How to print lined paper
- Choose the line type. Wide ruled for younger students, college ruled to fit more on a page, handwriting rows for learning to write.
- Pick US Letter or A4 to match the paper in your printer, and a line color. Light blue is the classic notebook look.
- Add a margin line or a name and date line if you need them for school.
- Press Print lined paper and keep the scale at 100% so the line spacing stays exact.
Unlike a fixed lined paper printable download, it works like a lined paper template you can adjust: change one option and the preview updates, then print as many copies as you need. Nothing is uploaded and there is nothing to sign up for.
Wide ruled vs college ruled paper
| Ruling | Line spacing | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Wide ruled paper | 11/32 in (8.7 mm) | Elementary and middle school, larger handwriting |
| College ruled paper | 9/32 in (7.1 mm) | High school, college and everyday notes |
| Narrow ruled | 1/4 in (6.35 mm) | Small handwriting, fitting a lot on one page |
| 8 mm ruled | 8 mm | The usual ruling in A4 notebooks |
| 6 mm ruled | 6 mm | Narrow A4 notebooks and planners |
The red margin line sits 1 1/4 inches from the left edge, like most printable notebook paper, leaving room for punched holes and notes.
Handwriting paper for kids
Handwriting paper has a solid top line, a dashed midline and a solid baseline, with a gap between rows. Tall letters such as b and d reach the top line, small letters such as a and o stop at the dashed line, and letters such as g and y drop below the baseline into the gap.
- 1 inch rows: kindergarten and children just starting to write.
- 5/8 inch rows: first and second grade.
- 1/2 inch rows: third grade, before moving to wide ruled paper.
Turn on the name and date line for worksheets, and print a few extra sheets to keep at home for practice.
Lined paper PDF and printing tips
To keep a lined paper PDF, choose Save as PDF in the print dialog; the PDF keeps the exact spacing. If the lines look faint or broken on paper, check the ink with a printer test page. Need squares instead of lines? Use the graph paper generator.
How we tested this tool
We printed the paper to PDF with Microsoft Edge on Windows and measured the file: the page is exactly US Letter and one drawing unit equals 1 mm. Wide ruled lines came out 8.73 mm apart (11/32 inch), and the 5/8 inch handwriting rows measured 15.88 mm with a 7.94 mm gap between rows, each on a single page. We also checked every option, the A4 version, the layout at a 375 px phone width and that Ctrl+P prints the current paper. We haven't yet printed it on a range of real printers ourselves. If you print some, tell us how it came out.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between wide ruled and college ruled paper?
Wide ruled paper has 11/32 inch (about 8.7 mm) between lines and suits younger students and larger handwriting. College ruled paper has 9/32 inch (about 7.1 mm) between lines, so more fits on a page. Narrow ruled is 1/4 inch.
Which handwriting paper is right for my child?
Kindergarten usually starts with 1 inch rows, first and second grade often use 5/8 inch rows, and third grade moves to 1/2 inch rows before switching to regular wide ruled paper. Follow your teacher's choice if they have one.
Can I save the lined paper as a PDF?
Yes. Press Print lined paper and choose Save as PDF or Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer. The PDF keeps the true line spacing, so you can print it again later.
Why don't the lines go to the edge of the page?
Most home printers can't print right to the edge, so the lines stop about 1/4 inch from the sides and half an inch from the top and bottom. That way no line gets cut off.
What line spacing is used on A4 paper?
Most A4 notebooks use 8 mm lines, sometimes called feint ruled. 6 mm lines are common in narrow-ruled notebooks. Both are available here, along with US Letter options.