Help

This guide explains how to make and print graph paper with Graph Lines. For quick answers, see the FAQ.

On this page

1. Getting started
2. Choosing a paper type
3. Changing the options
4. Setting up the page
5. Title, name and date
6. Preview and zoom
7. Downloading your paper
8. Printing at the right size
9. Sharing and saving settings
10. Troubleshooting

Getting started

Open the generator in a current version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, on a computer, tablet or phone. There’s nothing to install and no account to create.

The screen has two parts: the settings on the left (at the top on a phone) and a preview of your sheet, with the download buttons underneath.

Choosing a paper type

Select a tile under Paper type. The tiles are grouped as:

• Grids: square grid, dot grid, isometric and hexagonal.
• Scientific: polar and logarithmic.
• Writing: lined, handwriting and music staff.

Each paper type keeps its own settings, so you can switch between them without losing your changes.

Changing the options

The Options card shows the settings for the paper you chose. Some appear only when they apply: for example, axis colour appears once you turn on Draw x/y axes.

Kind of setting	How it works
Lengths	Cell size, spacing, margins and similar. Shown in mm or inches, depending on the unit switch at the top.
Line weight	The thickness of a line, always in millimetres. 0.1 to 0.2 mm is fine and light; 0.3 mm or more is bold.
Colours	Select the colour swatch to choose any colour. Light blues and greys are easy to write over.
Every n	“Major line every 5 cells” draws a heavier line every fifth line. Enter 0 to turn it off.
Line style	Solid, dashed or dotted.

Setting up the page

• Size: choose a standard size, or Custom… and enter the width and height.
• Orientation: portrait or landscape.
• Margin: the blank space around the edge. Most home printers can’t print closer than about 5 mm (¼″) to the edge.
• Paper colour: leave it white for printing, or tint it for screen use.
• mm / in: the switch at the top changes every length on the page. Your design stays the same size.

Title, name and date

Under Header & footer, type a Title (up to 80 characters) to print it at the top. Turn on Name & date lines for worksheets and lab books. The small graphlines.com credit at the bottom is optional.

Preview and zoom

The preview updates as you type. Fit shows the whole page; 1:1 shows it at roughly its real size on screen, which is useful for judging line spacing. The bar above the preview shows details such as the number of squares on the page.

Downloading your paper

Button	What you get	Use it for
PDF	A vector PDF at true size. Set pages first to get several identical pages in one file, up to 500.	Printing, and sharing with others
SVG	A vector image sized in millimetres	Editing in a drawing program, or a cutting or plotting machine
PNG	An image at 150, 300 or 600 dpi	Note-taking apps, slides and image editors
Print	Opens your browser’s print dialog with the page size set	Printing straight away

Printing at the right size

1. Open the PDF, or use Print.
2. In the print dialog, set the scale to 100% or Actual size. Turn off Fit to page or Shrink oversized pages.
3. Choose the same paper size in the printer settings as in Graph Lines.
4. Measure ten squares on the first sheet with a ruler. If they’re slightly small, the printer is still scaling the page.

Sharing and saving settings

Select Copy link to copy an address that contains every setting. Anyone who opens it sees the same design. You can also bookmark it.

Graph Lines remembers your last settings in your browser. To start again, select Reset, which returns the current paper type to its defaults.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to do
Squares print slightly too small	The printer is scaling the page. Print at 100% or Actual size, and turn off Fit to page.
The grid is cut off at one edge	Increase the margin, or turn on Align edges to major lines for square grids.
Lines are too faint when printed	Increase the line weight to 0.2 mm or more, or choose a darker colour.
“PNG reduced to … dpi”	The page is very large, so the image was made at a lower resolution to keep it a manageable size. Use PDF or SVG for full detail.
My settings disappeared	Your browser may be clearing site data, or you’re in a private window. Use Copy link to keep a design.
Export failed	Try again in a current browser. If it keeps happening, tell us the paper type and settings, or send the link.

Still stuck? Email [email protected] or open an issue on GitHub.