After you create a Logo and receive your digital files, you may be wondering — what do I do with these? Why are there so many different formats? What is a vector file?

When it comes to logos, having the right file to use for a specific purpose — from a business card to a Facebook cover photo to a T-shirt — is important. Common logo file formats are:

• PNG
• SVG
• EPS
• PDF

A file can be identified by its extension: logo.png, logo.eps, and so on. Here’s a guide to exactly what each of these files formats are, what to use them for, and how to open them.

PNG – Portable Network Graphic

PNG files can be used for almost any digital purpose. They’re also useful if you need digital images with transparency, such as logos to put on colored backgrounds or on top of other images. This file type is not recommended for print.

What are the benefits of PNG files?

• If you compress and decompress the image’s size, it won’t lose its quality
• Can display millions of colors
• Support transparent backgrounds
• Easy-to-read and access file format (raster file)

Use PNG files to put your logo on:  

• Websites and blogs (including your favicon, the icon that shows up in your browser tab)
• Presentations
• Letterheads on Word or Google docs
• Social media profile and cover photos
• Online shops or platforms like Etsy
• Images (e.g. to add a watermark)

How do you open PNG files?
You can open PNG files on computers, mobile devices, and tablets, because it’s an accessible, easy-to-read file format. Most browsers also let you view a PNG without downloading the file.

Good to know:
If you’ve purchased a social media kit along with your Logojoy premium package, you’ll get PNG files perfectly sized for profile and cover images on Facebook, Instagram, Etsy, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter, as well as version for your favicon, wallpaper, and image watermark. They also come in a variety of background colors, including a black version and a white version.

SVG – Scalable Vector Graphic

SVGs are developed for the web using mathematical formulas rather than individually colored pixels on the page. Vector files will always be crisp and maintain quality — for this reason, you should use them whenever they’re accepted, especially when sending a logo to print.

What are the benefits of SVG files?

• Can be scaled to any size without loss of image quality (they also look great on retina display)
• Vector file format
• Small file size compared to a PNG or JPG
• Web-friendly XML language and editable on design software like Adobe Illustrator
• Support transparent backgrounds

Use SVG files to put your logo on:

• Print materials (business cards, posters, stickers, and more)
• Clothing and swag
• Stickers and labels
• Websites (note: you must know how to code because most website builders, including WordPress and Squarespace, won’t accept SVGs)
• …or if you need to send your logo to a designer to make changes

How do you open SVG files?
You can open SVG files in a browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Internet Explorer), in Adobe Illustrator, or on another Adobe program like Photoshop and InDesign with an SVG plugin.

These files are also great for sending to a designer if you need them to work on your logo. Inkscape and GIMP are two free programs that support SVG files (note: we don’t advise editing SVGs on these programs).

Good to know:
Your SVG logo files should be delivered with a colored background and a transparent background to serve different needs. Some printers accept SVG files, but check before you send to ensure you’re giving them a compatible file format.

EPS – Encapsulated PostScript

EPS files are a graphic format for vector-based images in Adobe Illustrator. They’re used for printing and editing purposes and are commonly referred to as “working files” or “master files.”

What are the benefits of EPS files? 

• Easily scalable for print (can be as large as a billboard and as small as a business card)
• Vector file format
• Editable on design software like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop
• Support transparent backgrounds

Use EPS files to put your logo on:

• Print materials (business cards, posters, brochures, and more)
• Stickers and labels
• Clothing and swag
• …or if you need to send your logo to a designer to make changes

How do you open EPS files?
It’s tricky to open and edit EPS files without Illustrator or Photoshop; however, you can download free software like Sketch or Inkscape to access them.

Good to know:
Your EPS logo files should be delivered with a colored background and a transparent background to serve different printing and editing needs. Most printers and designers accept EPS files, but check before you send to ensure you’re giving them a compatible file format.

PDF – Portable Document Format

PDFs are another file format developed by Adobe. They’re commonly used for document purposes, but can also be used to share images, including logos.

What are the benefits of PDFs?

• Easy-to-read file format
• Formatting stays the same on every device
• Support transparent backgrounds
• Easy to share

Use PDF files to put your logo on:

• Print materials (business cards, posters, stickers, and more)
• Stickers and labels
• Clothing and swag

How do you open PDFs?
Because it’s an easy-to-read file format, you can download and open PDFs on computers, mobile devices, and tablets. Most browsers allow you to preview the PDF file without opening it in an additional program after download. The ideal program to open a PDF is Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free to download and comes with most computers.

To edit a PDF logo file, you’ll need Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop.

Key Takeaways

When it comes to branding, having the right logo format for a specific purpose is important. Here’s a quick summary:

• If you’re using your logo for any digital purpose — from PowerPoint presentations to watermarks on images — choose PNG files.
• If you’re sending your logo to be printed on business cards, brochures, clothing, swag, and more, choose vector files. Use SVGs if they’re accepted by the printer you’re using — if not, send an EPS or PDF.
• If you’re sending your logo to a designer to make changes, send them SVG or EPS files unless they request otherwise.

Figuring out how to use your logo files can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Think about what you need your logo for — or ask someone who is printing or designing for you — and go from there.

Happy brand-building!

The post Everything You Need to Know About Logo File Formats (and How To Use Them) appeared first on Logojoy.