When your logo or brand project wraps, you should get vector files (AI, EPS, SVG and PDF) and raster files (PNG and JPG), in color versions for screen (RGB) and print (CMYK, plus Pantone if you use spot color), in full color, black, white and any alternate layouts. You should also get your color codes, font names with license info, and a simple guide on which file to use where.
If your designer hands you one JPG and calls it done, you're going to feel it the first time a sign shop, a printer or a web developer asks for "the vector." Here's what each file is, why you need it and the checklist I use when I hand off a project.
Vector vs. raster: the one thing to understand
Every file you get falls into one of two camps.
- Vector files are built from math: points, lines and curves. You can scale them to a business card or a billboard and they stay sharp. Printers, sign makers, embroiderers and vinyl cutters need vector.
- Raster files are built from pixels. They look great at the size they were made for and get blurry or blocky when you blow them up. Websites, social media, email and slides use raster.
Your logo should be designed as vector first. Raster files get exported from that master, never the other way around. If the only "original" you have is a PNG, you don't have an original.
The logo file types, and what each one is for
AI (Adobe Illustrator)
The working master file. It's fully editable, with layers and artboards intact. You may never open it yourself, but the next designer you hire will ask for it.
EPS
An older vector format that a lot of print shops, sign makers and promo product vendors still ask for. Think of it as the universal "send me your vector" file.
SVG
Vector for the web. Developers use it because it stays crisp on every screen size and the files are small. Ask for it if you have a website.
A vector PDF opens on almost any computer and keeps the logo sharp at any size. It's often the easiest thing to send to a printer when they don't use Illustrator.
PNG
Raster with a transparent background. This is the file you'll use the most day to day: on your site, in slides, over photos, in social graphics. Get it in a few sizes.
JPG
Raster with a solid background, usually white. Fine for email, documents and anywhere transparency doesn't matter. Never use it over a colored background, or you'll get a white box around your logo.
Color modes: RGB, CMYK and Pantone
The same logo needs different color setups depending on where it lives.
- RGB is for anything on a screen: website, social, video, apps. Your HEX codes live here too.
- CMYK is for standard four-color printing: business cards, flyers, brochures, menus.
- Pantone (PMS) is a spot color system for when the color has to match exactly every time: screen printed tees, packaging, signage, promo items.
Your files should be organized so nobody has to guess. I split them into folders by color mode, and every file name says which one it is. Ask for the actual color values in writing too, not just inside the files. "Our orange" means nothing to a printer.
Logo versions you should have
One logo is never enough. At minimum you need:
- Primary logo in full color
- Alternate layouts, like a stacked version and a horizontal version
- Icon or submark for profile pictures, favicons and tiny spaces
- One-color black for single-color printing, stamps and documents
- One-color white (reversed) for dark backgrounds and photos
When I rebranded A&J Prestige Detail, the job wasn't just the logo. It was a full suite of versions built for dark and light backgrounds, plus badges and a pattern, so the brand worked on shirts, stickers, air fresheners and bags without anyone improvising. For Triple Eight Auto, I helped get vinyl cut for the front desk and the sign out front, which only works because the logo exists as clean vector.
Fonts and licenses
Fonts are where a lot of handoffs quietly go wrong.
You should get the names of every typeface used in the logo and brand, the weights, and where to get them. What you usually won't get is the font files themselves, and that's on purpose. Most fonts are licensed, not owned, and the license often doesn't let a designer pass the files along.
Adobe is a good example. Its Adobe Fonts licensing FAQ says the fonts can't be transferred to another user or computer, and that a client who needs to edit a design with those fonts needs their own license. Rasterized or embedded files like PDFs, PNGs and JPGs are fine to share.
That's why your logo files should have the type converted to outlines. The letters become shapes, so the logo looks right on any computer whether the font is installed or not. Keep a separate note of the fonts so you can buy or activate them for your own documents later.
If your logo uses custom lettering, like the hand-drawn graffiti type I build (see my graffiti logo design post), there's no font to license at all. It's artwork, delivered as outlines.
File naming that saves you later
A folder of files called "logo_final_v3_FINAL.png" is a problem waiting to happen. A good naming system tells you what the file is before you open it. I use something like:
brandname_logo_primary_fullcolor_rgb.pngbrandname_logo_stacked_white_cmyk.epsbrandname_icon_black.svg
Brand, asset, layout, color version, color mode, extension. Boring on purpose. Your future self, your printer and your next hire will thank you.
The handoff checklist
Use this before you sign off on any logo or identity project.
Logo files
- AI master file (editable)
- EPS, SVG and PDF vector versions
- PNG (transparent) in several sizes
- JPG for quick use
Versions
- Primary, stacked and horizontal layouts
- Icon or submark
- Full color, one-color black, one-color white
Color
- Separate RGB and CMYK folders
- HEX, RGB, CMYK and Pantone values written down
Type
- Typeface names, weights and where to license them
- Logo type converted to outlines
Extras
- Social profile images sized and ready
- Favicon
- Brand guidelines or at least a one-page usage sheet (my brand guidelines checklist covers what goes in one)
- Everything in one shared folder with clear names
If you want a head start, the Brand Starter Kit on my free kits page includes the brand guidelines checklist and a design brief template.
FAQ
What logo file formats do I need?
At minimum: AI or EPS, SVG and PDF for vector, plus PNG and JPG for everyday digital use. That covers printers, sign shops, web developers and your own social posts.
What's the difference between vector and raster?
Vector files are built from shapes and scale to any size without losing quality. Raster files are built from pixels and get blurry when enlarged, so they're best at the size they were made for.
Should my designer give me the font files?
Usually not, because most font licenses don't allow it. You should get the font names and where to license them, and your logo files should have the text converted to outlines.
Can I edit my logo files myself?
You can open the AI or EPS file in Illustrator or another vector program. For small things like resizing, PNGs and PDFs are enough. For real changes, go back to a designer so the brand stays consistent.
What if my old designer never gave me vector files?
Ask for them first. If that's not possible, a designer can redraw the logo as clean vector from the best image you have, which is often a good time to tighten it up too.
Free download: my Brand Starter Kit includes a brand guidelines checklist that covers every file and version you should have on hand. Get the free kit
Get files you can actually use
Every identity I design ships with a complete, clearly named file library and a guide on what to use where, so you're never stuck asking for "the vector" again. See more on my brand identity page.