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
Do I need to send a print-ready PDF or can I just send a standard PDF?
Answer
Standard PDFs are not print-ready. A PDF exported with default or on-screen settings can carry low-resolution images and RGB colors that print poorly, and it may be missing the bleed a press needs. A print-ready PDF is built specifically for commercial printing, so it reproduces your design as intended.
- Print-ready means high resolution: images should be 300 dpi at final size so nothing looks soft or pixelated.
- Include bleed and marks: export with 1/8 inch bleed so backgrounds reach the trimmed edge.
- Use CMYK color: convert to CMYK before export so colors do not shift unexpectedly.
- Embed your fonts: embedding or outlining type keeps your layout from reflowing at the printer.
| Setting | Standard PDF | Print-ready PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | Often low | 300 dpi at size |
| Color | Usually RGB | CMYK |
| Bleed | None | 1/8 inch each side |
| Fonts | May be missing | Embedded or outlined |
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