How to Prepare Images for Print

Print preparation is not difficult, but the order of the steps matters. Work through this checklist from top to bottom and you will avoid the most common reasons prints come back soft, cropped or off-colour.

1. Start with the largest original

Always edit from the original camera file, not from a version that has been resized for email or social media. A file that has already been shrunk to 1200 px wide cannot be restored to print resolution later.

2. Check pixel dimensions against the product

Find the required pixels for your product size, then compare them with the image dimensions. A 16 × 20 in canvas at 200 DPI needs 3200 × 4000 px; an 8 × 10 in photo at 300 DPI needs 2400 × 3000 px. Use the how big can I print tool if you are unsure.

3. Crop to the product aspect ratio

Photo prints, canvases and frames use different ratios. Cropping yourself lets you decide what to keep; leaving it to the lab usually means a centre crop. Use the crop calculator to find the exact crop dimensions, and remember that cropping reduces total megapixels.

4. Choose the right colour mode

Keep RGB for digital printing unless the service asks for CMYK. For offset printing, follow the printer's profile instructions. Avoid highly saturated screen colours that CMYK ink cannot reproduce, and ask for a proof when colour accuracy is critical. See the RGB vs CMYK guide for details.

5. Sharpen for the output size

Images resized for print usually benefit from modest output sharpening. Apply it as the last step, at the final pixel dimensions, and view the result at 100% zoom. Over-sharpening creates halos that are very visible in print.

6. Clean up and straighten

Remove sensor dust spots on plain backgrounds, fix lens distortion if the image has strong straight lines near the edges, and check the horizon or verticals. These small corrections are much easier to spot in print than on screen.

7. Add bleed if the design reaches the edge

For flyers, cards and posters with edge-to-edge colour, extend the artwork beyond the trim size. US commercial print typically uses 0.125 in bleed; European print uses 3 mm. Use the bleed calculator to confirm the document size.

8. Export with sensible settings

JPEG: maximum quality (level 10–12), sRGB, no unnecessary resizing.
TIFF: for archival or when the service requests lossless files.
PDF: for documents and anything containing text or vector artwork; embed fonts and keep images at target resolution.

9. Do a final pre-flight check

Pixel dimensions meet the product requirement.
Aspect ratio matches the product after cropping.
Bleed and safe margins are correct.
The file opens without missing fonts or links.
You are sending the final version, not an earlier export.

Common mistakes to avoid

Upscaling a small file and assuming it is now high resolution.
Judging sharpness from a fit-to-screen preview instead of 100% zoom.
Converting to CMYK and then being surprised by duller colours - that is the printable gamut.
Forgetting that text elements also need safe margins, not just photos.

Free download: the print-ready toolkit includes a two-page checklist and a vendor quote sheet.