What is a print-ready file? Bleed, CMYK and 300dpi, explained in plain English
You made your own flyer or menu, sent it off to the printer, and got a reply saying "there's no bleed". This guide is for that moment. As a designer who prepares print files almost every day, I have put together the basics of print-ready artwork, what the terms Australian printers use actually mean, and the steps for sending a file from Canva.
Print-readyBleedCMYKCanvaAustralia
01 ・ INTRO
It looks great on screen, then goes wrong in print.
You finish a menu or flyer in Canva, go to send it to the printer, and the reply comes back: "Please add 3mm bleed" or "Is your file CMYK?" If you run a small business in Australia, this happens more often than you might think.
A "print-ready file" (also called artwork; in Japanese, nyuko data) is a file you hand to the printer that can go straight to print as it is. Even if it looks perfect on screen, a file that does not follow the rules of printing can end up with white edges, text cut off, or dull colours.
This article is for anyone who designs their own materials. I will walk you through the basics of print-ready files and what printers mean by the terms they use, in plain English. For tips on choosing a printer, see my article on Australian printing companies.
Printers' requirements can change, so always check their latest templates and guidelines before you order.
02 ・ CHECK 6
The six things printers usually ask about.
Every printer has slightly different requirements, but the questions they send back almost always come down to these six. Here are the basic ideas behind each one.
From my experience as a designer How you set up a print file can change depending on the printer and on what you are printing (a standard size like A4 or a business card, or a custom shape like a die-cut sticker). The most reliable approach is to download the template the printer provides (look for "templates" or "artwork guidelines") and build your design to fit it.
1. Bleed
Printed items are printed on a large sheet and then cut down to the finished size. The cut can shift very slightly, so you extend any background colour or photo past the trim line. That extra area is the bleed.
① Bleed Extend the background to here. This part gets cut off
② Trim line Where the cut actually happens. The finished size
③ Safe area Keep text and logos inside the dotted line
How the bleed, trim line and safe area fit together. The widths vary from printer to printer, so follow the specs of the company you order from.
The bleed width varies between printers, but 3mm is usually a safe choice. Canva's "Show print bleed" setting also adds about 3mm (0.125 inches) on every side. For custom shapes, follow the printer's template.
2. Safe area (safety margin)
To make sure text and logos do not get cut off if the trim shifts, you leave a margin inside the trim line. Keep important details like your business name, phone number and prices inside this area. You can find the margin width in the printer's template too.
3. Colour (CMYK and RGB)
Screens show colour with light (RGB), while printing uses ink (CMYK). The bright blues and greens you see on screen cannot always be reproduced in ink, so they can come out looking dull. Canva's help pages also explain that print colours do not cover as wide a range as screen colours.
As a rule, print files should be set up in CMYK. If you send a file in RGB or PANTONE (spot colours), the colours may not turn out the way you expected.
From my experience as a designer I have had images accidentally left in RGB, and jobs where the type of press (digital or offset) meant the colour came out far from the brand colour. The more your brand colours matter on a printed piece, the more carefully you want to check colour.
In Canva, you can sometimes set the colour profile to CMYK when you export as "PDF Print", but whether this option is available depends on your plan and country. If you send a file in RGB, the printer will convert it, so it is safest to expect the colours to shift a little.
4. Resolution (dpi)
For photos and images, aim for 300dpi or more at the finished size. For example, an image 600 pixels wide is 300dpi when printed 2 inches (about 5cm) wide, but stretch it to 4 inches and it drops to 150dpi and looks grainy.
Changing the number from 72 to 300 after the fact will not bring the quality back. Images saved from social media and screenshots tend to print poorly, so be careful with those.
5. Fonts (embed / outline)
If the printer's computer does not have the same font, your text can be swapped for a different typeface. There are two ways to prevent this: "embedding" the font information in the PDF, or "outlining" (create outlines), which turns the text into shapes. Outlined text cannot be edited later, so save an editable copy separately before you do it.
A file with missing fonts sometimes cannot go to print as it is. In Illustrator, you can outline text with Type > Create Outlines. Outlining text is also the thing Australian printers actually ask me about most often.
