If your PDF formatting is already broken → convert and clean it using a specialized tool before uploading.
A clean, well-formatted file = higher reader satisfaction + lower refund risk.
About the Author
The CreatorFormat Team has helped thousands of authors fix PDF formatting issues and successfully publish on Amazon KDP. We specialize in converting problematic PDFs into clean, KDP-ready EPUBs that pass Amazon's quality checks on the first submission.
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