Logo file formats: what files a designer should give you, and which one to use where
Logo file formats explained: the SVG, PNG, PDF and EPS files a designer should give you, and which one to use for web, print, social and slides.
The logo file formats a designer should give you are SVG, PNG, PDF and the original source file (usually AI or EPS), for every version of your logo, in full color, black and white. SVG is for websites and anything that needs to scale. PNG with a transparent background is for everyday use: slides, documents, social posts, email signatures. PDF, AI and EPS are for printers, sign makers and future designers. JPG is optional, for the few places that refuse anything else.
That's the short answer. Below is the full checklist, what each format is, and a table of which file to use where, so you never have to guess again.
What logo files should a designer give you?
A complete logo package is a grid: every version of the logo, in every color treatment, in every format.
| Versions | Color treatments | Formats |
|---|---|---|
| Primary logo (the main one) | Full color | SVG |
| Secondary or stacked logo | One color, black | PNG, transparent background |
| Icon or mark on its own | Reversed, white (for dark backgrounds) | PDF or EPS (vector, for print) |
| Wordmark (the name set in type), if separate | AI, the original source file |
So a brand with three versions and three color treatments should end up with nine logos, each saved in three or four formats. That sounds like a lot of files. It's what saves you from emailing your designer every time a printer asks for "a vector file".
If you're paying for a logo or a rebrand, put this list in your agreement before the work starts. Our guide on how to brief a designer covers the rest of what to ask for.
Logo file formats, explained
There are two kinds of image file. Vector files (SVG, AI, EPS, PDF) store the logo as shapes, so they stay crisp at any size, from a favicon to a billboard. Raster files (PNG, JPG) store it as a grid of pixels, so they get blurry when you blow them up. If you'd like more on the difference, read what is a vector logo.
| Format | Vector or pixels | Transparent background | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SVG | Vector | Yes | Websites, apps, anything that scales on screen |
| PNG | Pixels | Yes | Slides, documents, social posts, email signatures |
| JPG | Pixels | No | Only where a site or form won't take PNG |
| Usually vector | Yes | Sending to printers; opens on almost any computer | |
| EPS | Vector | Yes | Older print and sign workflows |
| AI | Vector | Yes | The editable original, for designers |
SVG
The modern all-rounder for screens. It's small, sharp at every size and can sit on any background. Websites, web apps and most design tools take SVG. A few everyday tools don't (Google Slides, for one, wants PNG or JPG), which is why you need PNGs too. More in SVG vs PNG for logos.
PNG
The file you'll use most. A PNG can have a transparent background, so the logo sits cleanly on a colored slide or photo without a white box around it. Ask for large PNGs (at least 2,000 pixels wide for the main logo) so you can shrink them for anything smaller.
JPG
A JPG can't be transparent, so your logo always comes with a background, usually white. It's fine for a form that only accepts JPG, and not much else.
PDF, EPS and AI
These are the print and source files. Printers, sign makers, embroiderers and future designers will ask for "a vector file", and any of these will do. AI is Adobe Illustrator's own format and the one your designer works in. EPS is older but still common in print shops. A vector PDF is the friendliest of the three, because almost anyone can open it.
Can't open an AI or EPS file? You don't need Illustrator: here's how to open them for free.
Which logo file to use where
| Where it's going | Use this | Version and color |
|---|---|---|
| Website header | SVG (or a large PNG) | Primary, full color, or reversed on a dark header |
| Favicon and app icons | SVG or a square PNG | Icon or mark |
| Email signature | PNG, small | Primary or wordmark |
| Social profile picture | PNG | Icon or mark, on your brand color |
| Social posts and stories | PNG | Whichever fits the design |
| Slides (Keynote, PowerPoint, Google Slides) | PNG; SVG also works in PowerPoint | Full color on light slides, reversed on dark |
| Canva | SVG or PNG | Any |
| Word documents and letterhead | PNG or SVG | Primary, full color |
| Business cards, flyers, brochures | PDF, EPS or AI | Full color or one color, as the printer advises |
| Signs, vehicles, banners | AI, EPS or PDF | Usually one color |
| Embroidery and merch | AI, EPS or PDF | One color, simplest version |
| Press and partners | A link with PNG and SVG | All versions |
Which version: full color, black or white?
Use full color wherever the background is light and plain. Use black for one-color printing, stamps and engraving. Use reversed (white) on dark backgrounds and over photos. When in doubt, pick whichever version is easiest to read at the size it'll appear.
Fern & Field, for example, uses its full-color Moss wordmark on its cream website, the white version over flower photos on Instagram, and the small fern mark as its profile picture, where the full name would be too tiny to read.
How to tell which logo file you have
- Check the extension. The letters after the dot in the file name (.svg, .png, .ai) tell you the format. On a Mac, choose Get Info on the file; on Windows, look at the Type column in File Explorer.
- Zoom in. Open the file and zoom to 400%. If the edges stay sharp, it's vector. If they go blocky, it's pixels.
- Check the background. Put a PNG on a dark slide. If a white box appears, it was saved without transparency.
If all you have is a JPG, or a logo pulled off a business card, don't panic. Here's what you can do when you only have a JPEG logo.
Keep your logo files where you can find them
The best logo package in the world doesn't help if it's buried in an email from 2019. Put the files somewhere everyone who needs them can reach, labeled by use ("for dark backgrounds", "for print") rather than by date. Our brand file naming guide has a pattern that works.
In BrandTab, the Logos section keeps every version of a brand's logo together. If your files are a mess, drop the whole folder in and Tabitha, BrandTab's assistant, sorts it: she groups versions of the same logo, picks the newest and sharpest one, and labels each as a primary logo, wordmark, icon or reversed logo. On Creative and Studio plans you can send anyone a single link to every version, ready to download, and an SVG logo downloads as a PNG too, for the apps that need one. And with BrandTab for Mac, you can copy a logo from the menu bar and paste it straight into a slide or an email as an image.
Questions people ask
What is the best file format for a logo?
SVG is the best all-round format for screens, because it's sharp at any size and small. For print, a vector PDF, EPS or AI file. For everyday tools that don't take SVG, a large PNG with a transparent background.
Do I need the AI file if I'm not a designer?
You may never open it, but keep it. It's the editable original, and the next designer, printer or sign maker will ask for it. Losing it is how brands end up paying to have their own logo redrawn.
Why does my logo have a white box around it?
It's a JPG, or a PNG saved without transparency. Ask your designer for a transparent PNG or an SVG, or export one from the vector file.
What size should a logo PNG be?
Big enough to shrink. Keep a master PNG at least 2,000 pixels wide, and make smaller copies for email signatures and social profiles from it. Never stretch a small PNG larger.
Can I use a JPG logo?
For a website form that only accepts JPG, yes. For anything printed, enlarged or placed on a colored background, use a vector file or a transparent PNG instead.
