What DPI Do You Need for Newspaper Printing? (300 vs 600 vs 1200)
Most printers say 300 DPI. Some demand 600. The honest answer depends on paper, press speed, and your photo sharpness expectations. Here's what actually works.
"What DPI does the PDF need to be?" — the most common question from anyone new to newspaper production. The short answer is 300 DPI. The real answer depends on what you're trying to print.
The DPI basics
DPI = dots per inch. Higher DPI means more detail. Your PDF's DPI matters only for rasterised elements (photos, halftones). Vector elements (text, shapes) print at the printer's maximum resolution regardless of PDF DPI.
What each DPI level gets you
| DPI | Use case | File size (8 page) |
|---|---|---|
| 150 | Proofing, email preview | 5–15 MB |
| 300 | Newspaper standard — all offset presses, web presses | 20–60 MB |
| 600 | Magazine-grade, glossy supplements | 80–200 MB |
| 1200 | Fine-art print, archival — not needed for newspaper | 300+ MB |
Why newspapers use 300 DPI and not higher
Newsprint is absorbent. Ink dots spread as they hit the paper ("dot gain"), typically 20–30%. A 600 DPI source file can't render more detail than the paper can hold. 300 DPI at 100 LPI screen ruling is the sweet spot — sharp enough to look good, small enough to RIP quickly on press.
When 600 DPI matters
- Festival supplement printed on magazine-grade paper
- Glossy wraparound that'll be archived
- Photographs where the story is the picture (sports covers, cultural events)
The common mistake
People export a 600 DPI PDF thinking "more is better". The press's RIP (Raster Image Processor) downsamples to 300 anyway. Your file is 3× larger for zero quality gain — and the press tech mentally marks you as "annoying client".
XLR8 Print's export options
XLR8 Print exports at 150, 300, 600, 1200, or 2400 DPI. Default is 300. We expose the higher options for supplement work but recommend 300 for everything else.
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