12 Common Reasons KDP Rejects Your Book (And How to Fix Them)

Nothing is more frustrating than uploading your book, waiting 72 hours, and getting a rejection email. Here are the 12 most common reasons KDP rejects books—and how to fix each one.

Cover Issues

1. "Cover image too low resolution" - Minimum 300 DPI. For 6×9, that's 1800×2700 pixels minimum.
2. "Spine text too close to edge" - Keep 0.0625" padding from spine edges.
3. "Barcode area not clear" - Bottom-right of back cover must be empty for Amazon's barcode.

Content Issues

4. "Content doesn't match the description" - Your blurb promises something the book doesn't deliver.
5. "Quality issues found" - Typos, formatting errors, blank pages in the wrong places.
6. "Forbidden links in manuscript" - Links to competitor stores or affiliate links.

Metadata Issues

7. "Misleading title or subtitle" - Words like "Bestseller" or "Free" aren't allowed.
8. "Trademark concerns" - Using protected terms in your title.
9. "Keywords stuffing" - Using unrelated keywords to game search.

Technical Issues

10. "File format not supported" - Interior must be PDF for print, EPUB/MOBI for ebook.
11. "Page count mismatch" - Cover spine width doesn't match page count.
12. "Bleed issues" - Images touch edges but no bleed was added.