Press-Ready from Illustrator
Export settings for Adobe Illustrator
1. Document setup
Start right from the beginning:
- New Document → Print preset - Set dimensions to exact product size in millimeters - Bleed: 3mm on all sides (the red outline around your artboard) - Color Mode: CMYK - Raster Effects: High (300 PPI)
If your document is already in RGB, convert via Edit → Edit Colors → Convert to CMYK. Check your colors afterward — some may shift.
2. Handle fonts properly
Fonts are the #1 cause of printing problems. Two bulletproof approaches:
Option A — Outline everything: Select All (Cmd+A) → Type → Create Outlines. This converts all text to vector shapes. Fonts are no longer needed. Downside: text is no longer editable.
Option B — Embed fonts: when saving as PDF, Illustrator embeds fonts by default. Verify in the PDF export dialog under "Advanced" that "Subset fonts when percent of characters used is less than 100%" is checked.
We recommend Option A for final production files and Option B for files you want to keep editable.
3. Export as press-ready PDF
File → Save As → choose Adobe PDF (.pdf).
In the PDF dialog:
- Preset: [PDF/X-1a:2001] — the safest choice for commercial printing - Marks and Bleeds: check "Trim Marks", set Bleed to "Use Document Bleed Settings" (3mm) - Output: Convert to Destination → FOGRA39 (ISO Coated v2) - Advanced: Subset fonts below 100%
PDF/X-1a flattens transparency and ensures maximum compatibility with any press. If you need live transparency (drop shadows, gradients over images), use [PDF/X-4] instead.
Linked vs embedded images
Illustrator can link to external image files or embed them in the .ai file. For printing, always embed: File → Links panel → select image → Embed Image. Linked images can go missing when the file is sent to us. Our preflight scanner checks the final PDF, but embedding upfront prevents issues.