Products
4 min to readLast update on 14 September 2026

How to Set Up Print and Mark Area?

In Custy, each product side has a Print Area (where shoppers may place designs) and optional Mark Areas (guides that help shoppers see the space without changing what gets printed).

Upload a product photo first, then set these boxes in Advanced Settings. Changing them does not delete your Shopify products.

Print Area vs Mark Areas

Custy uses two related tools on each side. They look similar on the canvas, but they do different jobs.

  1. 1Print Area: the fixed printable window. Shoppers can only place text and pictures inside this box. Printing follows this boundary.
  2. 2Mark Areas: optional indication shapes (rectangle or circle) that guide placement in the Design Lab. They do not replace the print area for production.

Step 1: Open Advanced Settings

In Custy, open the product with Edit (or Make it customizable first). Scroll to Design Tool Setup, then click Advanced Settings on the side you want (Front, Back, and so on).

Need a photo first?

If Advanced Settings says there is no image, open Upload Images & Styles, upload Default (Grayscale) or a per-color photo, then come back to Print Area.

Design Tool Setup with Advanced Settings on a product sideFull size
Open Advanced Settings on the side you are setting up.
  1. 1

    Add Side

    Add every printable face first if you need more than one.

  2. 2

    Side list

    Rename, reorder, or delete sides. The preview shows the print box.

  3. 3

    Advanced Settings

    Opens the modal where Print Area and Mark Areas live.

Step 2: Go to Print Area

In Advanced Settings, click the Print Area tab (next to Upload Images & Styles and Mark Areas).

Step 3: Place and size the Print Area

You will see a dashed box on the product photo. That box is the printable window.

  • Choose Unit: INCH or CM (use the units you measure for print).
  • Set Actual Width and Height to the real printable size.
  • Drag the dashed box (or adjust Left and Top) until it sits on the printable part of the garment.
  • Resize with the corner handles until the box matches where you can print.

Why this matters

Shoppers can only place designs inside the Print Area you set. Match it to how you really print so artwork does not shift or get cut off.

Advanced Settings Print Area tab with dashed box and dimensionsFull size
Drag the Print Area box, set Actual Width and Height, then click Update.
  1. 1

    Side tabs

    Switch between Front, Back, and other sides you added.

  2. 2

    Upload Images & Styles

    Upload the product photo shoppers see while designing.

  3. 3

    Print Area

    Drag and resize the dashed box over the printable surface.

  4. 4

    Unit (INCH / CM)

    Use the same units you use when you measure for print.

  5. 5

    Actual Width / Height

    Real print size for the output file. Left and Top help fine-tune placement.

  6. 6

    Mark Areas

    Optional guides inside the print area. Printing still follows the print area.

  7. 7

    Update

    Save these Advanced Settings for this side.

Step 4: Save your changes

Click Update at the bottom of Advanced Settings. Repeat for every side that accepts artwork. Then click Save on Customize Product.

2. Mark Areas (indication guides)

Mark Areas help shoppers understand how much space is available for text and graphics. For example, on a t-shirt, mug, or bag, you can mark where a logo should sit. Guides show in the Design Lab. Production still follows the Print Area.

Step 5: Add Mark Areas (optional)

Still in Advanced Settings, open the Mark Areas tab. You can skip this step if you do not need guides.

  • Under ADD MARKING, click Add Rectangle or Add Circle/Ellipse.
  • Drag the shape to move it. Drag the corners to resize.
  • Use the red X on a shape to remove it.
  • Click Update when the guides look right.
Mark Areas tab with Add Rectangle and Add Circle EllipseFull size
Optional Mark Areas help show where to place artwork in the Design Lab.
  1. 1

    Mark area on the photo

    The dashed shape shoppers will see as a placement guide.

  2. 2

    Add Rectangle

    Add a square or rectangle guide.

  3. 3

    Add Circle/Ellipse

    Add a round guide.

  4. 4

    Resize handles

    Drag corners to move and resize the guide.

What to do next

Finish every side the same way. Set Active on designer to Yes and click Save. Then open the Design Lab and confirm designs stay inside the print box.