PDF for Print
Check your PDF before sending it to print. What matters most is the correct size, sharp text, included bleed, and that the content looks right even at a high zoom level.
Steps in short
- Open the final PDF in a separate PDF reader.
- Zoom to 400% and check the sharpness of text, logos and lines.
- Also view the PDF at 100% – if you can't read the text on screen, you won't be able to read it on the printed product either.
- Check the page size and number of pages.
- Make sure any background that runs to the edge extends into the bleed.
- Only send the final PDF to print.
Open the final PDF separately
Don't just check the preview in your design software. Open the final PDF in a reader and zoom to 400%. Screen resolution is around 72 dpi, while print needs 300 dpi – roughly four times sharper. That's why an image can look completely sharp on screen at 100% even if the print wouldn't be. Zooming in reveals this: if text, logos and thin lines stay sharp even at 400%, the file will hold up in print.
Also check at 100%
A 400% zoom reveals sharpness problems, but it doesn't tell you whether the text is actually legible. Also view the PDF at 100%: if you can't read the text on screen at this size, you won't be able to read it on the printed product either. The same applies the other way – text that's too large looks just as unbalanced on screen as it would in print.
Check the size and edges
The PDF needs to match the product you ordered. If an image, colour or background runs to the edge, it needs to extend into the bleed as well.
Check the critical details yourself
Names, prices, dates, phone numbers and QR codes are worth checking before ordering. We can check technical details, but we can't know which content is correct.
The PDF is the right size, the text is sharp and the background extends to the edge.
A screenshot PDF, wrong size, or a background that stops short of the edge.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the PDF need to be opened separately?
Because the view in your design software doesn't always show what's actually in the final PDF.
Why does zooming to 400% help?
Screens display images at around 72 dpi, while print needs 300 dpi. Low resolution can therefore look sharp on screen at 100%. Zooming to 400% reveals blurry logos, screenshots and rasterised text that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Why should the PDF also be checked at 100%?
100% roughly matches how the finished product looks at a normal viewing distance. If text isn't legible on screen at this size – too small or too large – it won't be legible on the printed product either.
Can the print house fix every error?
No. We can catch technical problems, but the customer needs to check the content.
