How to prepare a file for banner printing — full technical guide

How to prepare a file for banner printing — full technical guide

You've ordered a roll-up banner, you have a ready idea and you're excited to see the result. Then you send the file and get back a banner with blurry text, a cropped logo, or colors that don't resemble anything on the screen. Sounds familiar? It happens more often than you'd think — and it's almost always the result of a file preparation mistake, not poor printing.

In this guide you'll find everything you need to know to send a file that produces exactly what you had in mind.

Why is file preparation so important?

Wide-format printers work differently from home printers or offset printing. They read files at actual physical size and print every pixel exactly where it is. If you submit a low-quality image or a file with incorrect settings, the printer will print exactly that — a low-quality image with incorrect settings.

The good news: preparing a file for a banner is not complicated if you follow specific rules from the very start of the design work.

1. File size — work in actual size or scaled format

The first thing you need to set before drawing a single element is the document size. For roll-up banners there are two approaches:

Actual size (1:1) — the document is created exactly at the banner's dimensions. For example, for a 100×200 cm banner, the document is 100×200 cm. Suitable for vector programs like Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer, since vector elements are resolution-independent.

Scaled size (1:10 or 1:5) — the document is created at a reduced scale, for example 10×20 cm instead of 100×200 cm. Then the resolution is multiplied accordingly — instead of 150 dpi at actual size, you use 1500 dpi at a 1:10 scale. This approach is used in programs like Adobe Photoshop when working with raster elements.

The specific banner sizes available in stock at Printopix:

• 85 × 200 cm
• 100 × 200 cm
• 120 × 200 cm
• 150 × 200 cm
• 200 × 200 cm

2. Resolution — how many dpi is enough?

Resolution (dpi — dots per inch) determines how detailed the image is when printed. Different rules apply to wide-format printing than to offset or home printing.

• Minimum 100 dpi at actual size — banners are viewed from a distance (usually 2–5 meters), so you don't need as high a resolution as for a flyer or business card.
• Recommended 150 dpi at actual size — provides excellent results for all standard cases. This is the standard at Printopix.
• 200–300 dpi — for detailed close-up photos or for banners viewed from under a meter away (for example, tabletop banners).

A common mistake is taking a small image and "enlarging" it in Photoshop. Enlarging a raster image doesn't add information — it only blurs the pixels. If you have a low-resolution photo, the solution is either to find a higher-quality original, or to use it smaller in the design.

How to check resolution in Photoshop: Image → Image Size → look at the value next to "Resolution" with the "Resample" option turned off.

3. Color profile — RGB or CMYK?

Wide-format printers work with CMYK inks (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). Screens work in RGB (red, green, blue). The two color spaces don't fully match — RGB can display colors that CMYK simply cannot print.

The rule is simple: work in CMYK from the very start.

If the design is made in RGB and you convert it to CMYK at the last moment, you may notice a change in color saturation — especially with vivid blues, greens and oranges.

If you use specific corporate colors on the Pantone scale, request their CMYK equivalents and set them directly in the design.

Recommended color profile: ISO Coated v2 (ECI) or Fogra39 — standard for European printing.

4. Bleed — why it's mandatory

Bleed is an additional strip around the edges of the design that is trimmed off during final processing. For roll-up banners, a minimum of 5 mm bleed on each side is added. This means that if the banner is 100×200 cm, the file must be 101×202 cm.

Why is bleed necessary? There are minor deviations when mounting the canvas in the cassette and when trimming. If the background color or photo goes exactly to the edge of the document without bleed, these small deviations will result in white stripes appearing along the edges.

Practical rule: all backgrounds and colored areas should extend to the edge of the bleed zone. Important elements such as logo, text and contact information should be at least 10–15 mm inward from the edge of the banner (safe zone).

5. Fonts — embed them or convert to outlines

If you send a file with unembedded fonts, when it's opened on another computer the program will replace the missing fonts with default ones — and your design will look completely different from what was intended.

Converting to outlines (Create Outlines) — in Adobe Illustrator: select all text elements → Type → Create Outlines. The text is converted into vector shapes and no longer depends on installed fonts. Important: keep a copy of the file before converting, since afterward the text can no longer be edited.

Embedding fonts in PDF — when exporting a PDF, select the "Embed All Fonts" option.

At Printopix we work mainly with PDF and AI files with fonts converted to outlines — this is the safest method.

6. File format — which one to choose?

• PDF — the universal standard. Preserves all elements, fonts and color profiles. Recommended as the final file for any program.
• AI (Adobe Illustrator) — suitable for fully vector designs.
• TIFF — a raster format with high resolution, no compression. Suitable for photographic designs.
• JPEG — acceptable at high resolution (minimum 150 dpi) and quality 10–12 out of 12. Avoid JPEG for designs with sharp edges, thin lines or text.

Do not send: PSD files (unless specifically requested), Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, or photos taken directly from a phone.

7. Quick check before sending the file

• Does the document size match the ordered banner?
• Has a bleed of at least 5 mm been added on each side?
• Is the resolution of all raster images at least 150 dpi?
• Is the color profile CMYK?
• Are the fonts converted to outlines or embedded in the PDF?
• Are important texts and the logo at a safe distance from the edge (10–15 mm)?
• Is the file a PDF or AI?

If the answer to all these questions is "yes" — the file is ready for printing.

What roll-up banner sizes does Printopix offer in stock?

At Printopix we keep the full range of roll-up banners in stock — from the compact 85×200 cm to the wide-format 200×200 cm. All structures are available immediately, with no waiting. With a print-ready file, a large portion of orders are shipped the same day they are received, via Econt or Speedy.

If you have questions about file preparation or need assistance with design, our team is at your disposal:

Phone: 0887 433 955
Email: mail@printopix.com