Accepted File Formats for Printing

To get the best possible print result, please supply your artwork as a print-ready PDF. This gives accurate colours, sharp images, and clean trimming.

If you are unsure whether your file is ready, no stress. We explain everything below.

Print-Ready PDF

Best option for professional printing.

Your PDF should be:

Set to the final trim size
In CMYK colour mode
Include 3 mm bleed on all sides
Exported at high resolution
Saved with the FOGRA39 colour profile

This format gives us exactly what we need to print your job correctly and efficiently.

What Makes a File print-ready?

Image resolution

All images should be 300 dpi at their final printed size
Low-resolution images can appear blurry or pixelated in print

Fonts

Embed all fonts or convert them to outlines
This prevents text from changing or disappearing during printing
Avoid trial or demo fonts

Colour Mode

Supply files in CMYK, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
RGB, used for screens, may print dull or inaccurate

Other Accepted Professional Design Formats

If you do not have a print-ready PDF, we also accept:

Illustrator

Embed images at high resolution
Outline fonts, or supply the original fonts

Photoshop

Flatten files and save at the highest quality
If sending a layered PSD, outline fonts or include them

Indesign

Package the file, File → Package
Include the INDD file, all fonts, and all linked images

Using Online Design Tools

Some online tools can create print-ready PDFs when set up correctly, for example:

Canva
Adobe Express

Please ensure:

CMYK colour mode, where available
Correct size and 3 mm bleed
High-resolution export

Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

These programs are not suitable for professional print artwork. They typically do not support:

CMYK colour profiles
Proper bleed
Reliable high-resolution output

They may be acceptable for very simple black-and-white documents. For most printed products, we strongly recommend a PDF created in a design tool. The same guidance applies to Microsoft Publisher, Apple Pages, and Numbers.

Quick checklist before you upload

File is a PDF
Colours are CMYK
Images are 300 dpi
3 mm bleed included
Fonts embedded or outlined

If you are unsure about any of the above, upload your file anyway. We will be happy to advise.

Need help with your artwork?

If your file is not print-ready, we can help.

We can check your file before printing
We can recreate or fix your artwork
We can supply print-ready files for future use

View our Design Services