Print File Setup Guide: Bleed, Resolution and CMYK

Most delays in printing come from artwork that is not ready, not from the printing itself. Get these basics right and your proof is usually approved on the first try.

Bleed

Bleed is extra artwork that extends past the edge of the finished size. Because paper is trimmed after printing, any colour or image that touches the edge needs to run past it. A common bleed is 0.125 in (3 mm) on every side. Without it, you can end up with thin white lines along the edge.

Safe margin

Keep important text and logos inside the trim edge by a small margin, often 0.125 to 0.25 in. Anything too close to the edge can be cut off or look cramped.

Resolution

Photos and images should be about 300 dpi at the size they will print. A small web image stretched to a large size will look blurry, and an image saved from a website is almost never high enough.

Colour: CMYK, not RGB

Screens use RGB, but printers use CMYK. Colours can shift when converted, and very bright screen colours may look duller in print. If you can, build your design in CMYK from the start.

Fonts and text

Embed your fonts or convert text to outlines so nothing changes on our end. Avoid very thin lines and very small text, especially light text on a dark background.

File type

A press-ready PDF is the safest format. Save it at the final size, with bleed included.

Quick checklist

- Final size set correctly - 0.125 in bleed on every side - Text inside the safe margin - Images about 300 dpi - CMYK colour - Fonts embedded or outlined - Saved as a PDF

In a hurry?

Clean, print-ready files are the fastest way to get a same-day order approved. Read our same-day printing checklist. Questions about your file? Call (437) 997-9921.