Standard size for landscape fixed layout epub?

Report · Mar 17, 2025

Hi all, quick question: I need to create a landscape fixed layout epub/ebook but I'm struggling to finalize a "standard size" for width and height that can work generally well across most tablets and devices.

For added context, I'm trying to take an indesign file for a paperback physical book design (a very visual photo/art book with 160+ full page spreads) and recreate it as a landscape fixed layout epub (landscape because the full page spreads won't display as aesthetically in portrait).

When I asked chatgpt about universal compatibility (for landscape-specific epub orientation) across Amazon KDP, Apple Books, Nook, and others, , it said this:

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Landscape format:

2560 x 1600 pixels — if you want a wider, more graphic-driven layout (less common for poetry but useful if you have double-page spreads)

Key considerations:

Apple Books: They recommend 2048 x 2732 pixels for iPads, but will downscale for smaller devices.
Amazon KDP: Suggests a minimum of 1200 x 1800 pixels but supports higher resolutions, so 1600 x 2560 works well.
Nook & Kobo: Typically accept the same dimensions as KDP and Apple Books.

Best practice:

Stick to 1600 x 2560 px — it's the safest bet for cross-platform compatibility.
Ensure your images are 300 DPI for crisp, print-quality visuals.
Keep the file size under 20–50MB to meet all platform requirements.

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I then went to Creative Market and many other online marketplaces, including Adobe Stock, to see if there are any landscape epub templates, just to compare the 2560 x 1600 size to see if that what others are using ?? but no matter where I go, most if not all epub templates I can find are always for portrait orientation.

Fine.

So I began my InDesign digital publishing document using 2560 x 1600 but then usual font sizes like 12, 14, 16, 18, 24 etc look so small and illegible. I actually had to increase to font sizes in the 40s and 50s to appear more legible but I can't help but question if this is right because then I went to Adobe Stock and downloaded a free ebup template, yes in portrait because that's all that's mostly available, and when I open in InDesign, all the fonts are normal sizes like 12, 14, 16, 18, 24 etc for main copy, headings, subheadings etc.

This makes me question if something is off about the 2560 x 1600 dimensions?

I thought maybe it was a weird glitch that standard font sizes look so tiny using 2560 x 1600 so I did log out of Adobe InDesign/Creative Cloud and even shutdown my macbook pro and reboot etc but nothing changed. I seemingly have to set my fonts for regular paragraph text between 36-48 depending on font style. Anything smaller is like dots on the screen.

I'm pretty ok with all the rest of the mechanical details of setting up the epub to create fixed layout etc.

The main thing I'm really struggling with is to finalize a fairly standard, high res enough width/height dimension specifically for landscape fixed layout epub. I'm not sure if 2048 x 2732 is accurate because the usual font sizes look like ants and are illegible so I'm asking for feedback or suggestions.

(Or maybe I'm overthinking and (a) 2048 x 2732 is good/accurate landscape dimensions ... and (b) as long as fonts are legible and look clear/good on the screen, I shouldn't worry about using 36-48 pt size fonts.

BTW, yes I am using "Digital Publishing" as my designated workspace setting.

Thank you so much!

Mayra Yadir, MA, MFA

Report · Mar 17, 2025

Standard? There is no standard and these things are not responsive anyway. 1024x768 should be fine so stop overthinking it.

The entire FXL EPUB format can only be described as an archaic mess and quite frankly, I think you're in for a world of pain trying to get this to all work properly but I wish you all the best in this endeavor. Sadly, you're going to need it if you think you can do this and have it work on multiple platforms.

And yes, I'm aware that this is not the answer you wanted but it's the way it is. Beyond a targeted audience using the same devices (think sales material or trade show kiosks), this type of project is something I would run away from as fast as I can.

Report · Mar 17, 2025

Actually your answser is what I needed 🙂 confirmation that there's NO "universal" size *sigh* ...

