Page Configuration

Control page size, margins, and orientation with PdfPageConfig and PdfMargins.

Built-in presets

Preset Dimensions Margins Physical Size
PdfPageConfig.A4 595 x 842 dp None 210 x 297 mm
PdfPageConfig.A4WithMargins 595 x 842 dp 72dp (1”) all sides 210 x 297 mm
PdfPageConfig.Letter 612 x 792 dp None 8.5 x 11 in
PdfPageConfig.LetterWithMargins 612 x 792 dp 72dp (1”) all sides 8.5 x 11 in
PdfPageConfig.A3 842 x 1191 dp None 297 x 420 mm
PdfPageConfig.A3WithMargins 842 x 1191 dp 72dp (1”) all sides 297 x 420 mm 
val pdf = renderToPdf(config = PdfPageConfig.A4WithMargins) {
    Text("A4 with 1-inch margins")
}
A4 (default) Letter with margins A3 landscape
A4 Letter A3 landscape
PDF PDF PDF

Compose Dp and PDF points are the same unit: 1/72 of an inch. A value of 72.dp equals exactly 1 inch in the PDF. No conversion needed.

Landscape mode

Call .landscape() on any config to swap width and height (margins are rotated too):

val pdf = renderToPdf(config = PdfPageConfig.A4.landscape()) {
    Text("Landscape A4")
}

Custom page sizes

Create any page size by specifying width and height in Dp:

val halfLetter = PdfPageConfig(
    width = 396.dp,   // 5.5 inches
    height = 612.dp,  // 8.5 inches
    margins = PdfMargins.Narrow,
)

val pdf = renderToPdf(config = halfLetter) {
    Text("Custom size")
}

Margins

Built-in presets

Preset Size Physical
PdfMargins.None 0 dp No margins
PdfMargins.Narrow 24 dp all sides ~8.5 mm / ~1/3 inch
PdfMargins.Normal 72 dp all sides 1 inch / 25.4 mm

Symmetric margins 

val margins = PdfMargins.symmetric(
    horizontal = 48.dp,  // Left and right
    vertical = 36.dp,    // Top and bottom
)

Custom margins 

val margins = PdfMargins(
    top = 72.dp,
    bottom = 48.dp,
    left = 36.dp,
    right = 36.dp,
)

val config = PdfPageConfig(
    width = 612.dp,
    height = 792.dp,
    margins = margins,
)

Adding margins to a preset 

val config = PdfPageConfig.A4.copy(margins = PdfMargins.Narrow)

Content area

After margins are applied, the usable area is available via computed properties:

val config = PdfPageConfig.A4WithMargins
println(config.contentWidth)   // 451.dp  (595 - 72 - 72)
println(config.contentHeight)  // 698.dp  (842 - 72 - 72)

Your composable content is laid out within this content area.

Validation

PdfPageConfig validates on construction:

  • Width and height must be positive
  • Content area after margins must be positive (margins can’t exceed the page size)
// This throws IllegalArgumentException:
PdfPageConfig(width = 100.dp, height = 100.dp, margins = PdfMargins.Normal)
// Margins (72 + 72 = 144) exceed page width (100)

See also