How to Print Perfect Coloring Pages

Get the best results from your home printer — paper tips, settings, and everything you need to know.

Quick Start

In a hurry? These three settings get you a great print every time:

  1. 1Set your printer to "Fit to Page"(or "Scale to Fit") so the image fills the whole sheet.
  2. 2Choose Best or High quality print mode for crisp, clean lines.
  3. 3Print in grayscale — it saves ink and the lines come out cleaner.

Understanding Your Image

ColorBooth generates images at approximately 2048 pixels on the longest edge. At the print standard of 300 DPI, that works out to roughly 6.8 inches — slightly smaller than a full Letter or A4 sheet.

That's why we recommend the "Fit to Page" setting. It scales the image up to fill the entire sheet. Because coloring pages are clean line art (not photographs), this small amount of upscaling is virtually invisible — the lines stay sharp and crisp.

If you print at "Actual Size" instead, you'll get a slightly smaller image with wider margins — still perfectly usable, but "Fit to Page" gives kids more room to color.

Choosing the Right Paper

The best paper depends on what your kids will color with. Here's a quick guide:

🖍️

Crayons → Regular printer paper (20 lb)

Works great — no bleed-through, easy to color on

✏️

Colored pencils → Heavier paper (24–28 lb)

Better tooth for pencil grip and smoother shading

🖊️

Markers → Cardstock (65–110 lb)

Prevents bleed-through so colors stay crisp

🎨

Watercolors or paint → Watercolor paper or heavy cardstock

Handles moisture without warping or tearing

Not sure? Regular printer paper works perfectly fine for most kids.

Print Settings Step by Step

Open the downloaded image and hit Print. Before you confirm, check these settings:

Paper size
Letter (8.5" × 11") or A4— Use whichever your printer is set up for
Scaling
"Fit to Page" or "Scale to Fit"— Not "Actual Size" — this fills the whole sheet
Quality
Best or High— Avoids faint or patchy lines
Color mode
Grayscale / Black & White— Saves color ink and produces cleaner line art
Orientation
Portrait (usually)— Match the orientation of the coloring page image
Margins
Minimum or Borderless— Gives the coloring page more room on the sheet

Printer Tips

Inkjet vs. laser

Both work great. Laser printers produce slightly crisper lines, but most home inkjet printers do an excellent job. Use whatever you have.

Print in black & white

Coloring pages are line art — no color needed in the print. Choosing grayscale or B&W mode saves your color ink cartridges for other things.

Lines look faint or patchy?

This usually means low ink or toner. Try replacing the cartridge, or switch the quality setting from "Draft" to "Best."

Printing from your phone

On iPhone, tap Save on your coloring page — this opens the share sheet where you can tap Print, save to Photos, AirDrop, or send via Messages. On Android, most modern printers support WiFi Direct printing. If your printer doesn't connect wirelessly, email the image to yourself and print from a computer.

Printing for Parties & Classrooms

Planning a birthday party or classroom activity? Here are some tips for printing in bulk:

  • Use cardstock for party or classroom copies — it holds up better to enthusiastic coloring and makes the pages feel more special.
  • Print a batch in advance. Most home printers handle 10–20 copies without issue.
  • For larger batches (30+), consider a local print shop. Bring the PNG file on a USB drive or email it — they can print on heavier paper too.
  • Print a few extras — kids always want to color it again.

Ready to create your coloring page?

Start creating free

Have more questions? Check out our FAQ.

Drop us a line