Logo File Formats 101: Use Case Resource
You’ve just received your final design files for your new brand and you may be wondering, “Why are there so many files?”, “When should I use which?”. Reference this blog as your go-to resource for using your various logo file formats appropriately for optimized digital and print designs.
File Format Breakdown
The most popular logo file formats that we’ll cover here are PNG, SVG, EPS, PDF, AI & JPG, which can be identified by the ending extension in the file name… .png, .eps & so on. (Your designer should deliver these file types in appropriately labeled folders for easy access).
PNG – Portable network graphic
SVG – Scalable vector graphic
EPS – Encapsulated postscript
PDF – Portable document format
AI - Adobe Illustrator
JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group
Why do I need so many different file types?
Having the right logo file on hand, organized in clearly named folders, and labeled correctly, will enable efficient logo use to promote your brand through a variety of use cases from business cards to t-shirts and social media graphics. Let’s dive in!
Logo designs and illustrations are created as original vector graphics in design programs using lines, points and curves (typically the original artwork creation source - Adobe Illustrator). A vector graphic, .Ai, .EPS and .SVG’s, can be scaled indefinitely and not lose quality. These file types are perfect for creating large-scale prints, like pull-up banners or signs. Because these original vectors are typically large files, they’re not always the best choice (or possible) file choice for other common uses like social media graphics.
To create viable logo files for other use cases, we can export original vectors to other file types like PNGs, JPGs, etc.. Through this export process, they become rasterized. A raster graphic is saved at a specific pixel dimension, and appears at the best quality when it’s used at that specific dimension (and no larger). When scaled larger, it loses its quality. But for many uses (like small phone screens), these files are perfect - they appear high-resolution and are a small enough file size (MB) that they load quickly on screen, which is essential for a good user experience. Using a too-large file type on social or your website causes slow load times, and we don’t want that!
Let’s dive in to the best uses for each -
EPS - Encapsulated Postscript
.EPS files are scalable vector files perfect for print uses. EPS files can be scaled to as large as a billboard and keep their high quality (or as small as a business card). When working with commercial printers or designers, share .EPS files, as they can always export it to a different file type if needed.
SVG - Scalable Vector Graphic
.SVG files are scalable vector files ideal for web uses. SVG files can be scaled on websites and remain high quality, typically crisper than a PNG or JPG. To build your small business website, you’ll want SVGs on hand for preferred website use.
PNG - Portable Network Graphic
.PNG files are transparent, vector graphics ideal for screen use - think social. These pixel-based graphics lose quality when scaled up, so they should be reserved for screen use. If an SVG is not an option for your website, a small PNG is the next best option. To compress a PNG to optimize your website load speeds, free online tools like TinyPNG or other image-compressing softwares, are great options. If you use a Mac, you can compress images in file Finder.
PDF - Portable Document Format
.PDF files can be many things - a high-quality vector (if exported appropriately from a design program, like Adobe Illustrator), OR a low-res raster graphic for fast online loading. It all depends on how the PDF is generated. For example, if you created a PDF from a PowerPoint presentation, this would NOT be a high-res vector, and shouldn’t be used for print. We provide high-res vector PDFs suitable for printing. Keep in mind, PDFs do NOT have transparent backgrounds.
JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group
.JPG files are common raster-based files ideal for images/photographs (not original graphics/illustrations). .JPGs can also be used on your website, but should be compressed appropriately for fast-loading as with PNGs.
AI - Adobe Illustrator
.AI files are the original vector “source file” - the design program in which the design was created. You can only open .AI files with the program Adobe Illustrator installed. As a small business owner looking for common logo use, you don’t need to worry about this file type!