Quick Answer: A print-ready artwork file is set to the correct trim size with 3mm bleed, keeps text and logos inside a safe margin, uses CMYK colour rather than RGB, includes images at a high enough resolution, and has all fonts embedded or outlined. Exported as a PDF with these elements in place, a file should go to print without needing to be sent back for changes.
Why Print-Ready Files Matter
Most delays in getting something printed do not come from the press itself, they come from a file that was not quite ready when it arrived. A missing bleed, a font that was not embedded, or an image saved at screen resolution instead of print resolution all cause the same outcome: the job gets sent back, and a deadline that felt comfortable suddenly is not. None of these issues are difficult to avoid once you know what to check, which is the entire purpose of this list.
Document Size and Page Order
Set your document to the exact final trim size, not an approximate size or a screen-friendly dimension. For anything with more than one page, export as single pages in reading order, front to back, rather than as spreads, since spreads are a layout view for designing, not the format a printer needs to impose and print the job correctly.
Bleed and Safe Margin
Bleed is the extra artwork extending past the trim edge, standard at 3mm on all sides for most products, which exists because trimming a large stack of printed sheets is never perfectly precise. Without bleed, that small natural shift in the cutting process can leave a thin white sliver at the edge of the finished piece. Safe margin works the other way: keep text and logos at least 3 to 5mm inside the trim edge, so nothing important risks being cut off if the trim shifts slightly in the other direction.
Colour Mode: CMYK, Not RGB
Screens display colour in RGB, while printing presses use CMYK ink. If a file is supplied in RGB, it gets converted at some point in the process, and colours, particularly bright or saturated ones, can shift and appear duller once printed. Setting your file to CMYK from the start, and reviewing how your colours look once converted, avoids an unpleasant surprise between what you designed on screen and what comes off the press.
Rich Black vs Registration Black
Black is not always just black in a CMYK file. For small body text, use 100% K (pure black) only, since mixing other colours into small text can cause a blurry, misregistered appearance where the colours do not sit perfectly on top of each other. For large solid black areas, such as a background or a bold graphic block, a rich black mix, combining K with small amounts of cyan, magenta and yellow, gives a deeper, more even black than K alone. Using the wrong one in the wrong place is a common, easily avoided mistake.
Image Resolution
Standard print resolution is 300dpi at the image’s final printed size, not the size it happened to be saved at. An image that is 300dpi at a small size becomes noticeably lower resolution if scaled up significantly in your layout, since resolution is a relationship between pixel count and the physical size being printed, not a fixed property of the file. Large-format work such as banners and signage, viewed from a greater distance, generally works with a lower resolution than close-up printed material, so check what applies to your specific product.
Fonts: Embed or Outline
If a font is not embedded in your file or converted to outlines, the software on the receiving end may substitute a different font, silently reflowing your entire layout. Outlining converts text into shapes rather than editable characters, which is the most reliable option but means the text can no longer be edited afterward, so keep an editable master copy of your file separately if you outline fonts before export.
Exporting the Right PDF
PDF is the standard, preferred format for print submission, since it bundles your layout, colour settings, embedded fonts and bleed marks into a single file rather than leaving any of those elements to be configured separately. Where your software offers it, export using a PDF/X preset, such as PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4, both designed specifically for reliable print output, with bleed and colour information built in.
Special Considerations for Large Format and Die-Cut Work
Large-format work, such as banners and signage, often needs a larger bleed allowance than a standard print product, and resolution requirements are generally more forgiving given the greater viewing distance. See our large format printing and signage printing pages for product-specific guidance. Die-cut shapes and specialty finishes such as foiling or spot UV need an additional die line or finish layer marking exactly where the effect applies, separate from the main artwork. See our print finishing page for more on these requirements.
The Print-Ready Artwork Checklist
Run through the table below before submitting any artwork file.
| Check | What to Confirm | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Document size | File is set to the exact final trim size, not a screen or approximate size | Matches the finished, trimmed size |
| Bleed | Background and images extend past the trim edge on every side | 3mm on all sides for most products |
| Safe margin | Text and logos sit clear of the trim edge | 3 to 5mm inside the trim |
| Colour mode | File is CMYK, not RGB | CMYK throughout, including images |
| Black text and rich black | Small text uses 100% K only; large solid black areas use a rich black mix | 100% K for text; rich black for large fills |
| Image resolution | Images are high enough resolution at their final printed size | 300dpi for most print; lower for large format viewed at distance |
| Fonts | All fonts are embedded or outlined | Embedded or converted to outlines |
| Page order | Multi-page documents are single pages in reading order, not spreads | Single pages, front to back |
| File format | Exported as a print-ready PDF with marks and bleed included | PDF, ideally PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 |
Common Mistakes That Cause Delays
- Submitting a file in RGB instead of CMYK.
- Missing or insufficient bleed, leaving white edges after trimming.
- Text or logos placed too close to the trim edge without a safe margin.
- Images scaled up in the layout beyond their actual resolution.
- Fonts not embedded or outlined, causing a substitution and reflowed layout.
- Multi-page documents exported as spreads instead of single pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is bleed and why does my file need it?
Bleed is extra artwork extending 3mm past the trim edge on all sides, which absorbs the small natural variation in the trimming process so no white edge appears on the finished piece.
Why does my printed colour look different from my screen?
Screens display colour in RGB, while print uses CMYK ink. If a file is not converted to CMYK before printing, colours can shift, usually appearing less vivid than they did on screen.
What resolution do my images need to be?
300dpi at the final printed size is standard for most print products. Check resolution at the size the image will actually be printed, not the size it was originally saved at, since scaling an image up reduces its effective resolution.
Should I outline my fonts or embed them?
Either works, but outlining is the more reliable option since it converts text to shapes that cannot be substituted or reflowed. Keep an editable master file separately if you outline fonts, since outlined text can no longer be edited.
What file format should I submit for printing?
PDF is the standard format, ideally exported using a PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 preset, which bundles your fonts, colour settings and bleed into one reliable file. Our artwork and graphic prepress team can check your file before it goes to print if you are unsure.
Get Your Artwork Checked with Eplot
Getting these details right the first time keeps your project on schedule and off the reprint pile. Visit our artwork and graphic prepress page or request a quote from the Eplot team to have your file checked before you print.