6. Small text, thin lines and file format
Text that is too small and lines that are too thin can blur or disappear. Check the minimum text size and line weight in the template or guidelines. Take extra care with text that tends to get small, such as allergen information and notes on a menu.
PDF is the standard file format to send. If you designed in Illustrator, you may also supply an ai or eps file. If you designed in Canva, export as "PDF Print", as shown below.
03 ・ WORDS
Printing terms you'll see, at a glance.
Bleed
Background extended past the trim line
Trim / Trim line
The finished size; where the cut happens
Safe area / Safety margin
The inner area where text and logos can safely go
Crop marks
Small marks that show where to cut
CMYK / RGB
Print colour / screen colour
Resolution / DPI
Image sharpness. Aim for 300dpi for print
Outline fonts / Embed fonts
Turning text into shapes / including the fonts in the file
PDF/X-1a
A PDF standard made for print. Use it when the printer asks for it
Rich black
A deep black for large areas (black mixed with CMYK)
PANTONE
Spot colour: a specific named ink. Converted to CMYK for standard full-colour printing
Stroke / Weight
Line thickness. Often given as something like "minimum 0.25pt"
ai / eps
File formats made in Illustrator
Print-ready / Artwork
The final file you send to the printer
The usual approach is to use black ink only (0C/0M/0Y/100K) for small black text, and rich black (for example 60C/40M/40Y/100K) for large black backgrounds. Whether to include crop marks depends on what your printer asks for.
04 ・ CANVA
How to send a print-ready file from Canva.
Here is a summary of the steps from Canva's help pages (desktop version).
Go to "File", open "Settings" and turn on "Show print bleed" (if you cannot find it, look under "Rulers and guides")
Stretch your background and photos out to the dotted line (the edge of the bleed)
Keep text and logos well inside the trim line
Click "Share", choose "Download", and set the file type to "PDF Print"
Tick "Crop marks and bleed" and download
Crop marks only appear in the exported PDF, not in the editor. If your printer does not want crop marks, untick that box so the file has bleed only (follow your printer's specs).
05 ・ DESIGNER
What I check before a file goes to print.
Preparing print files is something I do almost every day: flyers, business cards, shop cards, packaging, stickers, keyrings and promotional items, plus special finishes like foil stamping and screen printing. Before any file goes to the printer, I always check the following.
Typos, phone numbers and addresses
That dates match the days of the week
Bleed and safe area
Image quality and colour settings (nothing left in RGB)
Outlined fonts, and lines that are too thin
How the layers are set up: whether the design, cut lines and special finishes like foil are each on the correct layer
That last point, how to set up layers, has different rules depending on the printer and what you are sending (die-cut stickers, foil stamping, screen printing and so on). The more specialised the printing, the more detailed the rules get, so it is worth checking the template or guidelines of the company you are ordering from first.
As I mentioned in my article on printing companies, even a file with a solid background can end up with a white edge if the cut is slightly off. Adding proper bleed is the best way to prevent it.
06 ・ FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I send print-ready files from the free Canva plan?
Canva's help pages explain how to export as "PDF Print" and how to add crop marks and bleed. Whether you can export in CMYK depends on your plan and country, so check the download screen in your own account. If you send the file in RGB, the colours may shift a little.
Q. How much bleed should I add?
3mm is usually a safe choice. But the requirement can differ depending on the printer and what you are printing, so check the templates or artwork guidelines on the order page.
Q. Can I use photos taken on my phone?
They often work if they come to around 300dpi at the final printed size. If you crop a small part and blow it up, it will look grainy, so use the original, full-size file.
Q. What if I don't understand my printer's instructions?
Use the glossary above as a guide, and feel free to ask the printer directly about anything that is unclear. If you are still unsure, you can also ask a designer to prepare just the print-ready files for you.
07 ・ SUMMARY
Printer jargon isn't scary once you know what it means.
Almost every question from a printer is about one of six things: bleed, safe area, colour, resolution, fonts, or small text and thin lines. When in doubt, using the printer's own template is the quickest route. Once you know what the terms mean, their instructions are nothing to worry about.
If you would like someone to turn a file you made into something ready to print, or you want help working out where to get it printed in the first place, feel free to get in touch with Tenth Of October. Your first consultation is free, and I will give you a quote once I understand what you need.
