Which Logo Files You Should Get From Your Designer

A depressing number of small businesses have exactly one logo file: a low-resolution PNG with a white box behind it, downloaded from an email in 2019. Then the sign company asks for vector artwork and nobody can supply it.

This is entirely preventable. Here is what to ask for.

Vector vs raster — the only concept that matters

Vector files store the logo as mathematical shapes. They scale to any size with no quality loss. A vector logo works equally well on a business card and on the side of a building.

Raster files store the logo as a grid of pixels. Enlarge one and it goes blurry.

You must have vector source files. They are the master copy from which every other version is produced. Without them, any future resize means redrawing the logo from scratch.

If a designer will not give you vector files, that is a red flag, not a pricing tier.

The formats

SVG — vector, for web

The standard for websites. Scales perfectly, tiny file size, and can be styled with CSS. Every logo on a modern website should be an SVG.

Use for: website header, favicon source, email signatures, anywhere digital.

EPS — vector, for print

The format print shops, sign makers and merchandise suppliers ask for. Widely supported by older professional software.

Use for: printers, signage, embroidery, vehicle wraps, promotional items.

AI — vector, editable source

Adobe Illustrator's native format. This is the true master file, with layers and editable paths intact.

Use for: archiving, and handing to any future designer.

Get this even if you cannot open it. It is your insurance policy against being locked to one designer.

PDF — vector, universal

Opens on any device without design software, but preserves vector data. Useful as a middle ground when you need to send the logo to someone non-technical who then passes it to a printer.

PNG — raster, transparent background

The workhorse for everyday digital use. Supports transparency, so it sits cleanly on any background colour.

Get these sizes: 500px, 1000px, and 2000px wide, in both full colour and white.

Use for: social media profiles, documents, presentations, third-party platforms that will not accept SVG.

JPG — raster, no transparency

Always has a solid background. Smaller than PNG for photographs, but for logos it is the weakest option — the white box will follow you everywhere.

Use for: platforms that specifically require JPG. Otherwise prefer PNG.

WebP / AVIF — raster, modern web

Smaller than PNG at equivalent quality. Useful for web performance, but SVG is still better for logos.

The single most useful thing you can do: ask for a white version of your logo. Nobody thinks of it until they need to put the logo on a dark photo, and then it is urgent.

The variations you need, not just the formats

Formats are half of it. You also want these versions:

Primary logo — the full mark as designed.
Horizontal layout — wide format for website headers.
Stacked layout — squarer format for narrow spaces.
Icon or symbol only — for favicons, app icons, and social avatars.
Full colour — the standard version.
Single colour black — for faxes, stamps, engraving, and anything single-ink.
Single colour white — for dark backgrounds. The one everyone forgets.
Favicon — 32×32 and 512×512 for browsers and devices.

Eight variations across three or four formats is roughly twenty files. That is normal for a properly delivered logo project.

Also get the specifications

Files alone are not enough. You need the numbers, or every new supplier will approximate your colours slightly differently.

HEX codes — for web (#5B2CFF).
RGB values — for screens.
CMYK values — for print. These will not match RGB exactly, which is normal.
Pantone references — for exact colour matching in professional print.
Font names — including specific weights, plus whether you have a licence to use them.
Minimum size — the smallest the logo may be reproduced.
Clear space — the minimum margin around the logo.

The checklist to send your designer

Copy this into an email before the project wraps up:

Please supply, before final payment:

FILES
- AI or vector source file
- SVG (colour, black, white)
- EPS (colour, black, white)
- PDF (colour)
- PNG at 500 / 1000 / 2000px (colour, black, white)
- Favicon at 32x32 and 512x512

VARIATIONS
- Primary, horizontal, stacked, icon-only

SPECIFICATIONS
- HEX, RGB, CMYK and Pantone colour values
- Font names and weights used
- Minimum size and clear space rules

RIGHTS
- Written confirmation of full copyright transfer

How to store them so you can find them later

Put everything in cloud storage, not one person's laptop. A structure like this works:

Brand/
  01-Logo-Source/     (AI, EPS)
  02-Logo-Web/        (SVG, PNG)
  03-Logo-Print/      (EPS, PDF)
  04-Guidelines/      (colours, fonts, rules)

Share it with anyone who might ever need it. The whole point of getting the files is that the next person can use them without coming back to you.

If you are commissioning a logo, our graphic design service includes every file and variation above as standard, with full ownership transfer.

Frequently asked questions

The vector source file — AI or EPS. Every other format can be generated from it. Without it, resizing or reworking the logo means redrawing it.

SVG. It stays sharp at any size and on any screen density, and the file is usually smaller. Keep a PNG for platforms that will not accept SVG.

Check your contract. If ownership was transferred, you are entitled to them. If it was not, you may need to negotiate. Agree this in writing before the next project starts.

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