5 Common Digital Printing Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Consider the following scenario: You get your artwork to a digital printer on time, but it comes back with blurry images, colour shifts, misaligned edges, and white borders where they shouldn’t be.

What happened? Remember, how your artwork is prepared determines whether your final prints look exactly as intended.

These issues are almost always avoidable. The mistakes listed below are ones the EXBO team see most often from customers submitting files for digital printing in Perth. Ensure you fix these issues before you submit your print work, and your job will move faster, cost less, and look exactly the way you envisioned it.

Mistake 1: Submitting Low-Resolution Images

This is the most common mistake, and the one that causes the most visible quality problems.

Images that look sharp on a screen are often too low-resolution for print. Screen displays typically render at 72–96 DPI (dots per inch). Professional print requires a minimum of 300 DPI at the final print size. An image that looks fine at A5 size on your monitor may print as a visibly blurry, pixelated mess at A3.

The solution: Source (or design) images at the highest available resolution before placing them in your layout. If you’re unsure whether an image meets print resolution, zoom to 100% in your design application. If it still looks sharp at that view, it’s likely fine. Images from a website or social media, for example, are too low-res for print.

Mistake 2: Using RGB Instead of CMYK Colour Mode

Your screen shows colour using RGB (Red, Green, Blue), while commercial printers use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). Because these systems work differently, colours don’t always translate perfectly from screen to print if the file isn’t prepared properly beforehand.

Blues and greens are where this shows up the most. A bright electric blue that looks great on your screen can easily print as a darker, flatter navy. It’s a common mistake that catches a lot of people off guard, especially when they’re printing materials where colour really matters, like business cards or branded stationery.

The solution: Set your document to CMYK colour mode from the start of your design process. If you’re working from an existing RGB file, convert it to CMYK and check the results carefully. Adjustments may be needed to restore the intended look.

Mistake 3: Not Including Bleed in Your Print Design

Bleed is the area of an artwork that extends beyond the final trim edge of your document. Without it, the printer has no margin for the natural variation of cutting equipment, and the result is thin white borders along the edge of what should have been a full-bleed design.

This is especially noticeable on flyers, posters, business cards, and any print where the design extends to the edge of the page.

The solution: Set up your document with 3mm bleed on all sides. Extend any background colours, images, or design elements fully into the bleed zone. Do not place important content like logos, text, and faces in the bleed area, as this will be trimmed off.

Mistake 4: Ignoring Safe Margins

This is related to the bleed problem. When placing important content too close to the trim edge, even with the perfect file setup, minor shifts can happen during cutting, such as clipped text, logos, or other critical elements that sit too close to the edge.

The solution: Keep all essential content at least 5mm inside the trim edge. This is your safe zone. Nothing critical should live outside it.

Mistake 5: Submitting the Wrong File Format

Not every file format works well for commercial printing. For example, JPEG files compress images to make them smaller, which can reduce the quality. That might be fine for screens, but for digital printing, it can lead to softer images or visible compression.

Files like Word documents or PowerPoint presentations can also cause problems. They don’t always preserve fonts, colours, or layouts the same way when the file is opened on another computer, which means what the printer sees may not match what you designed.

The solution: Always export a print-ready PDF as your final submission format. A properly exported PDF embeds fonts, preserves CMYK colour values, includes bleed, and locks down your layout. If working in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, or Photoshop, use the “PDF/X-1a” or “PDF/X-4” export preset for print. Other accepted formats at EXBO include TIFF, EPS, AI, and PSD, but a properly configured PDF remains the most reliable choice.

Unsure? Ask Before You Submit

A file check before production is far less expensive than a reprint after it. If you’re unsure whether your artwork meets print requirements, the expert at EXBO can review your files and advise on any corrections needed before your job goes to press.

Get in touch with the EXBO team to discuss your next print job. Call 08 9489 9800 or contact us here. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What resolution should my images be for digital printing?

A minimum of 300 DPI at the final print size is required for professional print quality. Images sourced from websites or social media are typically 72–96 DPI and are not suitable for print without being replaced with higher-resolution versions.

Should I use RGB or CMYK for print files?

Always use CMYK for print. RGB files will be converted during the print process, which can cause significant colour shifts, particularly in vivid blues, greens, and oranges. Converting to CMYK yourself before submission gives you control over the final colour output.

How much bleed do I need for digital printing?

Set 3mm bleed on all four sides of your document and extend all background artwork fully into that zone. This ensures no unwanted white borders appear after trimming.

What is the best file format to submit for digital printing?

A print-ready PDF is the preferred format. It preserves fonts, colours, bleed, and layout precisely. Export using PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 settings from professional design software for the most reliable result.

What happens if I submit a file with mistakes?

Depending on the issue, the job may be paused pending corrections, or printed as-submitted with quality outcomes that don’t match your expectations. Identifying and correcting file issues before submission avoids delays, additional costs, and the possibility of a reprint.

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