Knowing the basics of image file formats is super helpful for getting the most out of your designs. The short story Designing something for the web ? Use JPEG. Print your design? Use pdf. Need more than that? Read more. Split file formats Each file format is more than just where you use it. To get a better understanding let's look at each format separately. PNG PNGs can be partially transparent. This is used for standalone web graphics such as an icon or a logo and you want to apply it to another asset. When you export your image as a PNG file the space around your image remains transparent so you can place it seamlessly in things like a sales ad or email signature.
You may have seen a gray and white checkerboard behind an image's search results indicating that it has a transparent background. Special two for one drink poster mobile number list created in GoDaddy StudioJPEG This file format is ideal for the web. Social content email blog or banner – if it's going online saving it as a JPEG is a safe bet. The reason for this is that these JPEG files can be compressed into a small size for quick sharing or downloading. Some of the image quality may be lost in compression but for web images this is usually OK. PDF Time to print? This is where the PDF file format excels. Most printing companies will ask you to send your design as a PDF file as this is a universal standard.
Opening night poster created with GoDaddy StudioThis is because PDFs are the safest bet for keeping all your design components intact and avoiding unwanted surprises when converting your design from a digital file to a tangible object. Formatting can vary between programs and computers so you 'll want to make sure you're using a PDF to keep everything the same. What about other file formats? You've probably seen other file formats such as PSD (Photoshop) AI (Adobe Illustrator) TIFF (tagged image file format) and many more. But PNG JPG and PDF are the three you're most likely to come across and the most important you need to know for creating graphics and designs for your small business.