So maybe you’ve just paid an agency to create you a new logo. Or maybe, you have a logo that was designed 15 years ago and you have no idea who created it. The day will inevitably come when a printer/designer/producer asks you for a specific file type. How do you know what you need? What kind of logo file types should you own? Does a jpg have a transparent background?

First things first, what are all of the file types out there?

Some are scalable, some are editable, some have transparent backgrounds and some are universal. Let’s dig in.

Part 1: The Vectors (aka Editable)

Vector files are SCALABLE – meaning the image can be scaled infinitely without ever losing resolution. This makes them great for print projects (think billboard) or on responsive websites where the logo may need to change for different screen sizes. Vector files are also EDITABLE – meaning a designer can open up any of the file formats below and make a change.

The main vector file formats include:

  1. EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)
  2. AI (Adobe Illustrator)
  3. PDF (Portable Document Format)
  4. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphic)
Part 2: The Universal

Universal files contain logos that anyone can open, without requiring special design software. They are also great for using or sharing on the web. Besides the PDF, these are not scalable and WILL lose resolution when blown up.

The main universal file formats include:

  1. PDF (Portable Document Format)
  2. JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
  3. PNG (Portable Network Graphic)
Part 3: The Elusive Transparent Logo

Transparent file simply means the logo file will not have a background (white box) around the logo. These are great for placing on solid color backgrounds (like on a website).

The main transparent file formats include:

  1. PDF (Portable Document Format)
  2. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphic)
  3. EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)
  4. PNG (Portable Network Graphic)

So, what should you own?

Despite there being limitless options for image files, you really only need a few file types to cover all of the possible logo uses:

  1. EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)
  2. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphic)
  3. PDF (Portable Document Format)
  4. PNG (Portable Network Graphic)

With these 5 options in your assets folder, you can create (or have a designer create) any variation of your logo file possible. Owning a vector file of your logo gives you all of the flexibility you need.