A logo is a set of files, not one image. This guide explains each format in plain terms, which job it suits and how to check what a designer has sent you.
Most businesses need a vector logo as SVG or PDF for websites and print, transparent PNG files for documents and social media, a JPG for places that reject transparency, square icon versions and the editable source file. Vector files scale to any size without losing sharpness. PNG and JPG files have a fixed number of pixels and blur if enlarged.
Which logo file formats you need
A business needs three kinds of logo file: a vector master that can be scaled to any size, raster copies for everyday use, and the editable source. The common logo file formats fall into those groups.
| Format | Type | Transparent background | Used for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SVG | Vector | Yes | Websites and apps | Many upload forms, email programs and social platforms do not accept it. |
| Vector, if made from artwork | Yes | Printers and signmakers | A PDF can also hold a flat picture, so check that it is really vector. | |
| EPS | Vector | Yes | Some older print and signage workflows | An older format that many everyday programs do not open. |
| Source file, such as AI | Vector | Yes | Later edits by a designer | Needs the right design software, and may need fonts installed. |
| PNG | Raster | Yes | Documents, slides, email signatures, social media | Fixed pixel size. It blurs if enlarged. |
| JPG | Raster | No | Places that reject transparency | Comes with a solid background, and compression can smudge edges. |
| Square icon files | Raster, usually PNG | Usually | Browser tab icon, app icon, profile pictures | Each platform sets its own sizes, so check the current documentation. |
Ask for each file in every colour version you will use. The logo design process guide lists the versions and says when in the project the files arrive.
Vector vs raster: the difference that matters
A raster image is a grid of coloured pixels. A photograph is raster. Enlarge it beyond its pixel count and the software has to invent detail, so edges turn soft or blocky. A vector image stores shapes, curves and fills as instructions, and software redraws them at whatever size is needed. The "scalable" in SVG refers to this: W3C, which publishes the standard, says such graphics render properly when resized for different screens or for print.
A logo has to appear very small, on a stamp or a browser tab, and very large, on a signboard or a vehicle. That is why the master should be vector. A raster logo is only ever a copy made at one size.
The file extension is a hint, not proof. A PDF may contain only a flat picture, and an SVG can wrap a raster image inside it. Use the zoom test instead. Open the file, zoom in to a large magnification and look at the curves. If they stay crisp, the file is vector. If you see steps or blur, it is raster.
SVG vs PNG logo: when to use each
SVG is a text-based vector format and a W3C web standard. Browsers display it directly, it stays sharp on high-resolution screens, and a simple logo often makes a small file. A developer can also change its colours with code, which helps when a site has light and dark themes. Use SVG for the logo in a website header and footer and inside apps. One caution: because an SVG is code, ask your developer to check files from unknown sources before putting them on a site.
PNG is a raster format with lossless compression and full transparency. Use it where an ordinary image is expected: slides, documents, email signatures, invoices and profile pictures. Its limit is a fixed size. Supply more than one, and keep in mind that a very large PNG slows a page, which the website speed guide explains.
A practical rule: if the place accepts SVG, use SVG. If not, use a PNG at least as large as the biggest space it will fill, and let it shrink rather than grow.
What is a transparent logo file?
A transparent logo file has no background colour, so whatever sits behind it shows through. PNG, SVG and PDF files can be transparent. JPG files cannot, so a JPG logo always arrives in a box of solid colour, usually white. That box is the cause of the white rectangle that appears when someone places a JPG logo on a coloured banner. Many image viewers show transparency as a chequered pattern behind the logo.
Transparency does not fix contrast. A dark logo on a dark background disappears even when the file is transparent. This is why a white or light version of the logo is part of a normal set.
PDF, EPS and the editable source file
A PDF is a container that can hold vector artwork, and most printers accept it. For print files, ask for the text in the logo to be converted to outlines, so that the printer needs no fonts and the lettering cannot change.
EPS is an older vector format. Some printers and signmakers still ask for it, but SVG and PDF cover most needs, so ask the maker which they prefer.
The editable source file is the designer's working file, saved in the format of the design program they used. Adobe Illustrator's AI format is one common example. It keeps the original shapes, layers and spare versions, so another designer can alter the logo later without redrawing it. Some designers treat the source file as an extra, so confirm in writing whether it is included. It may need fonts installed to open correctly, so ask for the font names or an outlined copy.
