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What files you need from a logo designer

A logo is only useful if you can put it everywhere: a sign, a truck, a shirt, an invoice and a profile picture. That takes the right files and versions, not one image.

The versions

  • Full color: your main version, for light backgrounds.
  • One color (mono): black only, for stamps, faxes, engraving and one-color printing.
  • Reversed: white or light, for dark backgrounds and photos.
  • Layout options: a wide (horizontal) layout for websites and signs, and a stacked or icon-only version for small square spaces like social media profiles.

The file types

  • Vector files (SVG, EPS or PDF): scale to any size without getting blurry. Printers, sign makers and embroiderers ask for these.
  • PNG with a transparent background: for websites, documents and slides.
  • JPG: fine for quick use where a white background is acceptable.

Simple usage rules

Ask for a short note covering your colors (with their codes), how much empty space to leave around the logo, the smallest size it should be used at, and what not to do, such as stretching it or changing colors.

Checks before you approve a logo

  • Shrink it to the size of a social media profile picture. Can you still read it?
  • Print it in black only. Does it still work?
  • Put it on a photo and on a dark background.
  • Search your business name with your state and the USPTO trademark database. A logo design is not a trademark clearance.

Keep the original files in two places, such as email and cloud storage. Replacing lost vector files later costs more than getting them now.

Published by Groundwork Business Advisory. Updated October 13, 2026.

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