A print-ready PDF is a file your printer can send straight to the press without fixing, resizing or guessing. In Nigeria, many reprints happen for the same few reasons: the file was sent as a phone screenshot, the colours looked different on paper, text was cut at the edge, or fonts changed when the printer opened the file.
This guide gives you a simple checklist for CMYK, bleed, crop marks, resolution and fonts, shows how to export in common design tools, and explains how to send the file so it arrives in good condition. Follow it, and most printing errors disappear before they cost you money.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What makes a print-ready PDF?
Almost any program can save a PDF, but not every PDF is ready for printing. A print-ready PDF has the correct page size, extra bleed around the edges, safe margins for text, high-resolution images, print colours and fonts that cannot change. If your printer asks for a “print-ready file” or “print-ready artwork”, they mean all of these.
Printers prefer PDFs because the layout, fonts and images are locked inside one file that looks the same on every computer. Our guide to print-ready files covers the topic in more detail, and this guide gives you the short version you can follow before every order.
The print-ready PDF checklist
| Check | What to do |
|---|---|
| Page size | Set the document to the exact finished size, such as A5 (148 x 210 mm) or A4 (210 x 297 mm). |
| Bleed | Extend backgrounds and images 3 mm beyond the trim edge on all sides. Ask your printer if they need more. |
| Safe margin | Keep text and logos at least 5 mm inside the trim edge so they are not cut off. |
| Crop marks | Add them if your printer requests them. They show where the paper will be trimmed. |
| Colour mode | Use CMYK for printing. RGB colours, which look bright on screens, can print duller. |
| Image resolution | Aim for 300 pixels per inch at the printed size for flyers, cards and brochures. |
| Fonts | Embed all fonts in the PDF, or convert text to curves or outlines. |
| Pages | Put pages in the right order, and send one PDF per product. |
| Proof | Check every word and number on the final PDF, then print a test copy at 100%. |
Bleed, crop marks and safe margins follow the guidance of the University of Bristol’s print services page, which recommends 3 mm of bleed and keeping text at least 5 mm from the edge.
Bleed and safe margin explained
A printing press prints on a larger sheet and then cuts it down to size. The knife is never perfectly exact, so a design that stops at the trim line can show a thin white edge. Bleed solves this: you extend the background colour or photo a little beyond the finished size, and the cut happens inside the extra area.
The safe margin protects the opposite problem. If text or a logo sits too near the edge, a small cutting shift can chop it. Keep every important item inside the safe margin.
- Create your file at the finished size, then add 3 mm bleed on all four sides in the document settings.
- Extend the background past the trim line, not just up to it.
- Keep phone numbers, logos and names well inside the safe margin.
CMYK and the colour surprise
Screens mix red, green and blue light (RGB). Printers mix cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink (CMYK). Some bright screen colours, especially vivid greens, blues and oranges, simply cannot be made with ink, so the printed colour looks slightly duller. This is normal, not a printer’s fault. Read why in our guide to screen colour versus print colour.
Working in CMYK from the start of every print-ready PDF shows you the colours you will really get. If you design in an RGB-only tool, ask your printer how they convert. Also avoid very pale colours that can disappear on paper, and test one proof before a large print.
Resolution: how sharp must images be?
Print needs far more detail than a screen. For flyers, cards and brochures, aim for 300 pixels per inch (ppi) at the size the image will be printed. A photo that looks sharp on a phone may only be 72 ppi once scaled up, and it will look soft in print. Enlarging a small image does not add detail.
For banners, viewing distance changes the rule. Large-format prints are viewed from far away, so a lower resolution at full size can be acceptable, but vector logos and text are still best. Read our guides on vector graphics for large-format printing and banner printing in Nigeria.
Fonts: embed them or convert to curves
If a font is not embedded and the printer’s computer does not have it, a different font replaces it, and your layout changes. Either embed fonts when you export the PDF, or convert text to curves (outlines) before exporting. Keep an editable copy of the original file, because outlined text cannot be edited.
How to export a print-ready PDF in common tools
Menu names change between versions, so treat these as a guide:
- CorelDRAW: use File, then Publish to PDF, and choose a prepress or press-ready preset. Turn on crop marks and bleed in the settings. See designing an invoice in CorelDRAW for our tutorials.
- Canva: choose Share, then Download, set the file type to PDF Print, and tick crop marks and bleed if offered. Check the colour options available on your plan.
- Affinity: export as PDF and pick a press-ready preset, then enable bleed.
- Adobe Illustrator or InDesign: save as Adobe PDF and choose a PDF/X preset such as PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4, with marks and bleed on. PDF/X is a family of print-oriented PDF standards (see Wikipedia).
Not sure which tool to use? Compare them in our guide to graphic design software in Nigeria.
How to check your print-ready PDF before sending it
- Open the PDF and zoom in to 200% to 400%. Look for blurry images, missing text or odd characters.
- Check that the page size and bleed are right.
- Read every word, phone number and price one final time.
- Check the fonts in the PDF properties panel of your PDF reader.
- Print a test at 100% scale on plain paper and hold it against a ruler.
How to send a print-ready PDF to a Nigerian printing press
- On WhatsApp, send as a document, not as a photo. WhatsApp compresses images sent as photos, which lowers quality. Sending the PDF as a document keeps the file intact.
- Use a clear file name such as “business-cards-front-back.pdf”.
- Send front and back together for double-sided jobs, and say which is which.
- Include the final size, quantity and finish in the message, so the printer can confirm before printing.
- Keep the original design file in case the printer needs a change.
If you do not have a print-ready file, choose “With Design” on our product pages and we will prepare the artwork. If you do, choose “No Design” on products such as Business Cards, Flex Banner Printing or Custom Vinyl Sticker Printing and send your PDF.
Print-ready PDF mistakes that waste money
- Sending a screenshot or a photo of the design instead of a PDF.
- Using RGB colours and expecting the exact screen colour on paper.
- No bleed, so the print shows a white edge.
- Text too close to the edge.
- Low-resolution images pulled from social media.
- Changing the design after approval without a new proof.
For more design checks, see six basics of print design and how to get the best printing quotation.
What is a print-ready PDF?
It is a PDF with the correct size, bleed, safe margins, print colours, high-resolution images and embedded or outlined fonts, so it can go straight to the press.
How much bleed do I need?
Most printers ask for 3 mm on all sides. Confirm with your printer, because some presses need more.
Should I use CMYK or RGB for printing?
Use CMYK for printing. RGB colours can look duller when printed, so work in CMYK from the start if you can.
What resolution should my images be?
Use 300 ppi at the printed size for flyers, cards and brochures. Banners can use less because they are viewed from a distance.
How should I send my file on WhatsApp?
Send the PDF as a document, not as a photo, so WhatsApp does not compress it.
Want us to check your file?
Send your PDF with the size and quantity and we will check it before printing. If you need design help, we can prepare the file for you.
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