As an entrepreneur, you’ll encounter opportunities to grow and adapt in unexpected ways. You may collaborate with brands, launch new product lines, or even open a brick-and-mortar shop. Through all these changes, your brand must remain memorable and stable—and a strong logo helps you do that.
Renowned logo designer Sagi Haviv distills this idea in an unequivocal quote: “Logos survive because they can adapt to countless formats.” But how do you ensure your logo translates well across marketing channels
Here’s what each logo file format does and how to use different file formats to maintain a consistent visual identity.
What are logo file formats?
Logo file formats are different ways to save and export your digital logo design. Each file type has a specific purpose and intended medium, from printed signs and business cards to digital website headers and video overlays.
Using different logo file formats ensures your brand logo appears polished and professional with no pixelated edges, blurred lines, or inaccurate colors. Most designers deliver final logo files in various formats for you to use. If you’re designing your own logo using a tool like Shopify’s logo maker, use image editing software to adjust between file formats.
Vector vs. raster: What’s the difference
Common logo file formats come in two categories: vector and raster. Here’s how they differ:
Raster
Raster formats are created on a grid of fixed pixels, similar to a mosaic. While beneficial for complex designs with significant variation in color and form, raster images can lose image quality when scaling up or using transparency. Increasing the size of a raster file reveals the image’s individual pixels, creating jagged outlines that make your logo look blocky and distorted. Digital photography and photo editing are two of the most common uses for these files.
Vector
The vector file format comprises points, lines, and curves that use mathematical equations to scale to any size without loss in quality. When you resize vector images, the file calculates the elements of the image and automatically maintains its resolution, letting you use your logo in any format. Unlike raster files, vector files are editable in Adobe Illustrator software. As your business evolves, this flexibility enables you to tweak your logo without a complete redesign.
Types of logo file formats
Both raster or vector images have a variety of file formats you can use to export your logo:
Vector file formats
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EPS files. EPS (Encapsulated Postscript) files are vector-based images primarily used in print and large-scale marketing, like billboards.
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AI files. An AI file is the native format of Adobe Illustrator, primarily used to edit logo files.
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SVG files. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphic) files utilize a programming language called XML, which helps define visual elements like shapes, colors, and fonts on modern web browsers.
Raster file formats
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JPG files. JPG, or JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) files, are widely compatible, compact files that lose quality during compression and are primarily used to share images or reduce webpage load times.
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PNG files. PNG (Portable Network Graphic) files support transparency and retain better quality than JPG files.
PDF (Portable Document Format) files support both vector and raster images and retain formatting across devices, making them a good choice for sharing, printing, and posting to digital media.
Proper logo file formats for different platforms
Using the right logo file format for each platform ensures your brand always looks professional. Regardless of the medium, save original designs in the AI file format. These source files allow you to modify the base design of your logo in Adobe Illustrator and export it in any other format.
Here are the correct file formats for common logo uses:
Social media
Social media posts often use a logo overlay on top of other media, like branded video content or still photographs, requiring a file format that supports transparent backgrounds. Use vector-based SVGs to ensure your logo remains responsive on different mobile devices and supports minor animations.
Websites, email, presentations
Use a transparent PNG across digital mediums, like website headers, newsletters, and presentations. Export the PNG file in the correct size to keep accurate colors and details without degradation. PNGs have broad support across different web browsers and operating systems.
Print materials
Use an EPS logo file format for print media such as business cards, retail price tags, or larger posters. Professional print shops often request EPS files, which have been the gold standard for color accuracy and scalability for years. For smaller print jobs or booklets, use high-resolution PDF files.
Logo file format FAQ
What file format should a logo be in?
Most logos should be in a vector-based image format that supports transparency and scaling without losing image quality (e.g., an SVG or EPS file). Save base logo designs in an Adobe Illustrator (AI) file format to allow editability.
How many different logo formats should I use?
As an ecommerce business, you will most often use an SVG file format for digital purposes, an EPS file format for print materials, and an AI file format to store and alter your original logo.
How do I export a logo file?
Select the export function from a design software like Adobe Illustrator and choose your desired file format from the dropdown. If you are working with a designer, they will likely export your logo in all formats for you to use as you wish.