TL;DR
- You need two kinds of logo files: a vector file (AI, EPS, or SVG) for print and a high-resolution PNG for your website. Send the original if you have it.
- For your website, a high-resolution PNG with a transparent background works.
- For print, printers want the vector file.
- For the browser tab, your favicon starts as a 512 by 512 pixel PNG.
Vector vs. Pixel Files: What’s the Difference?
- Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG) are built from shapes, not pixels. They stay sharp at any size, from a business card to a billboard, so they’re the files you need for print.
- Pixel files (PNG, JPG), also called raster images, are made of tiny dots. They blur when you stretch them bigger than they were made, so your website needs a high-resolution PNG.
Logo Files for Your Website
- PNG with a transparent background. No white box behind your logo.
- High resolution. Your site uses versions at normal size and double size, so your logo stays crisp on high-resolution screens.
- A favicon. That’s the small icon in the browser tab. We start from a 512 by 512 pixel PNG.
Logo Files for Print
Printers want vector files. Keep your vector files for business cards, signs, shirts, and anything printed.
Made Your Logo With AI? Watch for a Fake Transparent Background
AI image tools can get transparency wrong. Ask one for a logo with a transparent background, and you may get a gray-and-white checkerboard drawn into the image instead.
That checkerboard is how design programs show a see-through background. The AI copies the look without making the background see-through. One client’s AI-made logo had exactly this problem. As Beth told the client, “Your logo is a fake transparent logo.”
- How to check: drop your logo onto a dark slide or document. A real transparent logo shows the dark color behind it. A fake one shows the checkerboard.
- How to fix it: send us the file with your project request. We can remove the background and make a true transparent version.
What Webmaster For Hire Recommends
- Get the original files from your logo designer, and keep them where your business can find them. See Who Owns My Website, Files, and Plugin Licenses?
- Know your logo’s font name. It helps if your logo ever needs to be recreated.
:: Common Questions ::
Can You Use the Logo From My Old Website?
It may be too small to look sharp. We’ll ask for the original file first. If you don’t have it, we can work from a high-resolution version.
How Do I Send My Logo Files?
See How to Send Large Photos, Videos, and Files to Your Webmaster.
Need Help With Your Logo Files?
Request a consultation, or send them with your project request.
