Exporting a cover

There are two things called a cover, and they are different files.

The print wrap

Produced through the release board, as part of a release bundle.

It is rendered at the exact wrap dimensions, with fonts embedded, at your platform's spine and bleed.

The board is the only route, deliberately. The studio used to have a "download this wrap" button, and it was removed: it produced a cover without any of the checks that make a cover correct — a measured interior, an established spine, a sign-off that is not stale. A proof that can silently disagree with the real interior is worse than no proof.

The eBook cover

A flat JPEG of the front panel, at the store's own dimensions. Chosen in the export wizard's review step:

The front panel is recomposed onto the target canvas and letterboxed with your wrap background where the aspect ratios differ, so nothing is stretched.

The eBook cover is not embedded in your EPUB. Stores take it as a separate upload, which is why it is offered as its own file.

Filenames

Exports are named from your book and suffixed with the platform, so a folder of files from several targets stays legible:

nineteen-rings-cover-wrap-lulu.pdf
nineteen-rings-cover-nook.jpg

What to watch for

• A cover wrap is specific to one platform and one page count. The file you downloaded last week is wrong if you have edited since.
• Exports cost no credits, on any plan, but they are rate limited — they launch a real browser server-side. The bundle exists partly so several targets cost one request rather than several.
• A free (unsubscribed) account gets no cover file. Not a watermarked one — see Exports.