What is preflighting a file?

Preflighting is the prepress inspection that confirms a file is truly ready for press before anything is printed. It checks the technical details that most often cause reprints, catching problems while they are still cheap and easy to fix.

• Confirms the correct trim size plus bleed on every edge.
• Verifies images meet resolution targets, usually around 300 DPI.
• Checks that color is set up correctly, typically CMYK for full-color work.
• Makes sure fonts are embedded or outlined and no linked images are missing.

A clean preflight is the difference between a file that flows straight to production and one that stalls with an art request.