Which logo files does your team actually need?

Start with the recipient, not a favourite extension

The question is not which format wins. It is what the person receiving the logo needs to do. A developer, an account manager preparing slides and a sign maker are not opening the same tool or solving the same problem. A useful handover makes that distinction before files leave the studio.

The logo supplied for placement is not the same deliverable as a finished, production-ready brochure. An EPS or another format can be added when a supplier specifically requires it. Build the package around actual destinations instead of treating a long list of extensions as evidence of quality.

A vector-looking filename is not proof of vector artwork

MDN’s SVG image documentation explains that an SVG can contain a raster image. Putting a small PNG inside that container does not redraw its edges as scalable paths. A PDF containing a low-resolution screenshot has a similar practical limitation. Renaming the file does not repair the artwork.

Ask the designer to inspect the objects, not simply zoom into a preview. For a straightforward vector logo, the relevant shapes and lettering should exist as paths rather than as one embedded bitmap. Some approved identities deliberately include texture or photographic elements; those need an explicit explanation of their reproduction limits, not a claim that everything scales indefinitely.

If the only surviving file is a tiny JPEG, look for the original artwork first. Where reconstruction is necessary, scope it as a separate task and approve the resulting letterforms, spacing and proportions. An unchecked automatic trace should not silently become the new master.

Specify PNG dimensions around an actual use

MDN’s image-format guide describes PNG transparency and SVG’s use for drawings at different sizes. A transparent PNG is a useful everyday fallback when a tool does not accept vectors. Its pixel dimensions still set a limit on how far it can be enlarged.

For screen use, asking for “300 DPI” leaves the important question unanswered: how many pixels are available? If a logo will appear 300 CSS pixels wide, a 600-pixel-wide export is one starting point for a 2× display scenario. That is simple sizing arithmetic, not a universal platform requirement. Check the result on the intended device.

Place the PNG on both light and dark backgrounds. Look for an accidental white rectangle, a fringe around the edges or excessive empty margins. Also test the approved white artwork on a dark surface; an apparently blank white preview does not mean the file is empty.

Separate colour preparation from file selection

Our recommendation is to label digital RGB/sRGB assets separately from copies prepared for production. That does not mean every printer needs the same CMYK conversion, or that a file called “print” has passed a colour check. Ask the supplier how the artwork will enter its workflow.

Adobe’s print colour-management guidance ties output profiles to devices and printing conditions. Agree the required colour space, profile and any specified spot colours with the production team. Where colour is critical, decide how a proof or physical sample will be approved rather than promising an identical appearance on every material.

Adobe’s PDF guidance describes print workflows and different PDF settings. Use the supplier’s requirements instead of imposing one export preset on every job. Bleed and trim marks generally belong to the completed layout in which the logo is placed, not to every standalone logo asset. Our note on taking design from screen to material explains why production conditions should be discussed early.

Keep the editable master distinct from distribution copies

The working master exists so that an approved design can be maintained accurately. A web asset exists so that it can be placed on a page. There is no reason those must be the same file. Agree the originating application, compatible version and source-delivery scope before the project reaches its final export stage.

Adobe’s artwork-saving documentation includes an SVG option for converting type into vector paths. For distribution, LMC recommends a checked copy with outlined lettering where appropriate, while retaining a separate master for future text edits. Outlining preserves shapes, but the lettering no longer behaves like an ordinary editable text field.

Record font names and where they can be obtained; do not assume the font files will automatically travel with the logo. Identify any linked images or other dependencies and explain what the next editor needs. A folder full of exports is not a substitute for this information. List the source file, usage copies and brand guidance separately in the agreed handover.

Make the package understandable to a non-designer

A good package does not need hundreds of speculative exports. It needs the approved variants the team will actually use. Include horizontal, stacked or symbol-only versions only where those arrangements have been designed and approved. Provide approved full-colour, black and white versions with clear background guidance; do not leave staff to improvise colour inversions.

• Master: editable artwork, application version and dependency notes.
• Digital: suitable SVG files and PNGs at the required pixel sizes.
• Production: PDFs with documented preparation and other explicitly requested formats.
• Usage note: approved arrangements, colour references, clear space and minimum-size decisions.
• Preview: a short guide showing which file is for which task.

Names such as brand_primary_rgb.svg, brand_primary_rgb_1200w.png and brand_primary_print.pdf can make selection easier. These are example filenames, not technical certifications. Pair the names with preparation notes, keep one dated approved package and separate superseded versions so that nobody accidentally sends an old mark to a supplier.

The practical benefit is fewer decisions left to whoever happens to be creating the next presentation. The identity itself still needs rules beyond formats: our brand-consistency note looks at those shared decisions across different media.

Approve the handover in the tools people will use

Download the package as a recipient would. Place an asset in a slide, export that slide to PDF, view the SVG on a webpage and ask the supplier to assess the relevant production copy. A successful preview in the designer’s own application is not the entire acceptance test.

• Do the proportions, spacing and letterforms match the approved artwork?
• Do distribution copies open without missing-font or linked-image warnings?
• Do the light- and dark-background versions work as intended?
• Are PNG dimensions stated, and has the SVG/PDF content actually been checked?
• Is there a clear approval date, asset owner and shared location?

For a new identity project, write the handover scope into the brief alongside the design scope. Explore our brand and design services or tell us what files you have and where they need to work. The useful outcome is a set of assets that lets the next piece of work begin, not another request to “send the logo again”.

Common questions

Can a PNG logo ever be used in print?

Yes, depending on its pixel dimensions, final reproduction size and production method. It does not replace vector artwork for jobs requiring cutting paths or further editing. Confirm what the supplier needs.

Does receiving an SVG or PDF prove the logo is vector?

No. Both can contain raster images. Have the artwork inspected rather than relying on the extension or a magnified preview.

How large should a logo PNG be?

There is no single pixel size for every destination. Start with its display area and target device, then supply the necessary sizes alongside a scalable master rather than treating one oversized PNG as a universal solution.