File Formats

Which file format should you use and when? A format guide for print and digital use.

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Format Comparison

Format	Type	Typical use	Transparency
PDF	Vector/raster document	Paged print exchange	Depends on version/profile
PNG	Raster	Web, screenshots	Alpha
JPG	Raster	Photographs	None
SVG	Vector; may include raster	Web logos/icons	Supported
TIFF	Raster	Photography/archive/prepress	Application-dependent
EPS	PostScript graphics	Legacy print workflows	No live PDF transparency

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PDF

When to Use It

Ideal for professional print

• Multi-page documents
• Mixed vector and raster content
• Font embedding support
• Colour profile support

PDF Types

Type	Usage
PDF/X-1a	Legacy workflow that explicitly requires flattened CMYK/spot content
PDF/X-4	Modern print, supports transparency
Standard PDF	General purpose

Details: PDF Standards →

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PNG (Portable Network Graphics)

When to Use It

• Logos and icons (transparent background)
• Web graphics
• Screenshots
• Flat colour designs

Characteristics

 Lossless compression
 Transparency (alpha channel)
 Optimised for web
 Does not support CMYK
 Large file size

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JPG/JPEG

When to Use It

• Photographs
• Web images
• Social media sharing

Characteristics

 Small file size
 Ideal for photographs
 Lossy compression
 No transparency
 Lossy recompression can degrade quality

Quality Settings

Quality	Size	Usage
60–70%	Small	Web
80–90%	Medium	General
95–100%	Large	Print

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SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)

When to Use It

• Logos
• Icons
• Drawings and graphics
• Web animations

Characteristics

 Vector shapes scale; embedded raster content keeps its pixel limit
 Small file size
 Editable (code-based)
 Not suitable for photographs
 Limited support in some applications

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TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)

When to Use It

• Professional photography
• Archiving
• Pre-press workflows

Characteristics

 Lossless quality
 CMYK support
 Layer support
 Very large file size
 Not suitable for web

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Which Format Should You Choose?

For Print

For Web

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NowToPrint Supported Formats

The comparison describes general file formats; it does not promise upload/export support on every surface. PDF preflight accepts PDF files. Tools such as image-to-PDF accept only the inputs shown by their own selector; there is no universal PNG/JPG/SVG/TIFF/EPS import/export contract.

• Keep an editable design source and export the print PDF for the producer's profile.
• Embedded images, fonts and external references affect SVG output; resolve dependencies at source.
• Legacy canvas, template/document creator and VDP bulk flags are disabled in the current configuration; a format guide does not activate them.

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