File Guidelines

Submit your files as PDF for the most reliable results. We also accept AI, EPS, PSD, TIFF, and high-resolution JPG or PNG. Use PDF/X-1a if your design software supports it — this format eliminates the most common compatibility issues.

Do not submit Word, PowerPoint, or Publisher files. These are not print production formats and will cause color and layout problems. If your design is in one of these programs, export it as a high-resolution PDF first. Our free Design Templates page has pre-built PDF templates for every product we sell.

Every image in your design needs to be 300 DPI at the final print size. No exceptions. Images pulled from websites, social media, or email are typically 72 DPI and will print blurry — even if they look fine on your screen.

Use the original, full-resolution source files for all photographs and graphics. If you are using stock photos, download the highest resolution version available. Low-resolution files are the number one cause of reprints and delays, and they cost you time.

If any part of your design — a background color, a photo, a graphic — touches the edge of the final piece, extend it 0.125 inches beyond the trim line on all four sides. This is called bleed, and it prevents white strips from appearing along the edges when the paper is cut.

If your design has a white background and no elements touching the edges, bleed is not necessary but still recommended. Adding it takes 30 seconds and eliminates any risk of trim variation showing as uneven borders.

Keep all important content — text, logos, phone numbers, URLs — at least 0.125 inches inside the trim line. This is the safety zone. Commercial cutting has small mechanical tolerances, and anything placed right at the edge of the piece risks being trimmed off or appearing uneven.

The safety zone applies to all sides of your piece, including the top and bottom. This is especially important for business cards and postcards where people tend to place text close to the edges.

Design in CMYK color mode, not RGB. Your computer screen displays RGB, but our presses use CMYK inks. If you submit an RGB file, we convert it automatically — but the conversion can shift colors. Blues may look duller, greens may shift toward yellow, and bright reds can lose intensity.

The fix is simple: set your design software to CMYK mode before you start designing. Use the US Web Coated (SWOP) v2 color profile for the most accurate screen-to-print match.

For large black areas, use rich black (C:60 M:40 Y:40 K:100) instead of plain K:100. For body text, use K:100 only — rich black on small text can cause fuzzy edges from ink spread.

Embed all fonts in your PDF file or convert text to outlines before saving. If a font is missing from your file, our system substitutes a default font, which will break your layout.

Minimum font sizes: 6pt for dark text on a light background, 8pt for light text on a dark background. Smaller text may not reproduce cleanly in offset printing, especially on serif fonts with thin strokes.

Run through this list before uploading. File is PDF, AI, EPS, PSD, or TIFF. CMYK color mode. 300 DPI minimum on all images. 0.125-inch bleed on all sides. Text and logos inside the safety zone. All fonts embedded or outlined. Total ink coverage under 300 percent.

Check all the boxes and your file will sail through prepress. Skip one and you may hear from our team asking for corrections — which costs you time, not money. Our file review is always free.