How to prepare a PDF for professional printing: complete checklist

2 min read·25 July 2026

A PDF for professional printing has different requirements than a PDF for on-screen use. With this checklist, and PDFrust's tools: you deliver a print-ready file without surprises.

Resolution: minimum 300 dpi

Images for print need at least 300 dpi (vs. 72–96 dpi for screen). Have low-resolution images in your PDF? They will look blurry and pixelated in print. Check this with the info tool and replace images with higher quality versions.

Colour profile: CMYK for offset, RGB for digital

Offset printers work with CMYK inks (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). RGB PDFs are automatically converted, but colours may differ. For critical colour accuracy deliver a CMYK PDF. Digital printers accept RGB, but always discuss this in advance.

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Bleed area

Images or areas that should run to the edge of the page must extend 3 mm outside the trim area (bleed). Use the margins tool to add extra space and the border tool for trim marks.

Embed fonts

Non-embedded fonts are replaced by a default font at the printer. Use the flatten tool to convert text to outlines (vector paths): then no fonts are needed. Check with the info tool whether all fonts are embedded.

PDF/X format

Professional printers often ask for a PDF/X file (PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4). This is a standardised print format without transparency issues or font problems. Always ask your printer for technical specifications before delivering.