Getting a clean mockup
A book mockup shows your flat cover on a 3D book, so readers see it the way they'd see it on a shelf or in their hands. You'll use them in social posts, newsletter headers, ad images and on your author website. You don't use them on KDP itself, where the cover you upload must be the flat cover file.
Front only or full wrap
A front cover on its own works for every book type. The spine and back are filled with a colour picked from the cover's left edge, which you can change.
For a paperback or hardback with your real spine and back cover, use your full-wrap cover (the same file you upload to KDP, saved as an image) and choose Full wrap. Enter the same trim size, paper and page count you used for the cover, and the tool cuts out the back, spine and front exactly, ignoring the bleed. If the image isn't the right shape for those settings, it tells you, so you know something doesn't match.
Turning your KDP cover PDF into an image
The tool takes JPG, PNG or WebP. If your cover is a PDF, export it as a PNG from the program you designed it in: Canva, Affinity, Photoshop and GIMP can all do this. Export at full size so the mockup stays sharp.
Resolution
Use your cover at full size. A 6 × 9 in front cover at 300 dpi is 1,800 × 2,700 px, which gives a crisp result. The download is 2,400 pixels wide, plenty for social media and websites.
Choosing a book type
- Paperback: the thickness follows your page count and paper, using the same spine maths as KDP.
- Hardback: boards slightly larger than the pages, with a thicker spine edge.
- Ebook: a thin, flat version of your front cover, good for showing a Kindle edition.
Angles, background and shadow
Four angles are ready to go: Spine shows the spine and front together, Front faces the reader, Pages shows the page edges, and Above looks down on the book. You can also drag the book to any angle.
Choose None to download the book on a transparent background, ready to drop onto any graphic. Keep the soft shadow on to ground it, or switch it off for a clean cut-out you can shadow yourself.
A quick workflow
- Export your cover as a PNG at full size. For a paperback, export the whole wrap if you want the real spine and back to show.
- Choose the book type, then drop in the image. For a full wrap, select Full wrap and enter the trim size, paper and page count from your cover.
- Pick an angle. Spine is the most versatile, because it shows that the book is a real, substantial object.
- Choose the background. Use None if you'll place the book on your own graphic, or a solid colour for a ready-to-post image.
- Download the PNG and make a second version at another angle, so you have a choice for different posts.
Where to use your mockups
- Launch and cover-reveal posts
- Newsletter headers and reader magnets
- Your author website and book pages
- Images for A+ Content on your Amazon page
- Ad images, where the platform allows your own artwork
Check each platform's own image rules before you upload, as sizes and policies vary and change.
Questions
Is my cover uploaded anywhere?
No. The 3D book is drawn in your browser using your computer's graphics. Your cover never leaves your device and nothing is stored.
Is there a watermark?
No. Downloads are free, full size and unbranded.
Why does my spine look like a plain colour?
With a front-only cover there's no spine artwork to use, so the tool picks a matching colour. Use a full-wrap cover to show your real spine and back.
Why is the mockup blank or slow?
The tool uses WebGL, which every modern browser supports. If it doesn't appear, check your browser is up to date and hardware acceleration is switched on.