So just to quickly update since I've been fiddling with this all morning:

1) I discovered I had entered my document setup size incorrectly 🙂 so I fixed that and that definitely helped the font issue

*BUT*

2) I also was able to go to Adobe Pages, download their landscape epub as an image, then used photoshop to check those dimentions and confirmed they are unqiue to Apple Books, which means I may have to have one unique version PER marketplace ?? depending on how much the sizes per platform vary (thus confirming your note that "universal size for landscape epubs" is perhaps a mere illusion ??)

I'm not sure how this will all pan but I'm thinking I might do a very tapered version for the epub and if folks want to see the full monte, they can just go get the book 🙂 that way I spare myself the pain you're describing because it's a lot omg it's a lot. At least by watering thiis all down to maybe 10 or 20 page spreads max (so it reads more like a magazine ??) ... I think that will shave off tons of work, make it far more compact, and easier to edit per platform.

Without actually doing any of my own suggestions here as of yet, I'm not sure how this will all pan out in the end but I won't know until I try so we'll see.

Thank you so much for your response, Bob.

Mayra Yadir, MA, MFA

Report · Mar 17, 2025

The "best practices" lists "Ensure your images are 300 DPI for crisp, print-quality visuals.", which is just vague and wrong advice.

For images in a FXL layout work at the native resolution of the screen that is your main target device. If that is 1024x768, that is the resolution of a full screen image. If your base target resolution is 2560x1600: that will be the resolution of a full screen image.

Resolutions for FLX epubs are often measured against various iPad models (because interactive FXL epubs tend to only work semi-properly on those devices and the iBooks reader): from 1024x768 up to 2732x2048 pixels, with the 2560x1600 a good average resolution.

When you create a new document in InDesign that is based on the Mobile publishing intent, the pt resolution refers to pixels: 1pt equates to 1px. That is why those fonts are so small: InDesign works with the native pixel resolution rather than comparing it against a PPI value that is attached to a document.

That is why it is also so very important to turn down the PPI export value in the FXL epub export dialog to 72ppi: only at 72ppi are images exported at the native device's target resolution. Any higher than but wastes file storage, resolution, and performance.

As for that template that you downloaded: I am pretty sure the publishing intent is set to something different than Mobile. You can check for this in the document setup properties.

It is also important to note that compatibility between the different publishing platforms for FXL epubs is all over the place. As I wrote earlier: FLX epubs generated from InDesign with interactive features only function reasonably well on iPads and the iBooks readers. On the Kindle, Android readers, Nobo/Kobo almost nothing works, but static pages. That also means custom fonts, etc.: basically you'll be better off to just convert your entire pages to static images if you need compatibility across all platforms.

And then there is the issue of page size proportions: 4x3 is iPad world. But Kindles and other platforms may have other proportions, so your beautiful fixed layout epub pages won't fill the entire screen (unless zoomed in, and have part of the page cut off).

To mitigate these issues you would ideally have to create a custom version for each one of the major publishing targets.

Oh, and the reason why most templates are limited to a portrait version: attempts to convert a full spread art directly to landscape generally just doesn't work out well at all. Ideally you will have to redesign every single spread for a 4x3 landscape version. Most publishers don't have the luxury of time (or money) for that extra effort.

In effect, prepare for a world of pain when dealing with FXL epub layouts and publishing those to the various platforms.

Honestly, it is probably not worth the effort or time in most cases. And FXL epub compatibility between platforms is absolutely terrible. That is why a lot of FXL epubs are simply a collection of static image-based pages nowadays. FXL epubs are, pretty much, containers for a slideshow of images.

Report · Mar 17, 2025

Echoing Bob's response... I think your understanding and chance of a successful outcome are very low, and expectations far too high.

I think you are greatly overthinking a process that has few good outcomes and absolutely no universal one. You may be equating EPUB with PDF in its overall simplicity and fixed, universal page format; EPUB, even the wonky fixed format, is simply not PDF.

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