Understanding logo file formats is the difference between owning your logo and being trapped by it. If a designer only ever hands you a JPG, you don’t really have a usable logo — you have a screenshot of one. This guide explains every format you’ll actually encounter, when to use each, the difference between print and screen colour, and exactly what a proper logo package should contain. No jargon, just what you need to ask for and why.
The big divide: vector vs raster
Almost everything about logo file formats comes down to one distinction.
- Vector files describe the logo as mathematical points, lines and curves. They can be scaled to any size — from a favicon to a billboard — with zero loss of quality. This is the master form your logo should exist in.
- Raster files describe the logo as a fixed grid of pixels. Scale them up and they go blurry or blocky. They’re for specific output uses, not for storing your master artwork.
The golden rule: your logo’s master must be vector. Raster files are exports you generate from it, never the source of truth.
The vector formats (your masters)
- AI — Adobe Illustrator’s native format. The fully editable working file. You may not be able to open it without Illustrator, but you should still own it; it’s the original artwork.
- EPS — an older, widely compatible vector format. Many printers, sign-makers and embroiderers still ask for EPS, so it’s worth having.
- SVG — the vector format for the web. Lightweight, infinitely scalable, and razor-sharp on any screen. This is what your developer wants for the website.
- PDF — a versatile vector-capable format almost anyone can open and print correctly. Ideal for sending to vendors who don’t have design software.
Together these cover print, web and third-party vendors. If you have all four, you can produce anything.
The raster formats (your exports)
- PNG — the workhorse for screen. Crucially, it supports transparency, so the logo sits cleanly on any background without an ugly white box. Always get PNGs in a few sizes.
- JPG — compressed, no transparency, always has a solid background. Fine for a photo, wrong for a logo in most cases. Useful only for specific placements like an email body or a document where you control the background.
- Favicon / ICO — the tiny icon in the browser tab. Often supplied as a 16×16 / 32×32 ICO or a small PNG/SVG. A detailed logo usually needs a simplified version to read at this size.
CMYK vs RGB: print versus screen
Colour isn’t one thing. The same logo needs different colour data depending on where it appears.
- RGB (red, green, blue) is how screens make colour with light. Use RGB files for anything digital — website, social, presentations, email.
- CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) is how printers mix ink. Use CMYK files for anything printed — business cards, brochures, packaging, signage.
Send an RGB file to a printer and the colours can shift noticeably. A serious brand also pins down a Pantone (spot) reference for critical print, so the colour stays consistent across different vendors. Good brand identity work specifies all of these so nothing is left to chance.
Colour variants you should receive
A logo isn’t one file — it’s a small family. A proper package includes:
- Full colour — the primary version.
- Mono / black — solid black, for single-colour print, faxes, stamps, engraving.
- Reversed / white — solid white, for dark backgrounds and photos.
- On-brand background versions — guidance or files showing the logo on your key brand colours, so it always has enough contrast.
What a proper logo package contains
When we hand over a logo, the folder is organised, clearly named, and complete. Here’s the delivery checklist to hold any designer to:
- Vector masters — AI (or editable source), EPS, SVG and PDF.
- Raster exports — PNG (transparent) in several sizes, plus JPG where needed.
- Colour variants — full colour, black, and white/reversed, each in the formats above.
- Colour modes — RGB for screen, CMYK for print, with Pantone references noted.
- Favicon / app icon — a simplified version that reads at tiny sizes.
- Mini guidelines — clear space, minimum size, colour values (HEX, RGB, CMYK, Pantone) and the do-nots.
You can see how we structure and present these packages across our work portfolio.
Why you should never accept only a JPG
If a designer hands you a single JPG, walk through what you can’t do: you can’t put it on a dark background without a white box, you can’t enlarge it for signage without it going blurry, you can’t supply a printer with proper colour, and you can’t edit it. You’d have to pay someone to redraw it from scratch — which means you never really owned the logo. Insist on the vector masters as a condition of the project, not an afterthought.
Frequently asked questions
Which logo file format should I use for my website?
SVG is best for sharp scaling at any screen size and small file weight. Use PNG with transparency where SVG isn’t supported, and a dedicated favicon/ICO for the browser tab.
What’s the difference between PNG and JPG for a logo?
PNG supports transparency, so the logo sits on any background cleanly — that’s what you want for a logo. JPG always has a solid background and compresses detail, so it’s only suitable when you fully control the backdrop.
Do I really need the editable AI file?
Yes. The editable vector source is your master artwork and proof of ownership. Without it, any future change means redrawing the logo from scratch, which leaves you dependent on whoever holds the original.
Ready to start? Tell us about your project and we’ll make sure you walk away owning every file format your logo will ever need.
