What to check before you send your files to a Printer…
Sending files to a printer feels like the finish line. In reality, it's one of the most important moments in the entire process…and one of the easiest places for things to go quietly wrong.
Most print errors aren't caught until the job comes back. By then, the cost of fixing them (reprints, rush turnarounds, missed deadlines) is almost always higher than the cost of catching them early. A quick file check before you hit send can save a lot of pain down the line.
Here's what to look for:
1. Color mode: are your files in CMYK? Screens display color in RGB. Printers work in CMYK. If your files are still in RGB when they go to print, the colors that come back will likely look different from what you saw on screen, sometimes subtly, sometimes significantly. Always convert to CMYK before sending, and if your brand has specific Pantone colors, make sure those are called out correctly too.
2. Resolution: are your images print-ready? Images that look crisp on a screen can print soft or pixelated. For most print, you need images at 300 dpi at the size they'll be printed. If you're working with large format — banners, signage, posters — your printer will advise on the right resolution, as it varies by viewing distance (or, if I’m working with you that’s part of the pre-flight check I’ll do for you).
3. Bleed and margins: is there enough breathing room? Bleed is the extra image or color that extends beyond the edge of your document and it exists to account for the slight variation in where a printed sheet gets trimmed. Without it, you can end up with a thin white edge where there shouldn't be one. Standard bleed is usually 0.125”, though your printer may specify otherwise. Equally important: keep any text or logos away from the trim edge — a safe margin of at least 0.25” is a good rule of thumb.
4. Fonts: are they embedded or outlined? If your printer's system doesn't have the same fonts installed then your file will open with substitute fonts and your carefully designed layout can shift or break entirely. To avoid this, either embed your fonts in the file or convert all text to outlines before exporting. When in doubt, export as a PDF with fonts embedded. Another tip: to make sure your items is legible to as many people as possible, try not to use any font smaller than 8pt.
5. File format: are you sending what they actually need? Most printers prefer a print-ready PDF, but it's always worth confirming. A PDF exported from InDesign or Illustrator with the right settings (bleed included, fonts embedded, color profile correct) is usually your safest option. Sending a Word or Power Point document, a JPG, or a low-res PNG is a common source of delays and unexpected results.
6. A final sense check: does everything look right? Before you send, zoom in. Check that nothing has shifted in the layout, that there are no placeholder images or dummy text still sitting in the file, and that the document size matches what you actually ordered. It sounds obvious, but it's easy to miss when you've been staring at something for a while.
Catching these things before a file goes to print is exactly the kind of detail that saves teams time, money, and the particular frustration of a reprint. If you're not sure whether your files are print-ready, that's something I'm always happy to look over as part of a print concierge engagement.