diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 70ab43b3..031a4631 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@
   `foot` and `footclient`), allowing you to set a custom toplevel
   tag. The compositor must implement the new `xdg-toplevel-tag-v1`
   Wayland protocol ([#2212][2212]).
+* `pad` option now supports 4-directional padding format:
+  `RIGHTxTOPxLEFTxBOTTOM` (e.g., `20x10x20x10`).
 
 [2212]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/2212
 
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 515b088c..b6335c4e 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -943,13 +943,12 @@ parse_section_main(struct context *ctx)
     }
 
     else if (streq(key, "pad")) {
-        unsigned x, y;
+        unsigned x, y, t, r, b, l;
         char mode[64] = {0};
-        int ret = sscanf(value, "%ux%u %63s", &x, &y, mode);
-
+        int ret = sscanf(value, "%ux%ux%ux%u %63s", &r, &t, &l, &b, mode);
         enum center_when center = CENTER_NEVER;
 
-        if (ret == 3) {
+        if (ret == 5) {
             if (strcasecmp(mode, "center") == 0)
                 center = CENTER_ALWAYS;
             else if (strcasecmp(mode, "center-when-fullscreen") == 0)
@@ -958,20 +957,38 @@ parse_section_main(struct context *ctx)
                 center = CENTER_MAXIMIZED_AND_FULLSCREEN;
             else
                 center = CENTER_INVALID;
+        } else if (ret < 4) {
+            ret = sscanf(value, "%ux%u %63s", &x, &y, mode);
+            if (ret >= 2) {
+                t = b = y;
+                l = r = x;
+                if (ret == 3) {
+                    if (strcasecmp(mode, "center") == 0)
+                        center = CENTER_ALWAYS;
+                    else if (strcasecmp(mode, "center-when-fullscreen") == 0)
+                        center = CENTER_FULLSCREEN;
+                    else if (strcasecmp(mode, "center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen") == 0)
+                        center = CENTER_MAXIMIZED_AND_FULLSCREEN;
+                    else
+                        center = CENTER_INVALID;
+                }
+            }
         }
 
-        if ((ret != 2 && ret != 3) || center == CENTER_INVALID) {
+        if ((ret < 2 || ret > 5) || center == CENTER_INVALID) {
             LOG_CONTEXTUAL_ERR(
-                "invalid padding (must be in the form PAD_XxPAD_Y "
+                "invalid padding (must be in the form RIGHTxTOPxLEFTxBOTTOM or XxY "
                 "[center|"
                 "center-when-fullscreen|"
                 "center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen])");
             return false;
         }
 
-        conf->pad_x = x;
-        conf->pad_y = y;
-        conf->center_when = ret == 2 ? CENTER_NEVER : center;
+        conf->pad_top    = t;
+        conf->pad_right  = r;
+        conf->pad_bottom = b;
+        conf->pad_left   = l;
+        conf->center_when = (ret == 4 || ret == 2) ? CENTER_NEVER : center;
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -3381,8 +3398,10 @@ config_load(struct config *conf, const char *conf_path,
             .width = 700,
             .height = 500,
         },
-        .pad_x = 0,
-        .pad_y = 0,
+        .pad_top = 0,
+        .pad_right = 0,
+        .pad_bottom = 0,
+        .pad_left = 0,
         .center_when = CENTER_MAXIMIZED_AND_FULLSCREEN,
         .resize_by_cells = true,
         .resize_keep_grid = true,
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index fc5e290e..d5d870da 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -230,8 +230,10 @@ struct config {
         uint32_t height;
     } size;
 
-    unsigned pad_x;
-    unsigned pad_y;
+    unsigned pad_top;
+    unsigned pad_right;
+    unsigned pad_bottom;
+    unsigned pad_left;
     enum center_when center_when;
 
     bool resize_by_cells;
diff --git a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
index c9782895..54c6402f 100644
--- a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
+++ b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
@@ -301,9 +301,20 @@ empty string to be set, but it must be quoted: *KEY=""*)
 	```
 	_XxY_ [center | center-when-fullscreen | center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen]
 	```
+	or
+	```
+	RIGHTxTOPxLEFTxBOTTOM [center | center-when-fullscreen | center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen]
+	```
 	
-	This will add _at least_ X pixels on both the left and right
-	sides, and Y pixels on the top and bottom sides.
+	- `_XxY_` adds _at least_:
+	  - X pixels on the left and right sides.
+	  - Y pixels on the top and bottom sides.
+
+	- `RIGHTxTOPxLEFTxBOTTOM` adds **at least**:  
+	  - TOP pixels to the top  
+	  - BOTTOM pixels to the bottom  
+	  - LEFT pixels to the left  
+	  - RIGHT pixels to the right
 	
