You can set up print-specific layouts, control bleed and trim settings, and export high-quality, print-ready PDFs, all directly from the editor.
What is Print Mode?
Print Mode is a set of tools in the editor that allows you to prepare designs for print.
When enabled, it adds visual guides and export settings tailored for print production, including bleed areas, safe zones, and crop marks.
This helps ensure your designs are correctly formatted and look as expected once printed.
How do you enable Print Mode?
To turn on Print Mode:
Open your design in the editor
Go to Canvas Settings
Toggle on Print Mode
Once enabled, print-specific guides and controls appear directly on your canvas.
What print guides can you see?
You’ll see several visual guides to help you design accurately:
Trim size
The final size of your design after it is cutBleed area
The outer area where your design extends beyond the trim edge to avoid white bordersSafe area
The inner area where important content should stay to avoid being cut offCrop marks
Indicators showing where the design will be trimmed
These guides help you clearly understand how your design will translate into a physical format.
How do you adjust the bleed and safe area?
You can customise bleed and safe area values directly in the editor.
Set the same value on all sides for consistency
Or adjust each side individually for more control
This is useful when working with specific print requirements or formats.
How do you create print formats?
You can now design for print directly from the format setup flow.
Add a preset print format
When adding a new format:
Select Print from the format options
Choose from predefined sizes (such as A4 or large billboards)
These presets include recommended DPI settings to ensure print quality.
Create a custom print format
You can also define your own format:
Set width and height
Choose units (pixels or inches)
Define DPI (resolution)
This gives you full control over the final output size and quality.
What is DPI and why does it matter?
DPI, or ‘Dots Per Inch’, is exactly that - a description of how many dots of ink will be printed per inch in your final output. This correlates to the count of pixels in a digital design within Pencil, so we can support 16,000 dots - across the total size of your work.
Higher DPI = higher quality print
Lower DPI = less detail but maybe not needed for your
A higher DPI is needed for printed work that will be up close and personal to the viewer - think a photograph quality. However, you may not need a high dpi for work where the final product will be far away from the viewer’s eye - think a high up billboard near a motorway.
Preset formats include recommended DPI values, while custom formats let you choose your own.
What are the size limits?
Print creatives in Pencil support sizes up to 16,000 × 16,000 pixels.
If your format exceeds this limit:
Reduce the DPI
Or work at a smaller scale
How do you export print-ready files?
To export your design:
Click Export
Select the Print tab
Choose your export settings
You can configure:
File type
PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, or PDF/X-4Colour mode
CMYK or RGB
ICC profile
Select a predefined colour profile for accurate print output
What export options are available?
Print Mode includes advanced export settings to ensure production-ready files:
Print-ready PDFs
Export in industry-standard formats (PDF/X)Colour management
Choose between CMYK and RGB depending on your print needsICC profiles
Apply colour profiles for consistent and accurate output
Does Print Mode work with other tools?
Yes. Print Mode works across the Pencil workflow.
You can:
Generate images using AI tools
Edit creatives in the editor
Use feeds and variations
Export everything with print settings applied
This means you can go from creation to print-ready output without leaving Pencil.
What problem does Print Mode solve?
Print Mode brings print production directly into your creative workflow.
It helps you design with confidence, reduce errors at export, and ensure your work is ready for high-quality physical output—without needing external tools.