Skip to content
Size comparison

B5 vs B6

B5 is the larger of the two at the same 1 : √2 shape, one halving apart, so one scales onto the other with nothing cropped: 141% up, 71% down.

51 mm74 mmB6B5
B6 (125 × 176 mm) and B5 (176 × 250 mm) at the same scale, corners aligned. The shaded band is what B5 adds.

Compare a Different Pair

Compare
vs
With

B5 and B6, Side by Side

B5B6Difference
Millimetres176 × 250125 × 17651 × 74 mm
Inches6.93 × 9.844.92 × 6.932.01 × 2.91 in
Centimetres17.6 × 25.012.5 × 17.6
Area0.044 m², 44,000 mm²0.022 m², 22,000 mm²
Aspect ratio1 : 1.420 (√2)1 : 1.408 (√2)same

What Is Lost Printing One on the Other

At 100% scale, both centred, nothing resized. A positive figure on the wider or taller side is cropped; on the other it is a blank margin.

AxisGapB5 onto B6B6 onto B5
Width25.5 mm (1 in) each sideB5 loses itblank band
Height37 mm (1.46 in) each endB5 loses itblank band

Scale-to-Fit Percentages

The figure to type into a printer or PDF dialog to scale one to fit inside the other:

B6 to fit B5141%fills the sheet, nothing cropped
B5 to fit B671%fills the sheet, nothing cropped

Both are one halving apart on the 1 : √2 series, so these are the copier presets and nothing is distorted or lost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is B5 bigger than B6?

B5 is bigger. It is 176 × 250 mm against 125 × 176 mm for B6, about 2 times the area.

What is the difference between B5 and B6?

B5 is the larger of the two at the same 1 : √2 shape, one halving apart, so one scales onto the other with nothing cropped: 141% up, 71% down.

Can you print B6 on B5?

Yes, cleanly. Set the printer to scale B6 to 141% and it fills B5 edge to edge with nothing lost.

Dimensions per the standards on the B5 and B6 pages. Differences and scale factors computed. Reviewed . Editorial Process →