Print Preflight
Check if your PDF is print-ready.
How to use Print Preflight
- 01
Upload your PDF
Add the document you want to check before sending it to a professional printer.
- 02
Review the preflight report
The tool scans for common print issues — missing fonts, low-resolution images, RGB colours, transparency problems — and lists each finding with a severity level.
- 03
Fix and re-check
Address the issues in your design software and re-upload to verify that everything passes before submitting the file.
Tested and last verified on
About Print Preflight
Scan your PDF for common print issues — missing embedded fonts, low-resolution images, RGB colors — and get a detailed report before sending to a professional printer. Runs locally in your browser.
Catching print problems before they cost money
Sending a file to a commercial printer and discovering problems after the job is printed is expensive — you pay for the run, the paper, and the time, and then you pay again when the corrected version is reprinted. Preflight is the quality check that catches these issues before the file leaves your hands: missing fonts that get substituted, low-resolution images that print blurry, RGB colours that shift when converted to CMYK, and transparency that renders incorrectly on certain print workflows.
This tool scans your PDF for the most common print issues and presents a clear report listing each finding, its severity, and what it means. You review the report, fix the issues in your design software, and re-upload to verify. The loop of check-fix-recheck takes minutes and can save you an expensive reprint.
What the report checks and why each item matters
Fonts: if a font is not embedded in the PDF, the printer's system may substitute a different font, changing the look of the entire document. The preflight report flags fonts that are referenced but not embedded. Image resolution: an image that looks fine on screen at 72 DPI may print as a blurry smudge at 300 DPI output. The report lists each image's effective DPI at its placed size so you can replace the low-resolution ones.
Colour space: consumer screens use RGB, but printing presses use CMYK. RGB colours that are not converted to CMYK may shift — vivid blues may print duller, bright greens may look different. The report flags RGB objects so you can convert them before printing. Transparency: some older print workflows cannot handle transparency correctly, causing objects to disappear or render with dark edges. The report notes transparency so you know whether to flatten it.
Who needs preflight and practical advice
Graphic designers run preflight on every file before sending it to a print shop. Self-publishing authors check book covers and interior files before submitting to a print-on-demand service. Marketing teams verify brochure and flyer files before approving a print run. Small businesses check business card and poster files prepared by a freelancer before committing to production.
For best results, run preflight early — before final approval, not as the file is being sent to the printer. Fix high-severity issues first (missing fonts, very low DPI images) and consult your print shop about borderline findings (slightly below 300 DPI, RGB colours in non-critical areas). And because the analysis runs entirely in your browser, proprietary designs and pre-release materials stay on your own device.
Questions
Everything runs in your browser. How we keep files private
What issues does the preflight check for?
It checks for missing or unembedded fonts, images below the recommended resolution for print, RGB colours that should be CMYK, transparency that may not flatten correctly, and general metadata like page dimensions and PDF version.
Will it fix the issues automatically?
No. The preflight tool is diagnostic — it identifies problems and explains what to fix. You make the corrections in your original design software, then re-upload to confirm the fixes. This approach avoids altering your file without your knowledge.
What resolution counts as low for print?
Images below 150 DPI at their placed size are flagged as low resolution. Professional print typically requires 300 DPI. The report tells you each image's actual DPI so you can decide whether it is acceptable for your specific print job.
Is the preflight scan done locally?
Yes. The entire analysis runs in your browser. Your design file is never uploaded to any server.