What is a print-ready file? Bleed, CMYK and 300dpi, explained in plain English
You made your own flyer or menu, sent it off to the printer, and got a reply saying "there's no bleed". This guide is for that moment. As a designer who prepares print files almost every day, I have put together the basics of print-ready artwork, what the terms Australian printers use actually mean, and the steps for sending a file from Canva.
Print-ready
Bleed
CMYK
Canva
Australia
01 ・ INTRO
It looks great on screen, then goes wrong in print.
You finish a menu or flyer in Canva, go to send it to the printer, and the reply comes back: "Please add 3mm bleed" or "Is your file CMYK?" If you run a small business in Australia, this happens more often than you might think.
A "print-ready file" (also called artwork; in Japanese, nyuko data) is a file you hand to the printer that can go straight to print as it is. Even if it looks perfect on screen, a file that does not follow the rules of printing can end up with white edges, text cut off, or dull colours.
This article is for anyone who designs their own materials. I will walk you through the basics of print-ready files and what printers mean by the terms they use, in plain English. For tips on choosing a printer, see my article on Australian printing companies.
Printers' requirements can change, so always check their latest templates and guidelines before you order.
02 ・ CHECK 6
The six things printers usually ask about.
Every printer has slightly different requirements, but the questions they send back almost always come down to these six. Here are the basic ideas behind each one.
From my experience as a designer How you set up a print file can change depending on the printer and on what you are printing (a standard size like A4 or a business card, or a custom shape like a die-cut sticker). The most reliable approach is to download the template the printer provides (look for "templates" or "artwork guidelines") and build your design to fit it.
1. Bleed
Printed items are printed on a large sheet and then cut down to the finished size. The cut can shift very slightly, so you extend any background colour or photo past the trim line. That extra area is the bleed.
① Bleed Extend the background to here. This part gets cut off
② Trim line Where the cut actually happens. The finished size
③ Safe area Keep text and logos inside the dotted line
How the bleed, trim line and safe area fit together. The widths vary from printer to printer, so follow the specs of the company you order from.
The bleed width varies between printers, but 3mm is usually a safe choice. Canva's "Show print bleed" setting also adds about 3mm (0.125 inches) on every side. For custom shapes, follow the printer's template.
2. Safe area (safety margin)
To make sure text and logos do not get cut off if the trim shifts, you leave a margin inside the trim line. Keep important details like your business name, phone number and prices inside this area. You can find the margin width in the printer's template too.
3. Colour (CMYK and RGB)
Screens show colour with light (RGB), while printing uses ink (CMYK). The bright blues and greens you see on screen cannot always be reproduced in ink, so they can come out looking dull. Canva's help pages also explain that print colours do not cover as wide a range as screen colours.
As a rule, print files should be set up in CMYK. If you send a file in RGB or PANTONE (spot colours), the colours may not turn out the way you expected.
From my experience as a designer I have had images accidentally left in RGB, and jobs where the type of press (digital or offset) meant the colour came out far from the brand colour. The more your brand colours matter on a printed piece, the more carefully you want to check colour.
In Canva, you can sometimes set the colour profile to CMYK when you export as "PDF Print", but whether this option is available depends on your plan and country. If you send a file in RGB, the printer will convert it, so it is safest to expect the colours to shift a little.
4. Resolution (dpi)
For photos and images, aim for 300dpi or more at the finished size. For example, an image 600 pixels wide is 300dpi when printed 2 inches (about 5cm) wide, but stretch it to 4 inches and it drops to 150dpi and looks grainy.
Changing the number from 72 to 300 after the fact will not bring the quality back. Images saved from social media and screenshots tend to print poorly, so be careful with those.
5. Fonts (embed / outline)
If the printer's computer does not have the same font, your text can be swapped for a different typeface. There are two ways to prevent this: "embedding" the font information in the PDF, or "outlining" (create outlines), which turns the text into shapes. Outlined text cannot be edited later, so save an editable copy separately before you do it.
A file with missing fonts sometimes cannot go to print as it is. In Illustrator, you can outline text with Type > Create Outlines. Outlining text is also the thing Australian printers actually ask me about most often.
