So — you’ve just had your logo designed. It looks great, you’re excited to use it everywhere… but your designer sends you a bunch of files with names like .ai, .svg, .png, and .jpg.

What are these? Which one should you use for your website, your social media, your business cards?

Don’t worry — we’ve got you. Here’s a simple breakdown of the essential logo formats your graphic designer should provide, and when to use each one.

🗂 The 4 Essential Logo File Types Every Business Should Have

When your logo is finished, your designer should deliver it in both vector and raster formats. Here’s what that means, and what to expect:

1. .SVG or .EPS (Vector Format — For Print and Scalability)

Use for: Signs, packaging, embroidery, promotional items, and anything printed professionally.

These are vector files, which means they’re made from scalable lines and shapes — not pixels. You can make them the size of a billboard, and they’ll stay perfectly sharp.

✅ Must-haves:

SVG (best for digital use and modern web)

EPS (industry standard for print shops and professional designers)

Tip: You may not open these on your own computer unless you have design software like Adobe Illustrator — but your printer or designer will thank you for including them.

2. .PNG (Transparent Background — For Web and Digital Use)

Use for: Websites, social media, email signatures, presentations, and anywhere a transparent background is needed.

A PNG file is a raster image, meaning it’s made of pixels. The big benefit? It supports transparent backgrounds, so you can place your logo over any color without a white box behind it.

✅ Must-haves:

PNG in full color

PNG in all-white or all-black (for light or dark backgrounds)

High resolution (at least 1000px wide)

3. .JPG or .JPEG (For Simple Uses With Backgrounds)

Use for: Social media posts, flyers, or websites — only when transparency isn’t needed.

JPEGs are smaller in file size but don’t support transparent backgrounds. They’re fine for quick, everyday use but not ideal for printing or pro-quality design.

✅ Nice to have, but not a replacement for PNGs or vectors.

4. .PDF (Flexible & Easy to Share)

Use for: Sending to printers or vendors, sharing with non-designers, or archiving your logo files.

PDFs can often contain vector versions of your logo, making them printer-friendly and easy to open. It’s a great all-around format for business use.

🧰 Bonus: Include These Variations

A good designer won’t just give you one logo file — they’ll provide your logo in multiple versions to fit different situations. Be sure to ask for:

Full-color version

Black version (for light backgrounds)

White version (for dark backgrounds)

Horizontal and stacked versions, if applicable

Favicon or icon-only version (for web browsers or social media profile pictures)

🎁 What You Should Receive (Checklist)

Here’s what a complete logo package typically includes:

✅ Vector files: .AI, .SVG, .EPS
✅ Transparent files: .PNG (in color, white, black)
✅ Web-friendly file: .JPG
✅ Easy-to-share: .PDF
✅ Multiple color and layout variations

If your designer isn’t providing all of these, ask for them — you’re paying for a logo that works everywhere, not just on your website.

Final Thought: Keep Your Logo Files Safe

Once you receive your logo files, back them up somewhere safe — like Google Drive or Dropbox — so you always have them handy when working with printers, sign shops, or web developers.

You don’t want to end up in a situation where you have to recreate your logo from scratch just because you don’t have the right file!

Need help organizing your logo files or checking if you have everything you need? Let us take a look — we’ll make sure your brand is ready for anything.