01. CD cover dimensions
RonyaSoft CD DVD Cover Maker is a great business and hobby assistant allowing you to create custom covers for CDs and DVDs using preset templates or creating your own template considering proper CD cover size for a CD box type you are going to use.
Each CD cover serves for:
- CD disk protection from scratches, splits and other mechanical damages.
- Organization of disk collection and proper space usage as CD cases allow to store disks vertically thus using available (and in most cases limited) space more effectively.
Let us review the most popular CD cases and define which CD cover size is proper for each of them. We will also list top pros and cons of each type of case and will advise which is better for you.
Measurements of a CD covers
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In addition, see our articles CD & DVD label dimensions and Popular DVD case dimensions
Jewel CD case: pros and cons
Jewel CD case is a name of a three piece plastic case used since the first disks were released. This is the most compact and simple way of disk storage. The front part of the case is made of transparent plastic thus a CD insert remains clearly readable.
The front part of the jewel CD case has from 4 to 8 tabs for holding liner notes. The standard CD album cover size (front part) is 120 mm x 120 mm (4.7 in × 4.7 in).
Tip for Designers: While the finished size is 120mm, always design your canvas at 126mm x 126mm. This extra 3mm on each side is called "Bleed". It ensures that when the paper is cut, you don't end up with thin white lines on the edges.
With RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker you will be able to create and print inserts of proper CD cover dimensions. The software provides you customizable templates of standard sizes:
- Only front insert – which is when printed 120 mm x 120 mm (4.7 in × 4.7 in).
CD Front Insert dimensions
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- CD front double insert (front insert is stored folded) - 242 mm x 120 mm (9.5 in × 4.7 in). In this case the CD insert will be stored folded. But you can unfold the insert to read complete information on the disk.
CD Front Double Insert dimensions
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- Slim CD insert of 154 mm x 120 mm (6 in × 4.7 in) with margins for side borders which commonly contains disk data essentials in short (for example, for music album cover the border may contain the name of the album, artist, and the year of release).
Slim CD Insert dimensions
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The key pros of jewel CD case are:
- Endurance and disk security as no matter what happens with the case, an inserted disk is held fast and securely (staying always in place and avoiding mechanical damages).
- Cheapness – this is not the cheapest but still a very cost effective case for the long term disk storage.
- Room efficacy – this is one of the slimmest ways of disk storage.
Top cons of jewel CD case are:
- Plastic itself is a rather brittle material thus a case can be easily damaged.
- No back cover possible.
Another type of CD box is a Jewel CD case with both parts being transparent, thus you can place two inserts into the case:
- CD Front Insert 120 mm x 120 mm (4.7 in × 4.7 in).
- CD Back Insert with side margins 151 mm x 118 mm (5.9 in × 4.6 in).
CD Back Insert dimensions
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Digipak: CD cover dimensions, pros and cons
Digipak is a specific type of CD case which consists of two parts: a plastic CD holder and a folding cardboard cover. Unlike plastic jewel cases where paper is inserted, in a DigiPak, the paper is the case.
Typical dimensions for a 4-panel DigiPak are approx. 140mm wide per panel. When designing for DigiPak, you must account for the "creep" (paper thickness) when folding.
If the software misses a necessary album cover size, then you can create a necessary CD cover in Template Generator setting valid CD cover dimensions.
Paper sleeves
Paper sleeve — is a type of CD cover which is made from a sheet of paper folded in a special manner with an upper part folded and glued to fix a disk inside the envelope. This is the simplest and the cheapest CD cover. However it can also be made professionally and using brand identity or desired pictures.
It is the least durable type of CD case. RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker provides you templates with proper CD case dimensions to print, fold and glue the sleeve. This case will not have a transparent window for CD label to be seen. However you can print all necessary information on both sides of the paper sleeve.
Paper Sleeve dimensions
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Origami CD case – is another variation of paper sleeve which is made from A4 sheet of paper. To make this CD case you need only to open an origami template, edit text blocks and add necessary pictures or brand identity and print the sleeve. RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker will mark the fold lines. Thus you will only need to fold the sheet of paper and to insert a disk.
Origami CD Case dimensions
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Unlike other CD cover makers available online, RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker provides you templates for all popular CD cases. The CD covers which you will make with RonyaSoft will perfectly suit in a chosen case as they strictly meet the standards. The quality of CD cover will depend on paper you choose for the insert.
Technical Checklist for Perfect Printing
To ensure your covers look professional, follow these three rules:
- Resolution: Always use 300 DPI (Dots Per Inch). A web image (72 DPI) will look pixelated and blurry when printed.
- Color Mode: Switch your software to CMYK mode. Monitors display RGB (Red Green Blue), but printers use CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow Black). Some bright blues and greens on your screen cannot be printed in ink.
- Paper Weight: For Front Inserts, use 120-150 gsm paper. For Rear Inlays (which need to stand up in the spines), use slightly thicker 150-170 gsm paper.
Expert Answers to Common Questions (FAQ)
What are the benefits of creating custom CD covers for your business?
Whether you prepare CD presentation for potential investors and partners or sales catalogs for your potential customers RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker is the best option for you:
- Saving time and costs on professional printing service.
- Optimizing your marketing budget.
- Low risk of faults and defects which you can fix instantly.
Apart from preset templates, RonyaSoft offers you a powerful editor – Template Generator – in which you will be able to create your own custom CD cover keeping to the CD cover dimensions you need (for example, for some sort of custom case).