What resolution does my file need for print?

When it comes to resolution, small-format and large-format printing are completely different beasts. What works for a banner would look terrible on a business card, and what a business card needs would be overkill for a building wrap.

The short answer

• Small format (business cards, flyers, brochures): 300 dpi
• Most large format (posters, banners, decals): 125–150 dpi
• Viewed from a distance (vehicle wraps, wall graphics): as low as 72 dpi

What dpi actually means

DPI stands for dots per inch. The more dots that fit into a square inch, the sharper the print. The fewer dots, the bigger each dot gets, and the worse the quality.

Small format: 300 dpi

Anything printed on a digital press, like business cards, flyers, and brochures, needs 300 dpi. These pieces are held in your hand and read up close, so every detail shows.

Large format: it depends on the job

For most large format, like posters, banners, and decals, 125–150 dpi is the sweet spot.

Things made to be seen from far away, like vehicle wraps and wall graphics, can go lower, sometimes as low as 72 dpi, because the viewing distance hides it. We’ve even printed and installed jobs at 50 dpi, because the original photo was such good quality that it held up.

Why images from websites print fuzzy

This happens more than it should. Anything pulled off a website won’t print sharp. Websites need very little resolution compared to print. That’s why the web measures in pixels and printing measures in dots per inch. An image that looks great on your screen can look rough at print size. We try to catch low-resolution images before we print, along with things like spelling mistakes and layout issues, but it’s always best to send the best file you have.

You can’t add resolution later

This one comes up a lot. Changing the dpi number in Photoshop or enlarging the image doesn’t make it sharper. An image’s resolution is decided the moment the photo is taken. You can’t go back later and add it.

There are apps that try to help, but they’re not really adding resolution. They’re guessing at new dots based on the dots around them. That can work on small logos and simple graphics, but not on a nice photo.

Vector files: the exception

Vector files are made of lines, not dots. They’re created in programs like Adobe Illustrator, and they can be enlarged to any size without losing quality. That makes them perfect for logos, text, and shapes.

Photos are always raster images, made of dots. Vector is for artwork that was drawn, not photographed.

My advice

If you want sharp, consistent prints, resolution is key. If you have vector files, always use them. A good project, large or small format, usually has a mix of both: vector for logos and text, high-resolution raster for photos.

Not sure if your file is ready? Ask us before you send it.