Which logo file to use for each job
| Job | File to use | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Website header and footer | SVG, or PNG if SVG is not possible | Keep the file small. Your developer will say which fits the site. |
| Browser tab icon | A square icon version | Browsers and search engines differ in the formats and sizes they accept, so check the current documentation. |
| Email signature | A small transparent PNG | Many email programs do not display SVG reliably. |
| Social media profile picture | A square PNG, or JPG if the platform requires it | Platforms may crop to a circle, so keep the mark centred. |
| Word documents and slides | A transparent PNG | Use the light version on dark slides. |
| Letterhead, brochures, visiting cards | A vector PDF with print colour values | Send it to the printer, not a PNG. |
| Signboard, flex banner, vehicle | A vector PDF or EPS, as the maker asks | Large sizes show any blur. |
| Embroidery, engraving, stamps | The vector master | These makers often convert the logo to their own format and may ask for a simplified version. |
| App icon | A square icon version | Each store lists its icon requirements, so check the current documentation. |
| Invoice or billing software | A transparent PNG | Check which formats and file sizes the software accepts. |
Colour values that go with the files
Screens and print use different colour systems. Screens mix light and use RGB, which is written on the web as HEX codes. Print mixes ink and uses CMYK. A logo prepared for screens can print duller than expected, because the conversion can change how some colours look. Ask the designer for both sets of values, and for print files prepared for print. Always look at a proof before a large print run.
The colour codes themselves belong in the brand style guide, and what goes into a brand style guide shows how to record them.
What a designer should hand over with the logo files
The files are only part of a handover. You also need to be able to find and use them. A sensible package has these parts.
- Separate folders for vector files, PNG files, JPG files, icons and source files.
- File names that say what is inside, for example the brand name, the layout, the colour version and the format.
- A short note listing what each file is for, and which version goes on light, dark and photographic backgrounds.
- The colour values for screen and print, and the names of the fonts used.
- A statement of what you own and whether the fonts and any artwork are licensed for use in a logo. Ownership and licensing are covered in the logo design process guide.
If the project covers more than a logo, such as colours, fonts and templates, the handover grows to match. Brand identity vs logo vs branding explains what each layer contains.
Keep the delivery exactly as received in one place, and work from copies. Store a second copy somewhere separate, such as a cloud folder and a drive, so that the logo does not depend on one laptop.
How to check the logo files you receive
Check the files on the day they arrive, while the designer is still available to fix problems.
- Open each vector file and zoom in. The edges should stay crisp at any magnification.
- Place each transparent file on a coloured background and on a photograph. Look for a white box or a pale fringe around the edges.
- Read the pixel size of each PNG in the file details, and note which is the biggest.
- Open the print PDF on a computer that does not have the designer's fonts. The lettering should look the same.
- Check that every colour version is present and that the names make sense.
- Confirm that the source file is there, and that you or someone you hire can open it.
- Try the logo at the smallest size you will use, on screen and printed on your own printer.
The same problems recur: a JPG with a white box, a small PNG stretched across a banner, a logo saved from a website or social profile that was already reduced, a copy compressed by a messaging app, and a PDF that holds only an image. If you need a clean set made from a weak original, the branding page describes the logo and brand identity work Liftup does.
Questions and answers
Which logo file formats do I need?
Most businesses need a vector master as SVG or PDF, transparent PNG files for documents and social media, a JPG for places that reject transparency, square icon versions and the editable source file. Ask for each in the colour versions you will use, including a light one for dark backgrounds.
What is the difference between vector and raster?
A raster image is a grid of pixels at one fixed size, so it blurs when enlarged. A vector image stores shapes and curves as instructions, so it can be redrawn sharply at any size. Photographs are raster, and a logo master should be vector.
When should I use SVG for my logo?
Use SVG on websites and in apps, where it stays sharp on any screen and often makes a small file. Do not use it where the place does not accept it, such as many upload forms, email programs and social platforms. There, use a PNG instead.
What is a transparent logo file?
It is a logo with no background colour, so the page behind it shows through. PNG, SVG and PDF can be transparent, but JPG cannot. You still need a light version of the logo for dark backgrounds, because a transparent dark logo on a dark colour disappears.
What should a designer hand over with the logo?
A designer should hand over organised folders, clear file names, a short note on which version to use where, colour values and font names, the editable source file if agreed, and a written statement of ownership and licensing. The files alone are not a complete handover.
Can I turn a JPG or PNG logo into a vector file?
Yes, but it takes work. A designer can redraw the logo as vector shapes, and automatic tracing software can convert pixels into shapes, though the result usually needs cleaning. The best route is to ask the original designer for the source file.