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How to Prepare Files for Large Format Printing
Resolution, color mode, bleed, fonts, scale. Get these five right and your file prints clean the first time.
Bad files are the #1 cause of large-format reprints. Most of them are avoidable with five basic file-prep habits. Here's the checklist we wish every client used.
1. Resolution at final size
Submit at 100–150 dpi at the final printed size. For a 10x10 ft wrap, that's a 12,000 px wide image. If you're working at 25% scale, set up at 400–600 dpi to land at the right effective resolution. Photos pulled from social media or Google Image Search will not hold up.
2. CMYK, not RGB
All large-format printing is CMYK. Files submitted in RGB will be auto-converted, often with color shifts you didn't expect. Convert to CMYK in Photoshop or Illustrator before submitting and review color in CMYK working space.
3. Bleed and safe zone
Add 1/2 inch bleed on banners and 1 inch bleed on wraps and panels. Keep critical elements (logos, headlines, calls to action) at least 1 inch in from the trim edge — 4 inches on full booth wraps where panel seams may interrupt.
4. Outline fonts and embed images
Outline all fonts in vector files (Illustrator: Type → Create Outlines). Embed or include all linked images. Submit as PDF/X-1a if possible — it bundles everything in a single file.
5. Submit a low-res reference
Always include a low-resolution JPG of the final design for visual reference. This catches situations where the high-res file got corrupted or rendered differently than intended.
"Bad files are the #1 cause of large-format reprints. All of it is avoidable."
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