A design can look perfect on screen and still fail at print. Print-ready artwork means the file is built to the printer's technical requirements, not just exported as a PDF.
The checklist
- Correct size. A5, A4, business card, menu, poster, or custom size must match the printer's spec.
- Bleed. Most UK printers require 3mm bleed on each edge.
- Safe margins. Important text and logos should stay away from the trim edge.
- CMYK colour. Print files normally need CMYK, not RGB screen colour.
- 300 DPI images. Low-resolution images may look blurry or pixelated in print.
- Embedded fonts. Text should not change when the printer opens the file.
- Crop marks. Many printers ask for crop marks to show the trim line.
- Correct PDF export. The final PDF should match the printer's requested preset.
Common print problems
The most common issues are missing bleed, low-resolution logos, RGB colours, text too close to the edge, and files exported at the wrong size.
These problems are boring until they cost money. Once a job is printed badly, fixing the file does not refund the print run.
Canva, Word, PowerPoint, and printer PDFs
Many small businesses create artwork in tools that were not built for professional print production. That does not mean the file is unusable, but it does mean it should be checked carefully.
- Canva: check bleed, margins, PDF export settings, and image resolution.
- Word: useful for text documents, risky for precise flyers or folded print.
- PowerPoint: can work for simple posters, but size and export settings often need checking.
- Old PDFs: may need fonts, crop marks, colour mode, or embedded image checks before reuse.
If the print run matters, a preflight check is cheaper than reprinting.
What to ask your printer
- What final size do you need?
- How much bleed is required?
- Do you need crop marks?
- Which PDF format or preset do you prefer?
- Are there fold, margin, or safe-area requirements?
- Do you have a template or dieline?
If the printer sends you a technical spec, pass it to the designer. Do not try to rewrite it from memory.
When to get help
Get a designer to check the artwork if you are printing in quantity, using special finishes, sending a file to a new printer, or working from a Canva, Word, PowerPoint, JPG, or old PDF source file.
HELYI offers print-ready artwork help for UK small businesses that need files checked, repaired, or prepared before print.