How to Format a Book for Amazon KDP – on Windows Too
Step by step from manuscript to print-ready KDP book: import, style, front matter, cover and export – on Mac and Windows.
Many well-known book formatting apps are Mac-only. Here's how to format your book for Amazon KDP on any computer.
1. Import your manuscript
Load a Word file (.docx), PDF or text. Chapters are recognised from headings; images and tables come along.
2. Choose trim size and language
Pick your KDP trim size (e.g. 6 × 9 in) and the book's language, which drives hyphenation and page titles like “Contents”.
3. Book structure
A professionally typeset book has a fixed order: half title, title page, copyright page on its back, dedication, contents, foreword, then chapters – each starting on a right-hand page – and back matter such as acknowledgments and about the author. Blank left pages carry no page number. Papyrus Peak does all of this automatically.
4. Pick a style
Fonts, drop caps, ornaments, chapter heads and running heads – choose a style and fine-tune it.
5. Design the cover
Back, spine and front in one editor, with the exact spine width.
6. Check and export
The app checks trim size, margins, page count, image resolution and fonts, then exports a print PDF (PDF/A), cover PDF, EPUB and eBook cover (1600 × 2560 px).
Papyrus Peak runs on Mac and Windows, in English and German.