How do I get a high-quality design file?

Written by

Sabrina Barnes

If you’re creating a design from scratch, we recommend using vector files because they can scale without losing quality. If you’re using raster files (JPEG/PNG), start with a high-resolution, large-size design and scale down if needed—scaling up a small file will reduce quality. For more tips, keep reading or watch the video below.

What determines image quality?

“Image quality” typically refers to the image resolution in the given size.

The overall quality is determined by the quality of the pixels, not the number of them. A common recommendation is 300 DPI. However, resolution can be increased artificially, so DPI alone doesn’t guarantee good image quality.

Printify shows specific file requirements for each design area of a product, which you can find in our Product Creator side panel.

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If you have a low-resolution design that you want to use, we’ll automatically enhance the quality of the print file before sending the order to production so that it’s more suitable for printing. However, keep in mind that there are limitations to the level of improvement that can be achieved.

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Note

Low-quality designs with artificially increased resolution won’t be automatically enhanced as they can’t be detected by the enhancement tool.

Can I improve the quality of my design?

The short answer: it depends on the design. When it comes to raster files (JPEG/PNG), here are your options:

Try vectorizing the file

Vectorizing can increase the sharpness of the design elements; however, it may not be an option for specific types of files, such as photos. Here’s another vectorizing tool you can try.

Scale it down

If the design is slightly blurry, scaling it down will make it less noticeable.

Recreate the design from scratch in better quality

There are several user-friendly browser-based image editors available, such as Pixlr, Photopea, and Canva.
You may also want to check out GIMP, which is a free and open-source image editor.
If your design file contains only text, try our built-in Text Editor and recreate it that way.

Have the design recreated by a professional graphic designer

If you’d prefer to have someone else recreate the file for you, consider hiring a graphic designer.

Use a different design

You can find free designs in our Product Creator Graphics Library.
Our integration with Shutterstock offers more than 300 million high-quality images to choose from.
Check out our blog article on free resources for designs and where to find them.

Note

If the file resolution has been artificially increased, it won’t make the pixels any clearer or crisper. It will simply change the number without having any effect on the quality of the design, and the print outcome won’t be desirable.