Working with a graphic designer may seem daunting for some people especially if you’re dealing with an unfamiliar territory and having to juggle with industry jargons, preparing a project brief and whatnot.
One of the things that my clients often ask me is ‘Hey, how do I open this file that you just sent me?’. Hopefully this article will shed some light on the most common file types that you may receive from your designers. More specifically, what they are for and how to open them.
1. PSD
PSD files are the native files of Adobe Photoshop, a popular program used by almost all graphic designers when doing photo editing or designing websites, posters, flyers, etc.
Program used to open this file type: Adobe Photoshop
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2. AI
AI files are the native files of Adobe Illustrator, a program used to design and edit vector artwork. These file types are very commonly used for logo files because they can retain scalability. Apart from AI files, Illustrator can also open other vector file types like SVG and EPS.
Program used to open this file type: Adobe Illustrator
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3. INDD & IDML
INDD/IDML files are both the native files of Adobe InDesign. An IDML file contains several XML files, which represent a complete InDesign document and can be opened by any version of InDesign. The INDD file, on the other hand, can only be opened in the same version in which it was saved.
Program used to open this file type: Adobe Indesign
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4. PDF
This is one of the most common file extension out there and should be very familiar to you. PDF can be used for high-res files that are ready for print but can also be used for low-res files that are meant for previewing the design.
Program used to open this file type: Acrobat Reader/Pro, or any other PDF viewers.
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5. JPG
Another very common file type, its only downside is that it doesn’t retain transparency and will convert any transparent background to white. It’s great for large images as it can retain clarity without taking up much storage space.
Program used to open this file type: Able to be opened natively in Windows / Mac / Mobile
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6. PNG
PNG files are great for transparency and can be used to save logo files with transparent backgrounds. They are mainly used for web and mobile as they are saved using the RGB color space.
Program used to open this file type: Able to be opened natively in Windows / Mac / Mobile
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7. GIF
This is one of the most common file extension out there and should be very familiar to you. PDF can be used for high-res files that are ready for print but can also be used for low-res files that are meant for previewing the design.
Program used to open this file type: Able to be opened natively in Windows / Mac / Mobile
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