Supplying only an email preview can cause rework when a printer needs reusable logo artwork. For a logo built from lettering and drawn shapes, keep a genuine vector master and supply the print format your provider requests. Use the checks below to separate an acceptable file from one that needs a replacement.
Do you need a vector file for your logo? Usually yes as a reusable master, particularly when the same artwork must serve different print sizes. A raster copy may be acceptable for a specific job if the printer approves it at the final size. A PDF filename alone does not prove that the logo contains vector objects. Confirm the objects, retain the editable source, and get the actual output copy accepted.
When does the logo need to be vector?
Keep vector artwork when the identity consists of shapes and lettering that you need to resize and reuse. Adobe’s raster and vector documentation explains that raster images use pixels, while vector artwork describes shapes mathematically. Enlarging a raster image can expose its limited pixel detail; vector paths remain scalable.
That distinction does not make every raster file unusable. The decision has two parts: whether you have a reusable brand asset, and whether a particular output file is suitable for this job.
| Your next use | Suggested file to prepare | What must be confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Reuse a drawn logo across stationery, brochures and larger graphics | Editable vector master, plus an agreed delivery copy | The logo’s intended shape components are actual paths or text objects |
| Print one fixed-size item from an existing PNG or JPEG | The existing file for the printer to assess | Final placed size and the provider’s acceptance of its image detail |
| Supply a finished brochure or advertisement | Output PDF made to the provider’s requirements | The logo survives in the exported layout as intended |
| Use an identity containing a photograph or deliberate texture | Source artwork with its required raster assets | Which parts are raster, and whether they are suitable at the intended size |
For example, a printer accepting a PNG on a small card does not establish that it will work on a larger display. Record the approved use beside that filename. Keep the reusable-master question open until the master has been checked.
Does the file extension tell you what is inside?
Treat the extension as a format clue. Inspect the logo itself before recording its object type.
| File supplied | What it tells you | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| PNG or JPEG | You have a raster image | That a transparent background, a large file, or a clear preview makes it vector |
| AI, EPS or SVG | You have a format commonly used for vector artwork | That the visible logo was supplied as editable paths rather than placed image content |
| You have a document for inspection and sharing | That every element is vector, or that the PDF meets this printer’s specification |
Adobe identifies PNG and JPEG as raster formats and AI, EPS and SVG as vector formats, while noting that a PDF can contain either kind of content. Its comparison also notes that Illustrator can open raster files. Check the representation of the logo, not just the application that saved it. Source: Adobe’s format comparison.
For a concrete example, MDN documents how SVG can embed PNG and JPEG images. Saving image content inside such a container is insufficient evidence that it has become paths. Ask the sender to identify any raster components explicitly. A mixed file may be intentional; the acceptance record should say so.
How can you check the logo objects in a PDF?
Use object inspection on the delivered PDF, then retain a record of what was found. A zoomed preview is useful for spotting visible faults, but it does not identify the underlying objects reliably.
In Acrobat Pro, follow Adobe’s Output Preview instructions:
- Open the exact PDF you intend to send. Select All tools > Use print production > Output preview.
- In the Preview menu, choose Object Inspector. Select the logo area in the document window to inspect the objects under the pointer.
- Check the separate parts of the logo, including lettering and any effects. Record the object information shown. If an image is reported, record its resolution and color mode as displayed rather than guessing from its appearance.
- To preserve the details of a problem area, Alt-click on Windows or Option-click on macOS. Acrobat adds a comment containing the inspection information.
For an unfamiliar or mixed document, request a fuller resource check. Adobe’s Preflight reporting guidance says an inventory can list images, fonts, color spaces and other resources; it can help identify text or vector objects that have become images. In the Preflight dialog, choose Options > Create Inventory, select the resources to include, and save the report.
An image somewhere in a brochure does not prove the logo is raster: it may be a photograph elsewhere on the page. Match the inspection result to the logo’s location and components. If the result remains unclear, record Not checked and ask the designer or print provider to identify those objects.
Physical paper inspection and software object inspection answer different questions. The loupe scene above shows paper texture; use the software procedure to establish file content.
What if you have the editable artwork instead?
