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An artwork file too large to upload is almost always fixable in a few minutes. Most oversized files hold far more pixels than the finished print can use, so trimming them back costs nothing you’d notice. Each upload box takes files up to 25 MB: three per product page, five on the quote form. If something still won’t squeeze under that, drop us a line before ordering and we’ll sort out another way.
The limits, in one place #
| Where | Files allowed | Maximum each | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any product page (choose to supply your own print-ready file under Artwork) | 3 | 25 MB | Everyday jobs where the design is ready |
| Quote form | 5 | 25 MB | Bespoke sizes, one-off jobs, a batch of designs |
Accepted formats on both: PDF, AI, EPS, SVG, PNG, JPG, TIF, PSD, DOCX and ZIP. A ZIP is useful when you’ve more files than slots, because the whole bundle counts as one. The 25 MB ceiling applies to the ZIP too, and since PDFs and JPGs are already compressed, zipping them saves next to nothing. Use a ZIP to group files, not to slim them down.
Why is my artwork file too large in the first place? #
Usually it’s one of four culprits:
- Camera originals in small spaces. A full-size photo straight off a camera, shrunk into one corner of the layout, still stores every pixel it was taken with, even the ones the print can never show.
- Layers. Photoshop files keep each layer separately, so one with dozens of layers can weigh several times what its flattened copy does.
- Junk beside the artboard. Older drafts, spare pictures and switched-off layers get saved even though they won’t print.
- Repeat images. Dropping one photo into a PDF three times can mean three stored copies.
How much is enough for a big banner? #
Aim for 100 to 150 dpi at full size on large banners, 300 dpi on small printed things. A 6 ft × 3 ft (1829 × 914 mm) banner therefore wants roughly 7200 × 3600 pixels at the lower target and 10800 × 5400 at the upper one. Beyond that, extra pixels add weight without adding sharpness. Our guide to image resolution for print shows the sum for other sizes.
Getting it under 25 MB, step by step #
- Look at the size. Check the file’s properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac). Below 25 MB already? You’re done, send it.
- Compare pixels with the print. Work out what your finished size really needs. If the photo has twice that, scaling it down is safe.
- Clear out the clutter. Remove switched-off layers, empty artboards, parked photos and old drafts from around the design.
- Save a lean copy. For a Photoshop file, merge the layers and save a JPG on the highest quality setting so no blocky artefacts creep in. For a PDF, export again using a print preset that brings images down to around 300 dpi; avoid the tiniest-file preset, which can overdo it. Fonts can stay embedded, as they barely add anything. The export settings are in our guide to a PDF for printing.
- Name it properly. Include product, size and which face, for instance “6×3-banner-front.pdf”. Already ordered? Put the order number from your confirmation email in the name too.
- Upload, or message us. Use the product page or quote form. Still over the limit after all that? Contact us before placing the order and we’ll agree a route.
Big banners, backdrops and scale files #
We accept large banner artwork drawn at an exact scale such as 1:10, which gets round programs that cap page width. Scaling doesn’t reduce the pixel count, though. On a page one tenth the size, a photo has to show ten times the dpi to print properly, so the file weighs about the same. Our guide to 1:10 scale artwork runs through it for jobs such as backdrop banners, PVC banners and printed hoarding boards.
A full-width photographic backdrop is the one case where an artwork file too large for the box can’t always be avoided. That’s no problem. Speak to us first instead of wrecking the quality to make it fit.
Order now, send the file later #
A finished file isn’t needed to place an order. Choose the upload option, skip the box and check out, and we’ll email afterwards asking for the design. Quote your order number on every file and message so nothing gets mismatched.
Worth knowing: turnaround only starts counting when the order and the artwork have both been confirmed, so a late file means a later dispatch. Our guide to what happens after you order explains each stage. Every uploaded file also gets a free check by a person, covering resolution, size and bleed, and we’ll tell you if anything needs changing.
File-sharing links: ask first #
Use a cloud storage or transfer service already? Ask us whether a download link works for your job before sending one. Only share links as a reply to messages that came from us. And be wary of anything out of the blue asking you to click, download or upload; the National Cyber Security Centre explains how to recognise dodgy links.
Things not worth sending at all #
Some upload struggles are over files that would print badly regardless. Skip these:
- Screen grabs. They capture your display, nothing more, and look soft on paper or PVC.
- Images pulled off a website or social feed. Too small and too compressed for anything bigger than a sticker.
- A pile of versions. Choose the one you want printed and leave “final-v2” and “final-REAL” at home.
- Photos forwarded through a messaging app. Lots of apps downsize them in transit. Go back to the original on the phone or computer.
- Instructions drawn onto the design. Swatches, arrows and scribbled notes will print. Write them in a message.
Everything else we need from a file is listed on the artwork guidelines page, and if your upload is still refusing to behave, an artwork file too large is exactly the kind of thing we’re happy to help with.