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Adding crop marks to a PDF in Artworker

Crop marks are small lines placed just outside the finished size of a page to indicate where it should be trimmed. In print production they are essential for guillotining and finishing. If a client supplies artwork without trim guides, Artworker’s fix‑up tool can add crop marks for you, producing a print‑ready PDF without altering the original file.

Before you begin

  • Supported files – You can only add crop marks to PDF files. If your artwork is another format, convert it to PDF first using the File actions menu.

  • Availability – Fix ups may be disabled when a proof is awaiting customer approval to prevent unintended changes. Once proofing is complete, the fix up will become available.

  • Simple toggle – The crop marks fix up is a simple on/off option; there are no custom settings for offset or style.

Why add crop marks?

As a print service provider, you rely on accurate trim marks to align sheets on guillotines and folding equipment. When a supplied PDF lacks these guides, manually adding them in design software can slow down production or require a file resend. Using Artworker’s fix up tool allows you to generate precise crop marks on demand, ensuring your finishing operations run smoothly.

How to add crop marks

  1. Locate the file within Artworker

  2. Select Fix up from the file actions menu

  3. In the Document section, toggle Add crop marks

  4. Select the pages you wish to apply crop marks to (All pages will be selected by default)

  5. Click Apply and create fix up

Artworker will generate a new PDF with crop marks added, leaving your original file untouched.

By using this fix up, you can confidently produce print‑ready artwork without needing to go back to the client for a revised file.

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