The format you choose for print affects image sharpness, color accuracy, and whether your printer can even open the file. The web-friendly formats you use every day — JPEG, PNG, WebP — are not always the right choice for professional printing. This guide covers which format to use for every print scenario.

The Golden Rule: 300 DPI at Print Size

Before worrying about format, get the resolution right. Print resolution is measured in DPI (dots per inch):

Professional printing: 300 DPI minimum at the intended print size. A 4×6 inch photo at 300 DPI = 1200×1800 px
Large format (banners, posters): 72–150 DPI is acceptable because large prints are viewed from a distance — detail that is invisible at 2 meters does not need to be there
Fine art/photo prints: 400–600 DPI for inkjet printing on fine art paper, which has a higher dot gain than coated paper

A 1200×900 px image at 300 DPI prints at 4×3 inches. Scaling it up to 8×6 inches drops it to 150 DPI — acceptable for large format, not for a business card.

TIFF: Best for Professional Offset Printing

What it is: Tagged Image File Format. A lossless raster format that preserves every pixel exactly
Color space: supports both RGB and CMYK — the only common raster format with native CMYK support
Compression: supports LZW lossless compression (reduces file size without quality loss) or no compression
File size: large — a 300 DPI 8×10 inch TIFF can be 60–200 MB without compression
Use for: professional offset printing, magazine photos, product photography for catalogs, anything that needs the maximum quality and CMYK color
Do not use for: web (huge file sizes), email attachments

PDF: Best for Press-Ready Files

What it is: Portable Document Format — a container that can embed raster images, vector graphics, fonts, and color profiles
Why printers prefer it: a PDF/X file (the print-specific PDF standard) embeds all colors, fonts, and bleeds in a single self-contained file. Nothing goes missing when the printer opens it
Color space: can contain CMYK, RGB, spot colors, and ICC profiles
Use for: business cards, flyers, brochures, packaging — any designed document that combines text and images. PDF is the de-facto standard for sending print files to a print shop
Key settings: embed bleeds (3–5 mm), embed fonts, set to PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4, convert to CMYK if the printer requires it

JPEG: Acceptable for Photo Prints

What it is: lossy compression that works well for photographs with gradients and continuous tones
Color space: RGB only (no native CMYK). The printer converts RGB to CMYK internally, which can cause slight color shifts
Use for: photo printing services (most accept high-quality JPEG), home inkjet printing, online photo orders
Quality setting: save at maximum quality (12 in Photoshop, 95–100% in other tools) to minimize compression artifacts. At 300 DPI and maximum quality, JPEG photo prints are indistinguishable from TIFF to the human eye
Avoid for: logos, text, line art — JPEG creates visible artifacts on sharp edges. Use TIFF or PDF for these

PNG: Avoid for Professional Print

What it is: lossless compression, supports transparency, RGB only
The problem: PNG does not support CMYK. Print shops that work in CMYK will convert your PNG from RGB, potentially shifting colors. PNG files also tend to be larger than equivalent TIFF+LZW files for photographic content
When PNG is fine: home printing, online print-on-demand services that accept RGB, or when you need transparency in a print layout (then embed the PNG into a PDF with transparency preserved)
When to avoid: offset printing, anything where precise CMYK color matching matters

EPS and Vector Formats: Best for Logos and Line Art

EPS (Encapsulated PostScript): vector format, scales to any size without quality loss. Use for logos, icons, and illustrations that need to appear at both tiny (business card) and large (billboard) sizes
SVG: modern vector format, good for web-to-print workflows. Convert to EPS or PDF for most print shops
AI (Adobe Illustrator): native Illustrator format, widely accepted at professional print shops

CMYK vs RGB for Print

This is the most common cause of unexpected color when printing:

RGB (Red, Green, Blue): the color model for screens. Contains colors that cannot be reproduced in print (vivid blues, electric greens). Converting RGB to CMYK at a print shop may cause noticeable color shifts
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black): the color model for ink printing. Use CMYK from the start if you are designing for offset printing — do not rely on the print shop to convert it correctly
For photo printing services: most consumer photo labs (online ordering) accept and expect sRGB. Submit in sRGB, not CMYK, for these services

Quick Decision Guide

Photo printing service (consumer): high-quality JPEG in sRGB at 300 DPI
Professional offset printing (photos): TIFF at 300 DPI in CMYK
Designed document (business cards, flyers): PDF/X with embedded fonts and CMYK colors
Logo/illustration: EPS or PDF vector; if raster is needed, TIFF at 300 DPI
Large format banner/poster: JPEG or TIFF at 100–150 DPI at actual size
Fine art inkjet print: TIFF at 400–600 DPI in AdobeRGB or ProPhoto RGB

Preparing Images for Print

Check your resolution: use the Image Resizer to check the pixel dimensions. Divide by 300 to get the maximum print size in inches at full quality
Compress large files: use image compression to reduce file size for transfer, but use lossless settings for print files
Convert formats if needed: use the Image Converter to switch between formats. Note: format conversion does not add resolution — a 72 DPI image converted to TIFF is still 72 DPI