Before You Start

This guide assumes you have:

A completed design in Figma
Access to Print for Figma plugin
Your printer's specifications (or standard settings)

Time required: 10 minutes Difficulty: Beginner-friendly

Step 1: Set Up Your Canvas (2 minutes)

Check Your Dimensions

First, verify your frame dimensions match your printer's requirements:

Select your frame
Check the width and height in the right panel
Common sizes:
- Business card: 90mm × 50mm
- Flyer: A5 (148mm × 210mm) or A4 (210mm × 297mm)
- Poster: A3 (297mm × 420mm) or custom

Add Guides for Safety Zones

Create a safety zone to keep important content from being cut:

Select your frame
Draw rectangles 5mm inside all edges
Use these as visual guides (don't include in export)
Keep all text and logos inside this area

Step 2: Verify Image Quality (2 minutes)

Low-resolution images will look blurry when printed. Here's how to check:

Quick DPI Check

Required resolution: 300 DPI at final size

Formula:

Pixel width ÷ Inch width = DPI
Example: 3000px ÷ 10" = 300 DPI ✓

Using Print for Figma's DPI Checker

Install Print for Figma
Select your frames
Run the plugin
Click "Check DPI"
Replace any flagged images

What to Do About Low-Res Images

Option 1: Find higher resolution versions
Option 2: Reduce the image size in your design
Option 3: Use AI upscaling tools (use cautiously)
Option 4: Replace with vector graphics

Step 3: Handle Colors (2 minutes)

For Most Print Jobs

Use CMYK conversion:

Open Print for Figma
Select "Convert to CMYK"
Choose ICC profile:
- Coated FOGRA39: Most common in Europe
- U.S. Web Coated (SWOP): Standard in North America
- Custom: Upload if provided by your printer

For Brand-Critical Colors

Consider Pantone spot colors for:

Company logos
Brand-specific colors
Single-color designs

In Print for Figma Pro:

Define spot color channels
Set ink density
Preview on different paper stocks

Preview Color Shifts

Some colors can't be reproduced in CMYK:

Enable "Show out-of-gamut colors"
Review flagged elements
Adjust if the shift is too severe
Document acceptable tolerances with your client

Step 4: Add Bleed (1 minute)

Bleed prevents white edges if cutting isn't perfect.

Standard Bleed Sizes

Standard: 3mm (0.125 inches)
Large format: 5mm
Always check: Your printer's requirements

Adding Bleed in Print for Figma

Toggle "Add bleed"
Enter your printer's specification
The plugin extends background elements automatically
Crop marks show trim line

Important Bleed Rules

✓ DO: Extend backgrounds and images into bleed ✓ DO: Continue patterns and textures ✗ DON'T: Put important content in bleed area ✗ DON'T: Leave white space at edges

Step 5: Configure Print Marks (1 minute)

Print marks help printers align and cut accurately.

Essential Marks

Crop marks (corner marks):

Show where to trim
Standard on all print jobs

Registration marks:

Align color plates
Essential for multi-color offset printing

Color bars:

Calibration references
Optional for most jobs

In Print for Figma

Select "Add print marks"
Choose mark style:
- Crop marks only (default)
- Crop + registration
- Full marks (crop + registration + color bars)
Marks appear outside bleed area automatically

Step 6: Export Settings (1 minute)

Choose Export Format

PDF/X-1a (recommended):

CMYK only
Fonts embedded
Bleed included
Universal compatibility

PDF/X-3 (alternative):

Supports RGB and CMYK
Better for digital printers
More color management options

Configure Export Options

In Print for Figma:

Format: PDF/X-1a
Resolution: 300 DPI
Color space: CMYK
Compression: Medium (balances quality/file size)

File Naming Convention

Use clear, descriptive names:

ClientName_ProjectName_Size_Version_Date.pdf
Example: AcmeCorp_Flyer_A5_v3_2025-01-15.pdf

Step 7: Final Export (1 minute)

Select all frames to export
Click "Export"
Choose save location
Wait for processing (usually 10-30 seconds)
Your print-ready PDF is ready!

Verification Checklist

Before sending to printer, verify:

Common Issues & Quick Fixes

"Fonts are missing"

Fix: Print for Figma embeds all fonts automatically in PDF/X format.

"Colors look different in PDF"

Fix: This is normal. CMYK has a smaller gamut than RGB. View the PDF in Acrobat with "Overprint Preview" enabled for accurate colors.

"File size is too large"

Fix: Reduce image compression or downsample images to exactly 300 DPI (not higher).

"Printer rejected my file"

Fix: Ensure you exported as PDF/X-1a (not regular PDF). Check with printer for specific requirements.

Next Steps

For Single Projects

You're done! Send your file to the printer and request a proof.

For Recurring Work

Create a Figma template:

Set up frames with bleed
Add safety zone guides
Save as reusable template
Clone for each new project

Level Up Your Workflow

Explore advanced features:

Resources

Questions? Join our Discord community and get help from experienced designers.

How to Prepare Figma Files for Print in 10 Minutes