File preparation guide

Get it right the first time

Six rules cover almost every file problem we see. Follow them and your job will move straight to the press.

Resolution & DPI

Bitmap images need to be sharp at the final print size. Aim for 300 DPI on small-format work (cards, flyers, brochures) and 150 DPI on large-format (banners over 4 feet can be 100 DPI). A 200 px image from a website is almost always too low.

Export at your final size × 300 px/in.

Don't scale a 72 DPI screenshot up to print size.

Color space: CMYK

Set your document to CMYK before exporting. RGB looks great on screen but shifts on press — bright blues go purple, vivid reds go muddy. Embed your color profile (GRACoL or FOGRA are common).

Convert to CMYK and embed the profile.

Don't send RGB and hope it matches your screen.

Bleed

Bleed is the artwork that extends past the trim line so a slight cutting variance doesn't leave a white edge. Use 0.125" bleed on small format, 0.25" on large format.

Run background color and images to the bleed edge.

Don't stop the background at the trim line.

Safety margin

Keep critical text and logos at least 0.125" (0.25" on banners) inside the trim. Anything closer to the edge risks being clipped by normal cutting tolerance.

Keep text 0.125" or more from the trim.

Don't crowd the trim with important text.

Fonts

Embed all fonts in your PDF, or convert text to outlines before exporting. If a font is missing on our end, your text can render wrong or substitute unexpectedly.

Embed fonts or outline them.

Don't rely on linked fonts.

Common dealbreakers

Password-protected PDFs, missing linked images, spot colors you didn't order, and 72 DPI web images are the most common prepress blockers. You'll see these flagged in our uploader.

Send a PDF/X-1a if your app supports it.

Don't submit a packet of source files — export first.

Bleed, trim, and safe zone — at a glance

Here's what those three lines mean on a standard business card.

SAFE MARGIN (0.125")

TRIM LINE

BLEED (0.125")

Ready to print something you're proud of?

Upload your artwork and we'll check it free for print-readiness before it ever touches a press.

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