How to Prepare Print Files: Bleed, CMYK, 300 DPI and Fonts

Your design looks perfect on screen, but in print the edge is white, the logo is blurry or the red suddenly looks dull? Almost always, the fault isn't the printing press, it's the file. Follow these rules to prepare your print files correctly, so that flyers, business cards, posters and brochures come out exactly as you planned them.

Getting the final size and bleed right

The final size is the size of your finished product, for example 8.5 x 5.5 cm for a classic business card or 14.8 x 21 cm for an A5 flyer. Printing, however, takes place on larger sheets that are trimmed afterwards. Because trimming always involves a small tolerance, your file needs the bleed given in the product data sheet (usually 1 to 3 mm per side).

In practice, that means backgrounds, colour areas and images meant to reach the edge should extend by the bleed beyond the final size. A business card is therefore set up at 9.1 x 6.1 cm, an A5 flyer at 15.4 x 21.6 cm. The opposite applies on the inside: text, logos and QR codes should keep a safety margin of a few millimetres from the cut edge, so nothing gets trimmed off by mistake.

The same rule applies to the open size for folded products. For a roll fold, make sure the panel that folds inward is slightly narrower than the others, or the paper will bunch up in the fold. And for brochures with saddle stitching, the page count must be divisible by four; supply the pages as single pages in reading order, not as spreads.

CMYK colour mode instead of RGB

Screens mix colours from light (RGB), printing presses from four inks: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). Some bright screen colours, such as a punchy green or orange, simply cannot be matched exactly in four-colour print. Set up your document in CMYK from the start, or convert images before export and check the result. That way there are no surprises when the box arrives.

Two practical tips: set small black text in pure black so it stays crisp and sharp. And if your brand colour needs to be exact, order a small run first. Many products are available in small quantities, and digital and offset posters even from 1 piece.

Resolution: 300 dpi at final size

Photos are made of pixels. To look sharp in print, they need a resolution of 300 dpi, measured at the size at which they'll be printed. An image you scale up to double size in your layout loses half its resolution. Images taken from the internet or from a chat message are usually too small and come out pixelated in print.

Logos and lettering should go into the file as vector graphics wherever possible, for example from Illustrator or as a PDF from your designer. Vectors stay sharp at any size. This care pays off especially on large formats such as posters up to 118.5 x 175 cm, where every flaw grows along with the format.

Fonts and PDF export

Shifted lines or the wrong characters are usually caused by missing fonts. When you export, embed all fonts in the PDF or convert them to outlines. Avoid very fine font weights for small text, and as a rule of thumb, don't go below 6 points, so an address or phone number stays legible.

The safest format is a print-ready PDF, ideally in the PDF/X standard. Upload in the configurator also accepts TIFF and JPEG. Before you export, run through this short checklist:

• document set up at final size, plus the bleed given in the data sheet
• text and logos kept within the safety margin, away from the cut edge
• CMYK colour mode, no RGB images
• images at 300 dpi at final size, logos as vector graphics where possible
• all fonts embedded or converted to outlines
• one page per printed side: for front and back, two pages in the same PDF

Every file is checked before production, especially colour mode, resolution, bleed and suitability for the chosen paper or material. If something is flagged, you'll be told the reason and can send a corrected file.

Frequently asked questions about print files

What happens if my file has no bleed?

Fine white edges can appear at the trim where there should be colour. If your design sits on a white background with enough margin from the edge, this isn't a problem. As soon as colour or an image reaches the edge, the bleed given in the data sheet is essential.

Can I use a file from Word or an online design tool?

Yes, as long as you export a print-quality PDF from it. Check that the format includes bleed, that images have enough resolution, and that fonts are embedded. Such tools often work in RGB, so colours can come out a little softer in print.

How do I set up a business card with a front and a back?

Create a two-page PDF, both pages at 9.1 x 6.1 cm including bleed: page 1 is the front, page 2 the back. Printing cards for several team members in one order? The Classic Business Cards allow 1 to 10 designs per order.

I don't have a print-ready file. What now?

Our in-house studio designs your business card, flyer or catalogue from your text and logo and delivers a print-ready file, so you can skip the technical preparation altogether.

Ready to print

Once your file is ready, upload it directly on the product page. You see the price in CHF instantly in the configurator, the delivery time before you order, and we deliver across Switzerland. Getting your file ready early is especially worthwhile ahead of the autumn trade fairs and the end of the year. Start with flyers and leaflets, business cards or posters.