About square graph paper
Square graph paper handles most everyday work. Evenly spaced horizontal and vertical lines give you something to plot on, measure against and write straight along. Set the exact spacing and a 5 mm grid really does print at 5 mm. You can add a heavier line every few squares and change the line color.
The most common metric spacings are 5 mm for everyday work and 10 mm for coarser sketches; in imperial, quarter-inch (four squares to the inch) is the classic engineering choice. Because the grid is drawn in real units, whatever you set is exactly what prints, so a drawing scaled at 1:100 stays accurate off the page.
Add a heavier accent line every five or ten squares when you are working to scale or reading measurements — the bold lines act like a ruler and make squares easy to count at a glance. Lightening the line color to a pale gray keeps the grid from competing with pencil or ink laid on top.
Great for
- Maths homework and graphing
- Scale drawings and floor plans
- Engineering and design sketches
- Neat notes and lists
Common questions
What size squares should I use?
5 mm suits most maths and note-taking, 10 mm is good for larger diagrams, and quarter-inch is the usual imperial choice. Set any value you like in millimeters or inches.
Can I make the grid a lighter color?
Yes. Change the line color to a pale gray before you download so your own pencil or pen work stands out clearly over the grid.
Guides for this paper
- How to print graph paper at the exact size
- Graph paper grid sizes explained
- Dot grid paper and bullet journaling
- The Cornell note-taking system, explained
Printing at the right size
Every sheet is drawn in real units, so it prints true to size as long as you print at 100%. In the print dialog, set the scale to 100% and turn off “Fit to page” or “Shrink oversized pages” — then a 5 mm square really measures 5 mm. Download a vector SVG to edit later, a PNG at up to 600 dpi, or a ready-to-print PDF. Everything is generated in your browser, nothing is uploaded, and every sheet is free to print for personal, classroom and commercial use. See the guide to printing at true size or the FAQ for more.