eBook cover guidelines

Publication of the ePub file requires the cover to be included in the eBook file and at the same time uploaded separately into the metadata tab, so that it is transmitted to the online libraries and included in the book page. Internal cover and external cover meet more or less the same specifications with the only difference that the external cover, as intended for the online bookshelf, necessarily requires a slightly higher resolution. See below details.

General specifications for the ebook cover

• The cover file must be in JPG format with RGB color profile
• The cover must be legible and complete with all the information about the book: title and author name that must correspond exactly to what is indicated in the metadata (otherwise the ebook will be rejected by some stores)
• Must not contain copyrighted images, grainy images or nude ones
• The cover must represent only the front cover, without spine or back cover. It shouldn't be a 3D rendering
• The cover page must not contain any price indication or references specific to the printed edition (for example: "Contains free CD-ROMs")

Inner cover

The inner cover must be positioned at the beginning of the file, just as if it were a paper edition, with the difference that the ebook does not include spine and back cover. The minimum size for the inner cover is 600*800 pixels, while it must not exceed 4 megapixels (base x height).

We recommend that you opt for a resolution of 1200*1600 pixels because it allows you to have a better performance on the latest generation readers.

Outer cover

It is the cover that will appear on the book page in online stores and must be loaded separately from the ePub file. Since this is content intended for the virtual shelf of online bookshops, it is recommended for the external cover a size greater than at least 1875*2500 pixels. 

Don’t have a cover for your ebook yet?

If you don’t have a cover yet and don’t know who to turn this step to, you can ask to the professional graphic designers in StreetLib, to create your cover. More details on this page. 

Do you want to use StreetLib Write to create your own ePub? 

SL Write (Premium and Unlimited plans) provides you with a convenient editor for the creation of the cover of the eBook, discover more details here. You can use Write to create your own eBook and use the dedicated editor to prepare your cover.