Logo file types explained: what to send your printer, your web developer and your sign shop
AI, EPS, SVG, PDF, PNG or JPG? A plain-English guide to logo file formats and which one to send for print, web, signage and social media.
Sooner or later someone asks for “the vector file” or “a high-res version” of your logo, and you find a folder of files with names that explain nothing. Here is what each one is for.
Two families: vector and raster
Vector files describe your logo as shapes and curves. They can be scaled to any size, from a pen to a billboard, without losing sharpness. This is the master version of your logo.
Raster files are made of pixels. They look right at the size they were saved and blurry if you stretch them larger. They are what you use day to day on screens.
The formats
| Format | Type | Use it for | Not ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI | Vector | The editable master file | People without Adobe Illustrator |
| EPS | Vector | Print shops, sign makers, embroidery | Websites and documents |
| Vector, if exported from one | Printing and sharing proofs | Editing | |
| SVG | Vector | Websites and apps | Some print workflows |
| PNG | Raster, transparent background | Web, slides, social media, documents | Large print |
| JPG | Raster, solid background | Photos and email signatures | Anything needing transparency |
Colour modes matter too
- CMYK is for print. It describes colour as four inks.
- RGB is for screens. It can show brighter colours than ink can, which is why a logo sometimes looks duller on paper.
- Pantone (spot colour) is a premixed ink used when your brand colour has to match exactly across print jobs.
Who needs what
- Your printer: a vector PDF or EPS in CMYK, or with Pantone colours if they print spot colour.
- Your sign shop or vehicle wrapper: AI or EPS, because they cut or print at very large sizes.
- Your web developer: SVG, plus PNG versions for places SVG does not work.
- Social media: a square PNG at least 1,000 pixels wide, with breathing room around the logo.
- Embroidery and promotional products: a vector file and a simplified one-colour version.
The versions every business should have
- Full colour, for most uses.
- One colour, dark, for stamps, invoices and single-colour printing.
- Reversed (white), for dark backgrounds and photos.
- Icon only, for profile pictures and favicons.
- Horizontal and stacked layouts, if your logo has both.
If all you have is a small JPG
That is common, and it is fixable. A designer can redraw the logo as clean vector artwork, match the colours and export the full set of files above. It is usually a small job, and it saves you from being told “this file is too low-res” every time you order something.
Our graphic design and branding work includes vector redraws and complete logo file sets. If you would like yours sorted out, get in touch.