Bleeding Files: Preparing Files for Print

Posted: September 21, 2018 by Donna Blase

Looking to print your own personal design? It is important to understand the correct way of saving and submitting a file, particularly if you would like to include a bleed (elements extending beyond the edge of the page) in your file. Check out these helpful tips for preparing and properly saving art before sending to your commercial printer so that the project can proceed as efficiently as possible, without delays or potentially added costs.

 

Definition of a Bleed on a Print Document

Bleed is a printing term that describes a document, which has images or elements that touch the edge of the page, extending beyond the trim edge and leaving no white margin. When a document has bleed, it must be printed on a larger sheet of paper and then trimmed down.

 

Creating A Document With Bleeds

The method of adding bleeds to a document is slightly different depending on the program you're using. Please use the appropriate instructions below.

Adding bleeds in Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress, Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Publisher

Prepare the document at the size you want the final piece to be printed. Make sure all copy (wording) is at least 1/4" (0.25) away from the edge of the document. To make a bleed on a document, extend any color or images outside of the document edges by 1/8" (0.125). This will create a bleed. Please follow the directions below for creating a PDF with bleed for print.

Adding bleeds in Adobe Photoshop

Since Photoshop isn't a document layout program, you'll need to use a workaround for this. You will need to build your document larger than the final size and figure the bleed into the size of the document. For instance, if you want an 8.5 x 11 finished piece, you would have to make your document 8.75 x 11.25. Place anything you want to bleed off the page in that extra 1/8” on each side.  Remember, the 1/8" is bleed and you must set all text at least 3/4" from the edge of the document. Technically, the text will only be 1/4" from the edge when it’s printed. It is imperative to inform the person printing your job that you created the file in Photoshop and built the bleed into the document size.

Adding bleeds in Canva

If you're preparing your document in Canva, you'll add bleeds by going to File > View Settings and selecting Show print bleed. If you see white gaps around the design edges, you may want to resize or stretch your background to cover them. However, if the white gaps are beyond the dashed line, you may not need to make adjustments since they will be trimmed from the final printed document anyway.

Adding bleeds in Microsoft Word

You can’t have a document with bleeds, as this program was built for word processing and not for design.

 

Exporting or Saving as a Print-Ready PDF

When exporting or creating a DPF for print from such programs as InDesign, Illustrator, Publisher, or QuarkExpress, use these settings to be sure your PDF file is exported correctly.

If you want any images or color to bleed off the page (print to the edge of the paper) you must set-up your document to include bleeds. The bleed must be 1/8" (0.125).

Exporting a Print-Ready PDF With Bleeds in Adobe InDesign

  • Make sure bleed is set to .125" when creating a new document
  • Go to File and select Export
  • Format: Adobe PDF Print and Save
  • Adobe PDF Preset: Press Quality
  • Compatibility: Acrobat 8 (PDF 1.7)
  • Compression: Compress Text and Line Art Off
  • Marks and Bleeds: Marks - check Crop Marks, Bleeds - check Use Document Bleed Settings
  • Export as a PDF

Exporting a Print-Ready PDF With Bleeds in Adobe Illustrator

  • Make sure bleed is set to .125" when creating a new document
  • Go to File and select Save As
  • Format: Adobe PDF and Save
  • Adobe PDF Preset: Press Quality
  • Compatibility: Acrobat 8 (PDF 1.7)
  • Compression: Compress Text and Line Art Off
  • Marks and Bleeds: Marks - check Trim Marks, Bleeds - check Use Document Bleed Settings
  • Save PDF

Exporting a Print-Ready PDF With Bleeds in Adobe Photoshop

Please tell the printer that bleed is built into the size of the document.

  • Create your document .125" larger than the finished size on all sides to accommodate bleed
  • Create a duplicate document of your final design as a flattened (no layers) Photoshop file
  • Go to File and select Save As
  • Format: Photoshop PDF and Save
  • Adobe PDF Preset: Press Quality
  • Compatibility: Acrobat 8 (PDF 1.7)
  • Uncheck Preserve Photoshop Editing Capabilities
  • Save PDF

Exporting a Print-Ready PDF With Bleeds in QuarkXPress

  • Create bleed guides at .125"
  • Go to File then Export As and select PDF
  • PDF Style: Press -- High Quality / High Resolution
  • Select Options
  • Compression: Compress Text and Line Art Off
  • Registration Marks: Centered
  • Bleed: On
  • Save PDF

Exporting a Print-Ready PDF With Bleeds in Microsoft Publisher

  • Export as PDF
  • Click options: choose High quality printing or Commercial Press
  • Click Printer options: make sure crop marks, allow bleed, and bleed marks are checked
  • Click OK and then OK again

Exporting a Print-Ready PDF With Bleeds in Canva

  • Add bleed to your design (see instructions above).
  • On the menu bar, select  Share.
  • Select  Download.
  • On the File type dropdown, select  PDF Print.
  • Tick the Crop marks and bleed checkbox.
  • Select Download or Pay and Download.

Exporting a Print-Ready PDF With Bleeds in Mircosoft Word

  • This program is not recommended because there is no option for bleed

 

Other Items to Consider When Creating Your Document For Print

  1. Are your images high-resolution?  Your images need to be at least 300 dpi at the size you want them to be in your document. You may place larger images into your document at smaller sizes but it is not recommended to place small images at enlarged sizes.
  1. Is your document saved in CMYK Color format?  CYMK is the format needed to print.

 

If you have any further questions, please ask them in the comments below and we will be happy to answer them for you!



Cheryl Popoutsis

Posted: September 13, 2020 at 12:44 PM


I tried to export in Publisher and the only options were print quality and file type. There were no boxes for crop marks, allow bleed and bleed marks.

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