Ask the designer to demonstrate the logo’s component paths and identify any placed images in the source application. For Illustrator, Adobe’s viewing guide describes View > Outline, which hides paint attributes and shows artwork as outlines. Linked files normally appear as boxes containing an X, although a document setting can display their contents.
Use that view as supporting evidence alongside object selection and asset inspection. A rectangular boundary alone is insufficient to classify everything inside it, and a visible outline is not proof that every component is vector. Have the sender explain any mixed content.
What should you request from the designer?
Request a package with a clear distinction between source, output and preview files. The following is a suggested handoff inventory, not a universal requirement to deliver every format.
| Deliverable | What to request | Acceptance check |
|---|---|---|
| Editable master | Native artwork and the application/version needed to maintain it | The intended editor can open it and identify its components |
| Print copy | The format and settings this provider requests | The provider checks the actual delivered copy |
| Visual reference | An approved preview showing the intended appearance | Shape, spacing and version match the master and print copy |
| Required variants | Agreed full-color, single-color or reversed versions for your intended uses | Each supplied variant matches its approved reference |
| Supporting assets | Required linked graphics and a record of font access | No unexplained missing assets or substitutions on the recipient’s copy |
For an Illustrator source handoff, Adobe’s Package feature can collect the document, linked graphics, necessary fonts and a report. Review font permissions before copying font software; the feature does not grant sharing rights. Ask who will maintain editable lettering and which font access they need. If the printer requests outlined text in a delivery copy, retain a separate editable master.
When the logo belongs inside a layout, also check the InDesign links and fonts handoff. Receiving a correct logo separately does not confirm that the brochure package contains the right revision of it.
Does a confirmed vector logo make the print copy ready?
No. Object type answers the scaling question for the vector components; the provider still needs to accept color, placement and output settings for the job.
Keep these checks attached to the particular output file:
- Color instructions: Record the requested color space, any specified profile, and who handles conversion. Use the CMYK versus RGB handoff sheet to assign that responsibility.
- Appearance: Compare the delivered variant with the approved reference at its intended size and background. Resolve changed spacing, missing elements or unintended substitutions before acceptance.
- Layout integration: Confirm the final brochure, label or advertisement contains that accepted revision, then have the provider check its output file.
Leave provider-specific limits blank until supplied. This checklist does not set a universal image-resolution threshold, smallest printable detail, color recipe or PDF preset.
How do you record a pass or request a replacement?
Keep two decisions: master accepted for reuse and output accepted for this job. Either can remain pending while the other passes.
Copy this record into your handoff notes. Empty cells are deliberate; an unknown result stays Not checked.
| Field | Actual result |
|---|---|
| Source filename, revision and receiving application | |
| Approved reference filename | |
| Logo component types and inspection method | |
| Intentional raster components and their intended uses | |
| Missing links or font-access issues | |
| Print-copy filename and final placed size | |
| Provider’s file and color instructions | |
| Master accepted for reuse: Yes / Pending | |
| Output accepted for this job: Yes / Pending | |
| Outstanding item, responsible person and replacement filename |
If the object inspection reports only an image where you expected drawn artwork, send a precise request: “Please supply the editable vector master for this revision, identify any intentional raster components, and provide the print copy in the provider’s requested format.” If you cannot inspect the file, ask for an object report rather than marking it passed.
When the original vector source cannot be found, conversion or redrawing becomes a separate task. Adobe’s Image Trace documentation describes converting raster images into editable vector artwork. Our handoff recommendation is to compare any reconstructed result with the approved reference before accepting it; conversion alone does not establish a faithful match.
Once replacement files arrive, repeat the object and output checks on those files. Do not carry an earlier approval across to a new revision automatically.
Method and sources
This checklist compiles Adobe’s public documentation on raster and vector artwork, Acrobat inspection, Illustrator viewing, packaging and tracing, alongside MDN’s SVG documentation. The inventory, acceptance record and replacement wording are editorial recommendations for a brand owner receiving files. They do not report a test of a submitted logo or certify a printer’s output.
Sources were checked on October 16, 2026. Acrobat steps refer to Pro features; available tools and menu placement can vary by application version. The print provider must confirm the requirements for the actual job.
