Prepress Checklist: How to Send Print-Ready Files

Almost every print delay traces back to the file, not the press. Wrong color mode, missing bleed, low-resolution images, fonts that did not embed. Each one means an email, a fix, and a lost day. Run through this checklist before you hit send and your job moves straight to print.

The print-ready checklist

Check	What it means	Quick fix
Color mode	File is CMYK, not RGB	Convert to CMYK before exporting
Resolution	Images are 300 DPI at final size	Use high-res originals, not web images
Bleed	0.125 in art past every trim edge	Extend backgrounds beyond the trim
Safe margin	Text 0.125 to 0.25 in inside trim	Pull important text away from edges
Fonts	Embedded or outlined	Export PDF with fonts embedded
File type	Print-ready PDF preferred	Save as PDF/X or high-quality PDF
Final size	Document is the true finished size	Set the artboard to the trim size

The four that cause the most reprints

Bleed. If color runs to the edge, it needs to extend past the trim line so a slight cutting shift never leaves a white sliver. No bleed is the single most common fix-needed flag we send.

Resolution. Web images are usually 72 DPI and print soft. Standard print wants 300 DPI at the final size. See print resolution explained for the full picture.

Color mode. Design in CMYK so screen colors match ink. RGB files get converted and can shift duller. More in RGB vs. CMYK.

Fonts. If a font is not embedded or outlined, it can reflow or substitute on our system. Outlining text or embedding fonts in the PDF locks your layout.

Best format to send

A print-ready PDF (PDF/X or high-quality export) is almost always the safest file to send. It locks fonts, colors, and layout into one self-contained file, so what we open is exactly what you designed. Native files (InDesign, Illustrator) can work too, but they rely on us having every linked image and font.

When in doubt, we check it

You do not have to be a prepress expert. Send us your file and we review color, resolution, bleed, and fonts before anything prints, and flag what needs fixing. It is built into how we work, not an extra step you pay for.

We make sure it prints right

Decades of catching file problems before they hit the press means fewer surprises and faster turnaround for you. Explore digital printing, and if your colors matter, read RGB vs. CMYK first. Request a free quote.