A great printable can look disappointing if the printer settings are wrong. These five checks fix almost every problem.

1. Pick the right size

Use the Letter PDF in the US and Canada and the A4 PDF almost everywhere else.

2. Print at actual size

In the print dialog choose “Actual size” or “100%” instead of “Fit to page” so boxes and lines keep their proportions.

3. Choose a heavier paper

Planner pages feel better on 100 to 120 gsm paper (24 to 32 lb). It also stops ink showing through.

4. Test one page

Print a single page first to check margins and colour before printing a whole bundle.

5. Hole-punch friendly

If you use a binder, print with the inner margin on the left for odd pages and on the right for even ones.