Logo File Formats Explained: SVG, EPS, PNG and When to Use Each

When you receive your final logo you will see several file types. Here is what each one is for, so you always send the right file to a printer, a developer or a social media page.

Vector files: AI, EPS, SVG and PDF

A vector file stores shapes and lines as math, so it can be made as small as a favicon or as large as a billboard without losing sharpness. Always keep your vector files safe. They are the master copy of your logo.

• AI is the Adobe Illustrator file. Designers use it to edit the logo.
• EPS is an older vector format that print shops and sign makers still ask for.
• SVG is a vector format for the web. It loads fast and stays sharp on every screen.
• PDF can also hold a vector logo and is easy to send to printers.

Image files: PNG, JPG and WebP

These are made of pixels, so they have a fixed size.

• PNG keeps sharp edges and can have a transparent background. Use it for websites, slides and documents.
• JPG is good for photos but has no transparency, so it is a weaker choice for logos.
• WebP is a modern web format that is smaller than PNG and JPG. Websites use it to load faster.

Which file for which job?

• Website header: SVG, or PNG if SVG is not possible
• Social media profile picture: PNG
• Business cards, flyers, signs and printing: EPS, PDF or AI
• Email signature: PNG at a small size
• T-shirts and embroidery: vector file, and tell the printer the number of colors

Color versions to ask for

A complete logo package has full color, black and white, and a reversed version for dark backgrounds. Ask for all of them in your brief, so your logo works on every background you use.