TLDR
- If your MTG proxies look “off,” it’s usually scaling (printed at “fit to page”), paper type, or low-res source images.
- For home printing: print at Actual Size / 100%, use the right media type (matte photo paper settings for matte paper), and do a single test page before you commit.
- Our pro runs use HP Indigo (LEP digital offset) plus a UV coating for clean text, stable color, and better scuff resistance.
The problem this page solves
This page helps you get consistent results with MTG proxy print settings, whether you’re:
- ordering professional prints, or
- printing a deck at home without your printer deciding “close enough” is a scale setting.
Printers are like cats. If they sense confidence, they knock something off the table. So we’re going to remove the “mystery” variables.
Our pro print setup: HP Indigo + UV coating (what that actually means)
HP Indigo in plain English
HP Indigo presses use a liquid electrophotography (LEP) process with an offset-style transfer blanket. Translation: it’s built for sharp detail, smooth solids, and that “clean” commercial print look that holds up when you’re reading 6-point rules text mid-game.
If you’ve ever printed a proxy at home and the text looked slightly fuzzy, that’s the gap this kind of press is designed to close.
UV coating in plain English
A UV coating is a clear layer applied after printing and cured with UV light. It’s used to:
- add protection (scuffs, smudges, handling wear)
- change the surface feel and shine (glossy, soft-matte, or in-between depending on the coating)
Two practical tradeoffs:
- More shine can make colors “pop,” but it can also create glare under bright lights.
- Coatings add durability, but they can also make writing on the surface harder (not usually a big deal for sleeved cards).
If you play webcam games, finish choices matter. Glare ruins readability faster than a bad keep.
Good / Better / Best: pick your lane
Here’s the honest framework. No hype, just tradeoffs.
| Lane | What you do | Best for | What you give up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good (fastest) | Print on normal paper, sleeve over a bulk card | Quick playtesting | Feels “homebrew,” edges can look softer |
| Better (home quality) | Print on matte photo paper or premium matte, sleeve over a card | Regular casual play | More time, more ink, more fiddly settings |
| Best (pro consistency) | Pro print (HP Indigo) + UV coating | Crisp text, consistent finish | Costs more than a home sheet, but saves your time |
If you just want “clean in sleeves,” the Better lane is usually enough. If you want it to feel consistent across a whole cube or multiple decks, pro printing starts making more sense.
MTG proxy print settings: the one-page home printing cheat sheet
If you only read one section, read this.
1) Scaling: print at Actual Size (this is the #1 failure point)
In your print dialog, look for:
- Actual Size or 100%
- Turn OFF: Fit to page, Shrink to printable area, Scale to fit
Why: one tiny scaling change turns your cards into “almost Magic sized,” which is the most annoying size. It fits in sleeves, but it feels wrong forever.
Quick test: print one page and compare to a real card in a sleeve. If it’s off, it’s almost always scaling.
2) Use a PDF viewer, not a browser print button
Browsers love “helping.” Their help looks like surprise scaling and weird margins.
Download the PDF, open it in a real viewer (Adobe Reader is fine), and print from there.
3) Paper type setting matters more than people think
Your printer driver uses the paper setting to decide ink limits and how it lays dots down.
Match the setting to the paper:
- Matte photo paper → choose Matte Photo (or similar)
- Glossy photo paper → choose Glossy Photo
- Heavy cardstock → choose a cardstock / heavyweight option if your printer supports it
If you pick “Plain Paper” while printing on matte photo paper, you often get dull color and softer detail.
4) Quality: choose “High” or “Best”
This is where sharp text comes from on home printers.
- Set print quality to High, Best, or Photo
- If your driver has “fast” modes, don’t use them for proxies
- If there’s a “fine detail” option, turn it on and do a test page (it can slow printing a lot)
5) Borderless printing: use with caution
Borderless can trigger automatic scaling or cropping, depending on the printer.
If your goal is correct size, start with non-borderless and accept small margins. You can trim after.
6) Do one test page before you print 99 cards
I have printed an entire deck with the wrong scale before. The cards came out perfectly sized for a different universe. Print one page first.
Test page checklist:
- Card size looks right in a sleeve
- Mana symbols and rules text are readable at arm’s length
- Blacks look black (not gray)
- No weird banding in gradients
File quality basics (so your proxies don’t look blurry)
Resolution: you can’t “print sharp” from a soft image
For proxy images:
- 300 PPI can be fine for casual use
- 600 PPI often looks noticeably better for small text
- Beyond that, returns diminish fast unless your source is truly high-res
If the art you start with is low-res, no printer setting fixes it. That’s not a printer problem. That’s a “pixels are finite” problem.
Color: don’t chase perfect screen-to-print matching
Home printers vary wildly. Two people with the same model can get different results because of ink, paper, and driver settings.
If your prints look too dark:
- turn off “vivid” or “photo enhance” modes
- try a matte paper setting
- increase brightness slightly in the source only if you must
Bleed and safe area (if you’re cutting)
If you’re trimming:
- include a little extra image area beyond the trim (bleed)
- keep rules text and mana cost away from the edge (safe zone)
If you want the exact size guidance, see: MTG Proxy Card Size
Finish choices: matte vs gloss (and why SpellTable players care)
For in-person play, both can work. For webcam play, glare is brutal.
Rules of thumb:
- If you play under bright overhead lights: lean matte
- If you want higher contrast and “pop”: gloss can help, but you need lighting control
- If you notice your opponents squinting: your finish is winning the game, and not in a fun way
Tournament note (because somebody always asks)
Let’s keep it simple:
- Sanctioned events generally require authentic Magic cards
- “Proxies” in sanctioned play usually means judge-issued replacements for a card damaged during that event, not something you bring from home
For casual play, it’s a Rule 0 conversation. Be clear, be consistent, don’t be weird about it.
FAQs
What are the best MTG proxy print settings for home printing?
Start with: Actual Size / 100% scaling, print from a PDF viewer, pick the correct paper type, and use High/Best quality. Then test one page.
Why are my proxies printing the wrong size?
Nearly always Fit to page or another scaling option is on. Turn scaling off and print at Actual Size.
Should I print at 300 DPI or 600 DPI?
300 is often “fine.” 600 tends to improve small text and sharp edges. Past that, you mostly increase file size unless your source images are truly high resolution.
Does UV coating make cards more durable?
Yes, UV coatings are commonly used to add protection against scuffs and handling wear. The exact feel and shine depends on the coating used.