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When you hire a designer, you’re not just paying for a pretty picture; you’re investing in the foundation of your brand identity. That’s where source files come in.
These files are the behind-the-scenes heroes of any visual project. They give you full control over your design—whether you want to scale it for a billboard or tweak a small detail for social media. In this guide, we’ll break down each essential file format you’re likely to receive, helping you understand what they are, when to use them, and why they matter.
Source files are the editable originals created by your designer using professional software. They’re not just final visuals; they’re your design DNA, containing layers, paths, and objects that allow for future edits, resizing, and format changes.
Receiving your source files means:
Let’s explore the most important file types you’ll likely receive.
Use it for: Presentations, proofs, print-ready files
PDFs act as reliable digital replicas of your designs. Whether you’re presenting concepts to a client or preparing files for printing, PDFs preserve the integrity of your layout, text, and visuals. Their ability to support both scalable graphics and detailed images makes them highly adaptable for everything from screen previews to high-quality print production.
✅ Why It Matters:
Use it for: Logos, embroidery, signage, and print production
EPS files are a trusted choice in the professional print world widely recognized for their cross-platform compatibility and precision. As a flexible vector format, they’re ideal for maintaining sharpness and detail across various printing systems and design tools.
✅ Why It Matters:
Use it for: Editing your original logo, illustrations, or detailed vector artwork
The AI file is your true master file—the raw, editable format from Adobe Illustrator. This file holds all the paths, anchor points, layers, and effects. If your brand grows, this is the file your next designer will thank you for providing.
✅ Why It Matters:
🛑 Note: You need Adobe Illustrator to open/edit AI files.
Use it for: Websites, icons, logos with transparent backgrounds
PNG is your best friend online. Unlike JPEGs, PNGs support transparency, which means there are no ugly white boxes around your logo! It also uses lossless compression, so your images stay crisp and clear.
Why It Matters:
Maintains high quality
Supports transparency (great for overlays)
Perfect for digital use where clean visuals matter
Use it for: social media, websites, and digital ads
JPG is the most used image format on the web. It’s lightweight and loads quickly, making it perfect for digital platforms. However, it’s a flattened image; so, there are no layers, transparency, and limited editability.
✅ Why It Matters:
At the end of any professional design project, you should receive a complete package including:
File Type | Purpose |
AI | Editable master file (for future design work) |
EPS | Print-ready vector file (for vendors/printers) |
Presentations and print samples | |
PNG | Digital use, transparent backgrounds |
JPG | Quick previews, web use |
Having these ensures you’re ready for any format, whether it’s social media, a brochure, or even a billboard.
Even if you don’t plan to use them now, keep all source files backed up securely. You’ll save time, money, and headaches down the road!
Get a one-of-a-kind logo crafted by professionals—designed to be bold, memorable, and tailored to your vision.
