Our checker automatically fixes common issues like font embedding, color mode conversion, and overprint settings. Issues that require design changes - like low resolution images or missing bleed - are flagged with clear instructions so your designer knows exactly what to fix.
Image Resolution
Verifies all images are at least 300 DPI at print size. Low-resolution images appear pixelated and blurry on the printed piece.
Color Mode (CMYK)
Detects RGB content that needs CMYK conversion. RGB colors shift unpredictably on press - especially bright blues and greens.
Bleed & Trim
Checks for 0.125" bleed on all sides. Without bleed, you risk white edges on your finished piece after trimming.
Font Embedding
Confirms all fonts are embedded in the PDF. Missing fonts cause text to render incorrectly or substitute with a different typeface.
Ink Coverage
Flags areas where total ink coverage exceeds press limits. Excessive ink causes drying issues, smearing, and paper curl.
Page Size Detection
Identifies your page dimensions and matches to standard print sizes like postcards, letters, and EDDM flats.
Common Print File Issues
Most print file problems fall into a few common categories. Here are the issues we see most often and how to avoid them:
1.RGB instead of CMYK. Design software like Canva and Photoshop default to RGB color mode. When RGB files are printed, bright colors lose their vibrancy because the CMYK gamut is narrower. Convert your file to CMYK before exporting, or let our checker convert it for you automatically.
2.Missing bleed. If your design has color or images extending to the edge, you need 0.125" of bleed on all sides. Without bleed, slight variations in the paper cutter leave white edges on your finished piece. Most design templates include bleed guides - make sure your artwork extends past them.
3.Low resolution images. Images pulled from websites are typically 72 DPI - far below the 300 DPI minimum for print. Always use the highest resolution version of your images. If an image looks slightly soft on your screen at 100% zoom, it will look significantly worse in print.
4.Fonts not embedded. If fonts are not embedded in the PDF, the printer's system will substitute a different font - often with wrong spacing and different character shapes. When exporting from InDesign, Illustrator, or other design tools, always check "Embed all fonts" or convert text to outlines.
5.Wrong page size. A file built at letter size (8.5x11) cannot be printed as a 6x9 postcard without cropping or scaling - both of which degrade quality. Always start your design at the correct finished size plus bleed.
What Is a Preflight Check?
A preflight check is the automated inspection of a print file before it goes to press. The term comes from aviation - just as pilots run through a pre-flight checklist before takeoff, prepress operators run preflight checks on PDF files before printing. The process verifies that your file meets all the technical requirements for a successful print run: DPI resolution, color mode, bleed, font embedding, ink coverage, and page dimensions.
Professional print shops use preflight software like Enfocus PitStop Server to catch problems before they waste paper, ink, and press time. Our free online preflight checker gives you access to the same professional-grade inspection - so you can identify and fix issues before submitting your files for printing.
What Is Bleed in Printing?
Bleed is the extra artwork that extends beyond the trim line of your printed piece - typically 0.125 inches (1/8 inch) on all four sides. When a commercial printer cuts stacks of paper, there is slight variation in where the blade falls from sheet to sheet. Without bleed, this cutting variation leaves thin white edges on some copies where the background color or image does not quite reach the edge.
To set up bleed correctly, extend all background colors, images, and design elements 0.125 inches past where the paper will be trimmed. Keep important text and logos at least 0.125 inches inside the trim line (the "safe zone"). If your PDF is missing bleed, our preflight checker will flag it - and in some cases, it can automatically extend edge colors to add bleed for you.
Why Use Our Free PDF Preflight Tool?
Our file checker is powered by Enfocus PitStop Server - the same professional preflight software used by commercial printers, packaging companies, and publishers worldwide. PitStop is the industry standard for PDF quality assurance, trusted by over 90% of the top 100 print service providers globally.
Unlike basic online checkers that only look at resolution, our tool runs a comprehensive preflight profile that checks over a dozen quality parameters. And when it finds fixable issues like RGB color or missing fonts, it applies automatic corrections so you can download a print-ready version immediately.
Mail Processing Associates has been printing and mailing for businesses since 1989. We built this free tool because fixing file issues before they hit the press saves everyone time and money. If you need help with your print project, call us at (863) 687-6945 or request a free quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
A preflight check is an automated validation of a print file before it goes to press. The term comes from aviation - just as pilots run through a checklist before takeoff, prepress operators check files before printing. A preflight verifies DPI resolution, CMYK color mode, bleed, font embedding, ink coverage limits, and page dimensions. Catching issues before printing saves time, money, and materials. Our free online preflight tool is powered by Enfocus PitStop Server, the industry standard used by commercial printers worldwide.
Upload your PDF to our free preflight checker above to instantly check DPI resolution. Print files should be at least 300 DPI (dots per inch) at the final print size. Images below 300 DPI will appear pixelated or blurry when printed. For large format printing like banners, 150 DPI may be acceptable since viewers see the piece from a distance. Our tool flags any images below the 300 DPI threshold and tells you the actual resolution detected - results in about 30 seconds with no signup required.
Bleed is the extra 0.125 inches (1/8 inch) of artwork that extends past the trim line on all sides of your print file. When paper is cut after printing, there is slight variation in where the cut falls. Bleed ensures your background colors and images extend to the very edge of the finished piece without leaving white borders. Most print projects require 0.125 inch bleed on all four sides. If your file has no bleed, our free preflight checker will flag it and may be able to add it automatically.
Print files should use CMYK color mode. CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) is the color model used by commercial printers. RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is used for screens. If you submit an RGB file, colors may shift when converted to CMYK - bright blues and greens are especially affected. Our preflight checker detects RGB content and can automatically convert it to CMYK for you.
A print-ready PDF must pass five checks: DPI resolution of at least 300 at final print size, CMYK color mode (not RGB), 0.125 inch bleed on all sides, all fonts embedded, and ink coverage within press limits. Upload your PDF to our free preflight checker to verify all five automatically. You get a detailed report in about 30 seconds with pass/fail results for each check and automatic fixes for common issues like RGB-to-CMYK conversion and font embedding.