Best paper for phone case inserts
For most people the best paper is photo paper for photos and bright designs, and plain 80 to 100 gsm paper for everything else. Thin card up to about 160 gsm feels sturdier but is the limit: thick card makes the case hard to close and can bend the insert.
Quick comparison
| Paper | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Plain printer paper, 80 to 100 gsm | Testing a fit, patterns, coloring pages, anything you will change often | Colours look flatter; thin paper shows the phone’s edges and can wrinkle |
| Glossy photo paper | Photos and bright designs (Y2K, galaxy, sunsets) | Fingerprints; ink can stay tacky for a minute, so let it dry before you slide it in |
| Matte photo paper | Soft designs (cottagecore, coquette, minimal), photos you do not want to reflect light | Slightly less vivid than glossy |
| Thin card, up to about 160 gsm | A sturdier insert that does not bend; coloring pages coloured with markers | Does not feed through every printer; too thick for tight cases |
The weights above are rules of thumb, not lab tests. Cases differ in how much room they leave behind the phone, so test one sheet first.
Choosing by what you are making
- A family photo or pet photo: glossy or matte photo paper, with your printer’s photo quality setting. Make a photo insert.
- A pattern or aesthetic design: matte for soft styles, glossy for loud ones. See all designs.
- A coloring page: plain paper if you colour with pencils or crayons; heavier paper if you use markers, because ink can bleed through thin sheets. Coloring pages.
- A first try: plain paper. It costs almost nothing and shows you the fit before you use good paper.
Inkjet or laser?
Both work. Inkjet on photo paper gives the most vivid colour. Laser on plain paper is sharp and does not smudge, but the colours are flatter. If you only have a laser printer, matte designs look best.
Does the paper affect fit?
A little. Thick paper pushes against the phone and can make the case bulge or the insert bow in the middle. If that happens, move down a paper weight, or print with Fit: 1 mm smaller. Make sure the print is at true size first: how to print at 100%.
Do colours fade?
Strong sunlight can fade printed colours over time, and dye-based inks fade faster than pigment-based inks. A phone in a pocket is rarely a problem; a phone left on a sunny dashboard is. If an insert fades, print a new one: it is free to remake.
Questions
Can I print on sticker paper?
You can, but a sticker stuck to the back of the phone is not a swappable insert. Print on normal paper and keep it loose behind the case, so you can change it any time.
Will paper block wireless charging?
One sheet of normal paper does not. Foil, metallic paper and very thick card can, so avoid them.
How do I stop an insert curling?
Let a freshly printed sheet dry flat, then cut it. Photo paper curls less than thin plain paper, and a sheet heavier than about 100 gsm holds its shape better.
Next steps
Pick a design in the insert maker, check how to make a phone case insert, and see what else to put in a clear case.