How to Prepare Files for Printing (Even If You're Not a Designer)

You don't need to be a designer to send print-ready files. But there are a few basics that will save you time, money, and the disappointment of a fuzzy logo on an otherwise nice product.

Resolution: Why Your Logo Looks Blurry

The most common file problem is resolution. Images have a fixed number of pixels. When you stretch a small image to fit a large print, those pixels get spread out and the result is blurry, soft, or pixelated.

For print, you need 300 DPI (dots per inch) at the size the image will be printed. A logo that looks fine on a business card might be too low-resolution for a banner. A photo that works on Instagram (72 DPI) will look terrible printed at A3.

The fix: always use the largest, highest-quality version of your files. If you had a logo designed professionally, ask for the original vector files (AI, EPS, SVG, or PDF). These scale to any size without losing quality.

Vector vs Raster: Know the Difference

Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF) are made of mathematical paths. They scale infinitely - from a sticker to a building wrap - without any loss of quality. These are ideal for logos, icons, and text-based designs.

Raster files (JPEG, PNG, TIFF) are made of pixels. They have a fixed resolution. Good for photos and complex images, but they can't be enlarged beyond their pixel count without quality loss.

For most print jobs, send vector files for your logo and high-resolution raster files for photos. If you only have a small JPEG of your logo, let your printer know - they may be able to recreate it as a vector, or advise on how large it can be printed before quality drops.

Bleed: Why Your Design Needs Extra Space

Bleed is the extra area (usually 3mm) around the edge of your design that gets trimmed off. It ensures that colours and images go right to the edge of the final product without a white border.

If your design has a coloured background, a photo that extends to the edge, or any element that touches the trim line, it needs bleed. Most design software can add this automatically. In Canva, use the "Print" preset and enable bleed in export settings.

Colour Mode: RGB vs CMYK

Screens display colour in RGB (red, green, blue light). Printers use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black ink). Some colours - especially bright neons, electric blues, and vivid greens - look different when converted from RGB to CMYK.

If colour accuracy matters, design in CMYK from the start, or ask your printer to send a proof so you can see how the colours translate before the full run.

What Format to Send

In order of preference: PDF (press-quality), AI or EPS (for logos), PNG (for images with transparency), TIFF (for high-quality photos), JPEG (acceptable for photos if high-resolution). Avoid sending Word documents, PowerPoint files, or Canva links as final artwork - export to PDF first.

When in Doubt, Just Send What You Have

Don't let file prep anxiety stop you from getting started. Send your files as they are and we'll tell you if anything needs adjusting. That conversation takes five minutes and it's part of the job. We'd rather check your files upfront than reprint something that could have been caught at the proof stage.

Upload your files and we'll take it from there.