Learn everything about ordering prints from Lucidpress
With our print and ship service, you can have prints of your documents shipped to your home or office straight from the Lucidpress editor! If you would like to see all of the document sizes and price options for items that can be printed, please see this page: https://www.lucidpress.com/pages/print
To print with Lucidpress, follow the simple steps below:
Before you order
We don’t want you to waste any time designing documents that our printing service does not support, or waiting for prints that you are not going to like! To make sure that neither happens, please check the following before you order prints of your document.
- Your document is compatible with our product options. You can check this at any time by clicking on the “Order Prints” button in the upper right-hand corner of your screen.
A window will pop up displaying the print products that we support, and the ones compatible with your document will appear in darker blue while the others will be faded. You can hover your cursor over a faded option to learn what aspect of your document is not compatible with the product - the issue will likely be related to size or page count.
When you add page bleed to your Lucidpress document, your canvas will enlarge and a red line will appear on your document, outside of the blue margin line. The red line marks where your document will be trimmed after it is printed, and the space between this red line and the edge of your canvas is your protective page bleed.
If you are using the Lucidpress Print & Ship service, please set your page bleed to at least ⅛ or .125 in. If you are having your documents printed elsewhere, please ask your printing service what bleed setting they require. Most professional printers require a bleed setting of ⅛ or ¼ in.
Follow the steps below to add page bleed to your document.
- Click on the grey background surrounding your document to make your Context Pane display document settings.
- Click on the sideways triangle next to “Margins” to view your margin settings. Your bleed settings will appear at the bottom right of this panel.
- Type your desired bleed measurement into the bleed text box OR add bleed to your document in .1 inch increments by clicking the “up” arrow to the right of it. A margin will be added to your canvas, separated from your document by a red line.
- Drag the sides of your document components so that they extend past the red line and to the edge of your canvas.
If you do not want to enlarge the components of your document, you can add a background color to your document that matches the color of the components.
Note: If you are using a Lucidpress template, the components of your document will automatically extend through the bleed area.
TRIM/Crop
Trim size represents the area that is going to be cut. Trim lines help avoid narrow slivers of white at the edge of your document once it is cut to size. Trim is measured by “crop marks” which you can enable to view in your PDF by clicking Download > Show Crop Marks
SAFE AREA
The safe area is the area inside the trim. Safe area is a smaller dimension of your final print and is important to pay attention to because this is where you should place your all of the content that you do not want to be cut. Any content outside of this area is in risk of being cut off!
The safe area can also account for the gutter, or middle, of the publication and how easy it will be to see content in the center of a print. Safe area on many print ads can be as little as .125” or as large as 1”. If your document is going to be a poster that will also be displayed within a metal frame, the safe area might be even larger to accommodate for the overlap from the lip of the frame.
It is recommended to keep your content within the "margin" of your document (usually 1 to .5 inches away from the edge)
BLEED
Bleed is the portion of your design that extends past the trim size. Bleed is cut off when the publication is trimmed to the final size. Its sole purpose is to make sure your design or image reaches the very edge without leaving any unsightly white edges. Bleed is commonly .0625” – .5” larger than the trim size but it really depends on the document size and how it will be trimmed.
Learn more about setting up bleed settings here.
Trim size represents the area that is going to be cut. Trim lines help avoid narrow slivers of white at the edge of your document once it is cut to size. Trim is measured by “crop marks” which you can enable to view in your PDF by clicking Download > Show Crop Marks
SAFE AREA
The safe area is the area inside the trim. Safe area is a smaller dimension of your final print and is important to pay attention to because this is where you should place your all of the content that you do not want to be cut. Any content outside of this area is in risk of being cut off!
The safe area can also account for the gutter, or middle, of the publication and how easy it will be to see content in the center of a print. Safe area on many print ads can be as little as .125” or as large as 1”. If your document is going to be a poster that will also be displayed within a metal frame, the safe area might be even larger to accommodate for the overlap from the lip of the frame.
