If you’ve ever had a print job come back blurry, pixelated, or with white edges where you expected colour to go edge to edge; the problem was almost always the file. Here’s how to get it right.
What DPI Means and Why It Matters
DPI stands for dots per inch — it’s how sharp your image is when printed. For most print jobs, you need a minimum of 300 DPI at the final print size. A file that looks sharp on screen is often only 72–96 DPI, which prints blurry. Always check the DPI of your file before sending it.
How to check in Photoshop: Image → Image Size → make sure Resolution shows 300 pixels/inch at your actual print dimensions.
Bleed and Crop Marks
Bleed is extra artwork that extends beyond the edge of your design — usually 3mm on all sides. It exists because printing machines can’t cut exactly to the edge every time. Without bleed, you’ll get white slivers along the edges of your final print.
Crop marks are thin lines in the corners of your file that show the printer where to cut. Most professional print files include both bleed and crop marks.
In Adobe Illustrator or InDesign: set your document size to your final dimensions, then go to File → Document Setup and add 3mm bleed on all sides.
File Formats — Which One to Send
PDF is the best format for almost everything. Export as PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 for the most reliable results. These are print-standard PDFs that embed all fonts and convert colours correctly.
AI and EPS files work well if we’re both using Adobe software. PNG and JPG are accepted but only if the resolution is high enough — 300 DPI at print size.
Never send a Word document, screenshot, or file exported from Canva at screen resolution. These will not print cleanly.
CMYK vs RGB
Screens display colour in RGB (Red, Green, Blue). Printers use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). If you design in RGB and send an RGB file, the colours will shift when converted. Reds often go orange. Bright blues go dull.
Design in CMYK from the start if you know the file is going to print. In Photoshop: Image → Mode → CMYK. In Illustrator: File → Document Color Mode → CMYK.
If you’re not sure, we run a free pre-flight check on every file before printing. If something’s wrong, we’ll tell you before anything goes to press.
Quick Checklist Before You Send
- Resolution is 300 DPI at the final print size
- Document includes 3mm bleed on all sides
- Crop marks are included
- Colour mode is CMYK
- File format is PDF, AI, EPS, or high-res PNG/JPG
- All fonts are embedded or converted to outlines
Ready to print? Upload your file and we’ll check it for free.