When a designer delivers your finished logo, you’ll receive a collection of files in different formats. Each one serves a specific purpose — and knowing which file to use when will save you headaches down the road.
File Formats Explained
SVG
- Type: Vector
- Compression: Lossless
- Supports Transparency: Yes
- Best For: Websites, sharing with designers
AI / EPS / PDF
- Type: Vector
- Compression: Lossless
- Supports Transparency: Yes
- Best For: Sharing with designers
PNG
- Type: Raster
- Compression: Lossless
- Supports Transparency: Yes
- Best For: Websites, email signatures, social media, office documents
JPG
- Type: Raster
- Compression: Lossy
- Supports Transparency: No
- Best For: Email attachments, platforms that do not accept PNG
Raster & Vector Formats
- Raster files are made up of pixels — a fixed grid of colored dots. They look sharp at their intended size but become blurry or pixelated when scaled up.
- Vector files are built from mathematical paths and shapes, making them infinitely scalable with no loss of quality at any size. For this reason, vector formats are the professional standard for logo files.
Understanding the Reversed Logo
A reversed logo is an alternate version of your logo designed for use on dark or colored backgrounds. Where your primary logo might feature dark type and graphics on a light background, the reversed version flips this — typically rendering the logo in white or light tones so it remains legible and visually balanced against a dark surface.