6. Small text, thin lines and file format
Text that is too small and lines that are too thin can blur or disappear. Check the minimum text size and line weight in the template or guidelines. Take extra care with text that tends to get small, such as allergen information and notes on a menu.
PDF is the standard file format to send. If you designed in Illustrator, you may also supply an ai or eps file. If you designed in Canva, export as "PDF Print", as shown below.
03 ・ WORDS
Printing terms you'll see, at a glance.
Bleed Background extended past the trim line
Trim / Trim line The finished size; where the cut happens
Safe area / Safety margin The inner area where text and logos can safely go
Crop marks Small marks that show where to cut
CMYK / RGB Print colour / screen colour
Resolution / DPI Image sharpness. Aim for 300dpi for print
Outline fonts / Embed fonts Turning text into shapes / including the fonts in the file
PDF/X-1a A PDF standard made for print. Use it when the printer asks for it
Rich black A deep black for large areas (black mixed with CMYK)
PANTONE Spot colour: a specific named ink. Converted to CMYK for standard full-colour printing
Stroke / Weight Line thickness. Often given as something like "minimum 0.25pt"
ai / eps File formats made in Illustrator
Print-ready / Artwork The final file you send to the printer
The usual approach is to use black ink only (0C/0M/0Y/100K) for small black text, and rich black (for example 60C/40M/40Y/100K) for large black backgrounds. Whether to include crop marks depends on what your printer asks for.
04 ・ CANVA
How to send a print-ready file from Canva.
Here is a summary of the steps from Canva's help pages (desktop version).
Go to "File", open "Settings" and turn on "Show print bleed" (if you cannot find it, look under "Rulers and guides")
Stretch your background and photos out to the dotted line (the edge of the bleed)
Keep text and logos well inside the trim line
Click "Share", choose "Download", and set the file type to "PDF Print"
Tick "Crop marks and bleed" and download
Crop marks only appear in the exported PDF, not in the editor. If your printer does not want crop marks, untick that box so the file has bleed only (follow your printer's specs).
05 ・ DESIGNER
What I check before a file goes to print.
Preparing print files is something I do almost every day: flyers, business cards, shop cards, packaging, stickers, keyrings and promotional items, plus special finishes like foil stamping and screen printing. Before any file goes to the printer, I always check the following.
Typos, phone numbers and addresses
That dates match the days of the week
Bleed and safe area
Image quality and colour settings (nothing left in RGB)
Outlined fonts, and lines that are too thin
How the layers are set up: whether the design, cut lines and special finishes like foil are each on the correct layer
That last point, how to set up layers, has different rules depending on the printer and what you are sending (die-cut stickers, foil stamping, screen printing and so on). The more specialised the printing, the more detailed the rules get, so it is worth checking the template or guidelines of the company you are ordering from first.
As I mentioned in my article on printing companies, even a file with a solid background can end up with a white edge if the cut is slightly off. Adding proper bleed is the best way to prevent it.
06 ・ FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I send print-ready files from the free Canva plan?
Canva's help pages explain how to export as "PDF Print" and how to add crop marks and bleed. Whether you can export in CMYK depends on your plan and country, so check the download screen in your own account. If you send the file in RGB, the colours may shift a little.
Q. How much bleed should I add?
3mm is usually a safe choice. But the requirement can differ depending on the printer and what you are printing, so check the templates or artwork guidelines on the order page.
Q. Can I use photos taken on my phone?
They often work if they come to around 300dpi at the final printed size. If you crop a small part and blow it up, it will look grainy, so use the original, full-size file.
Q. What if I don't understand my printer's instructions?
Use the glossary above as a guide, and feel free to ask the printer directly about anything that is unclear. If you are still unsure, you can also ask a designer to prepare just the print-ready files for you.
07 ・ SUMMARY
Printer jargon isn't scary once you know what it means.
Almost every question from a printer is about one of six things: bleed, safe area, colour, resolution, fonts, or small text and thin lines. When in doubt, using the printer's own template is the quickest route. Once you know what the terms mean, their instructions are nothing to worry about.
If you would like someone to turn a file you made into something ready to print, or you want help working out where to get it printed in the first place, feel free to get in touch with Tenth Of October. Your first consultation is free, and I will give you a quote once I understand what you need.
