Nadia Petrov Customer Education Lead at 4OVER4.COM
Nadia is our customer education voice, built from the knowledge of our production team, with over 20 years in printing.
Question
What file specifications should I use for postcard designs?
Answer
Postcard files need a 0.125 inch (one-eighth inch) bleed on every edge, plus a matching safety margin to protect your content. This keeps color reaching the edge and important elements clear of the cut.
| Guide | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Bleed (outside trim) | 0.125" all around |
| Safety margin (inside trim) | 0.125" from edge |
- Extend backgrounds and color into the full 0.125" bleed.
- Keep text and logos at least 0.125" inside the trim line.
- Set your document to the final size plus bleed before exporting.
- Build photographic images at 300 ppi at the finished postcard dimensions, sized to the actual print size rather than scaled up from a small file.
- Check the recommended color space setup so photos reproduce accurately, since screen and print color spaces differ.
- Save in a high-quality format that preserves detail, such as a print-ready PDF or a high-resolution TIFF or JPEG.
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