 	When no centering is specified, the grid content is anchored to
 	the top left corner. I.e. if the window manager forces an odd
diff --git a/foot.ini b/foot.ini
index 2d170489..4bd6fb9e 100644
--- a/foot.ini
+++ b/foot.ini
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 # initial-window-size-chars=<COLSxROWS>
 # initial-window-mode=windowed
 # pad=0x0 center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen
+# pad=0x0x0x0 center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen
 # resize-by-cells=yes
 # resize-keep-grid=yes
 # resize-delay-ms=100
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 1d0f08af..75fb35e0 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -4507,8 +4507,8 @@ set_size_from_grid(struct terminal *term, int *width, int *height, int cols, int
     new_height = rows * term->cell_height;
 
     /* Include any configured padding */
-    new_width += 2 * term->conf->pad_x * term->scale;
-    new_height += 2 * term->conf->pad_y * term->scale;
+    new_width  += (term->conf->pad_left + term->conf->pad_right) * term->scale;
+    new_height += (term->conf->pad_top + term->conf->pad_bottom) * term->scale;
 
     /* Round to multiples of scale */
     new_width = round(term->scale * round(new_width / term->scale));
@@ -4616,18 +4616,22 @@ render_resize(struct terminal *term, int width, int height, uint8_t opts)
     /* Padding */
     const int max_pad_x = (width - min_width) / 2;
     const int max_pad_y = (height - min_height) / 2;
-    const int pad_x = min(max_pad_x, scale * term->conf->pad_x);
-    const int pad_y = min(max_pad_y, scale * term->conf->pad_y);
+    const int pad_left  = min(max_pad_x, scale * term->conf->pad_left);
+    const int pad_right = min(max_pad_x, scale * term->conf->pad_right);
+    const int pad_top   = min(max_pad_y, scale * term->conf->pad_top);
+    const int pad_bottom= min(max_pad_y, scale * term->conf->pad_bottom);
 
     if (is_floating &&
         (opts & RESIZE_BY_CELLS) &&
         term->conf->resize_by_cells)
     {
         /* If resizing in cell increments, restrict the width and height */
-        width = ((width - 2 * pad_x) / term->cell_width) * term->cell_width + 2 * pad_x;
+        width = ((width - (pad_left + pad_right)) / term->cell_width)
+                * term->cell_width + (pad_left + pad_right);
         width = max(min_width, roundf(scale * roundf(width / scale)));
 
-        height = ((height - 2 * pad_y) / term->cell_height) * term->cell_height + 2 * pad_y;
+        height = ((height - (pad_top + pad_bottom)) / term->cell_height)
+                 * term->cell_height + (pad_top + pad_bottom);
         height = max(min_height, roundf(scale * roundf(height / scale)));
     }
 
@@ -4654,8 +4658,10 @@ render_resize(struct terminal *term, int width, int height, uint8_t opts)
     int old_rows = term->rows;
 
     /* Screen rows/cols after resize */
-    const int new_cols = (term->width - 2 * pad_x) / term->cell_width;
-    const int new_rows = (term->height - 2 * pad_y) / term->cell_height;
+    const int new_cols =
+        (term->width - (pad_left + pad_right)) / term->cell_width;
+    const int new_rows =
+        (term->height - (pad_top + pad_bottom)) / term->cell_height;
 
     /*
      * Requirements for scrollback:
@@ -4708,16 +4714,16 @@ render_resize(struct terminal *term, int width, int height, uint8_t opts)
         term->margins.left = total_x_pad / 2;
         term->margins.top = total_y_pad / 2;
     } else {
-        term->margins.left = pad_x;
-        term->margins.top = pad_y;
+        term->margins.left = pad_left;
+        term->margins.top = pad_top;
     }
     term->margins.right = total_x_pad - term->margins.left;
     term->margins.bottom = total_y_pad - term->margins.top;
 
-    xassert(term->margins.left >= pad_x);
-    xassert(term->margins.right >= pad_x);
-    xassert(term->margins.top >= pad_y);
-    xassert(term->margins.bottom >= pad_y);
+    xassert(term->margins.left >= pad_left);
+    xassert(term->margins.right >= pad_right);
+    xassert(term->margins.top >= pad_top);
+    xassert(term->margins.bottom >= pad_bottom);
 
     if (new_cols == old_cols && new_rows == old_rows) {
         LOG_DBG("grid layout unaffected; skipping reflow");