Emma Davis Print Production Specialist at 4OVER4.COM
Emma is our prepress and print production voice, built from the knowledge of our production team, with over 20 years in printing.
Question
How can I export a hi-res printable PDF correctly?
Answer
When exporting from a program such as InDesign or Illustrator, the right settings make sure your PDF files export correctly for print. Getting the export dialog right prevents soft images, missing bleed, and color that shifts on press.
- Pick a press-quality preset: this keeps images at full resolution instead of downsampling them.
- Include bleed and marks: turn on 1/8 inch bleed so backgrounds reach the trimmed edge.
- Embed fonts: embedding keeps your typography exactly as designed.
- Export in CMYK: confirm the output color is CMYK, not RGB.
| Export setting | Recommended value |
|---|---|
| Preset | High or press quality |
| Resolution | 300 dpi, no downsampling |
| Bleed | 1/8 inch all sides |
| Color | CMYK |
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