Obituary Sizes

Jun 19, 2024

Obituaries are essential for detailing the burial or cremation services and program of a dead loved one, may it be a family member or a close friend. But with the wide range of available sizes, it’s equally important to choose the right obituary size.

Obituary Sizes Standard

8.5 × 11 Inches

The standard size of 8.5 × 11 inches is widely accepted for both print and digital obituaries. This should afford enough space for a full headshot or portrait photo of the deceased as well as information on the memorial service.

A4

The standard A4 size is also common for obituaries. Slightly similar to an 8.5 × 11-inch obituary, it’s another popular option.

5 x 7 Inches

If A4 or US letter size is too big a size for your obituary, you can opt for a standard size that’s smaller. The common size is 5 × 7 inches, but the height or width can go up to 8 inches.

Facebook Post

Countless people go to social media to properly remember the memories of loved ones who passed away. For a high-quality post on Facebook, the standard size is 1200 × 630 pixels.

Instagram Post

You can opt for a landscape or portrait orientation for your digital obituary. For Instagram posts, 1080 × 1080 pixel size should yield a high-quality image.

Obituary Size for Instagram

Obituary Sizes for Print

Booklet

Obituaries can come in different versions aside from a traditional newspaper advertisement. A printed booklet obituary can be printed in 8.5 × 11 inches, 8.5 × 14 inches, or 11 × 17 inches.

Graduated Booklet

Another version of a booklet is a graduated booklet with more pronounced divisions. And just like a regular booklet, the same letter, legal, and tabloid sizes apply for a graduated booklet obituary or funeral program.

Trifold

A trifold obituary can either come in legal or tabloid size. The standard size for the latter is 11 × 17 inches, while a legal trifold brochure size is 8.5 × 14 inches. A trifold obituary or funeral program brochure can have at most 6 pages.

Obituary Sizes for Print

Obituary Sizes for Newspaper

Full-Page Ad

Families who are willing to spend money on full-page obituaries have more space and freedom that can include as much as 1,600 words, plus a photo of the deceased. The standard size for a full-page advertisement is normally 10 × 16 inches.

Half-Page Ad

Another practical size for a newspaper obituary ad is 10 × 8 inches. A half-page advertisement is sufficient enough to contain a portrait photo and a few words for remembering the deceased person.

One-Fourth-Page Ad

A more economical option is a one-fourth newspaper obituary. The standard size for this type of ad can range from 5 × 8 inches to 5.5 × 8.5 inches.

One-Eighth-Page Ad

The smallest size for a newspaper obituary is 4 × 5 inches for landscape orientation. Alternatively, portrait orientation is usually 2 × 8 inches in size. Both can still contain a photo and more or less 100 words, although it will obviously be scaled down for it to fit all the contents.

Obituary Sizes for Newspaper

Obituary Sizes for Business

It’s common for companies and businesses to put out email blasts when there is a recent death of a member of the organization. But if you want to have it printed, the common size for an obituary when folded is 5 × 7 inches. This means that when it’s unfolded, the size of a bifold obituary or funeral program is a typical letter size of 8.5 × 11 inches. This allows you to accommodate images on both interior and exterior sides of the booklet or brochure.

Obituary Sizes for Business

Obituary Sizes for Adobe Photoshop

When using Adobe Photoshop, you can customize your obituary using either a landscape or portrait orientation. A standard size of 8 × 10 inches or 8.5 × 11 inches will do. Note that you can adjust the size accordingly in order to accommodate the number of words in your obituary. To achieve better quality, it’s recommended to set the resolution anywhere between 150 to 300 pixels per inch.

Obituary Sizes for Adobe Illustrator

You can easily use A4 or US Letter size for an obituary if you’re using Adobe Illustrator. If you opt to create a bifold brochure for a funeral program or memorial service, either size will allow you to create two pages.

Obituary Sizes for Adobe Illustrator

FAQs

Is there a size limit for the body of an obituary?

Yes, but it would largely depend on the obituary size you choose.

How long should an obituary be?

Usually, anywhere from 50 to 200 words is accepted. But longer and full-page obituaries can have as many as 450 words.

What are the aspects of a good obituary?

A good obituary clearly states the name of the deceased, their exact birth date, and their date of death.

How many words should an obituary be?

Usually, 200 words or less should do.

Is there always an obituary when someone dies?

No, it is the decision of the family whether to have an obituary published or not.

How to resize and crop obituary pictures?

Click on the image to crop and use the crop tool in your chosen application then adjust the size according to your preference.

What are premature obituaries?

A premature obituary is an obituary that has already been published while the person is still alive or living.

What do you write in an obituary notice?

The complete name of the deceased, date of birth, and date of death should be included in a funeral or obituary notice.

Are there alternatives for obituaries?

If you don’t want to spend money on traditional newspaper obituaries, you can always utilize social media to inform people of the death of a loved one by posting personal tributes and eulogies.

Why do obituaries say, ‘survived by’?

It means the deceased individual’s family members who are still alive. Explore additional obituary templates on our website, template.net, to find a variety of options that suit your needs.