Talk to your printer
Ask your printer for their file specs before you design. Use this checklist so your PDF is right the first time.
Ask before you start designing
Printers use different presses, software, and paper, so their file specs vary. Some answers, such as the page size and bleed, change your layout, so get them before you design.
Most printers publish a spec sheet or file guide. Read it first, then ask about anything it doesn't cover.
Use this checklist
| Ask about | Typical answer |
|---|---|
| Trim size | The finished size of the product, such as 8.5 × 11 in or A4 |
| Bleed | 0.125 in or 3 mm per side, sometimes more for packaging and large format |
| Safe area | About 0.125–0.25 in (3–6 mm) inside the trim |
| Crop marks | Many printers, especially online ones, want none |
| Image resolution | 300 DPI at the printed size, often less for large format |
| Color mode | CMYK, though some digital printers prefer RGB |
| ICC profile | A named profile, such as GRACoL 2013, FOGRA39, FOGRA51, or Japan Color 2011 |
| PDF standard | PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-1a, or any PDF |
| Pages | One multi-page PDF or one file per page, in reading order, as single pages rather than spreads |
| Proof | A digital or printed proof to approve before the full run |
Write the answers down and set up your file to match.
Using Print for Figma? Export with custom settings shows where each setting lives in the plugin.
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