It is recommended to keep your content within the "margin" of your document (usually 1 to .5 inches away from the edge)
BLEED
Bleed is the portion of your design that extends past the trim size. Bleed is cut off when the publication is trimmed to the final size. Its sole purpose is to make sure your design or image reaches the very edge without leaving any unsightly white edges. Bleed is commonly .0625” – .5” larger than the trim size but it really depends on the document size and how it will be trimmed.
Learn more about setting up bleed settings here.
Image resolution is an important factor in having a high-quality print. DPI refers to the density of the dots that make up a printed image.
Low-resolution images have around 72 DPI.
Hi-resolution images are at least 300 DPI. This resolution makes for good print quality and is important if you want to represent your brand or other important printed materials with clean and sharp images.
- To check a photo's resolution on a Windows PC, select the file you want to use. Right-click on the image and then select "Properties."
- A window will appear with the image's details. Go to the "Details" tab to see the image's dimensions and resolution.
- Checking a photo's resolution on a Mac is similar to a PC. Select the image you want to use and "Right-click" on it. Click on "Get Info"
- The image information window will open. You can find the image dimension and resolution under the "More Info" tab.
While images can be expanded to be larger in size, the important thing to note is that the more you increase the size of your image, the less DPI the image contains. If you have a low-resolution image, you must reduce the size of your image so that the DPI can increase. (more info on doing this below)
To increase the DPI of your image:
Take the height of the image, multiply by the current number of dots per inch, then divide by the number of dots per inch that you need the image size to be. Example: Height: 5inches. Current DPI: 72. Desired DPI: 300. = 5 x 72 / 300 = 1.2. This means that you would need to resize your 5″ image to be 1.2″ when printing in order to make it be 300 DPI and not pixelated. If you would like an image size that is larger, you will need to find a new photo with a larger resolution.
Recommended dimensions for adjusting the print-size of your images to match 300 DPI:
| PRINTED SIZE | MIN. IMAGE DIMENSIONS | IMAGE RESOLUTION |
|
2” x 1.60”
|
640 x 480 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
2" x 2"
|
600 x 600 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
2.67” x 2”
|
800 x 600 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
2" x 3"
|
400 x 600 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
3.41" x 2.56"
|
1024 x 768 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
4.27" x 3.20
|
1280 x 960 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
4” x 4”
|
1200 x 1200 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
4" x 6"
|
800 x 600 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
5.33" x 4.00"
|
1600 x 1200 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
5" x 7"
|
1000 x 1400 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
8” x 5.33”
|
2400 x 1600 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
8" x 10"
|
1600 x 2000 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
|
8.5” x 11”
|
2550 x 3300 pixels
|
300 dpi
|
- You can access preview mode by clicking on the “Preview” button in the upper right-hand corner of your screen.
Please look closely to verify that the images and text boxes do not appear blurry.
You will also have an option to review the document when ordering your print. This is a very important step. This is your final chance to catch any errors in your document before adding your order to the cart. Take a moment to look at the PDF proof to make sure everything looks correct.
Ordering Prints
When you place an order, you can check to see if you are meeting standards for bleed, safe areas, high resolution images, and CYMK/RGB color compliance.
Page Bleeds/Safe Area
Lucidpress will put a bleed area on your document and have you check the safe area to ensure content doesn't get cut off. Bleeds are important if you want the content running to the edge of the page and not have a white border.
Image resolution
If you have a low resolution image, Lucidpress will have a step for you to check and give you the option to resize or replace the image before continuing
CMYK/RGB colors
If you have multiple color types on your document, Lucidpress will let you know so you can watch out for consistency.
Page Bleeds/Safe Area
Lucidpress will put a bleed area on your document and have you check the safe area to ensure content doesn't get cut off. Bleeds are important if you want the content running to the edge of the page and not have a white border.
Image resolution
If you have a low resolution image, Lucidpress will have a step for you to check and give you the option to resize or replace the image before continuing
CMYK/RGB colors
If you have multiple color types on your document, Lucidpress will let you know so you can watch out for consistency.
Once you have completed the tasks above, follow the simple steps below to order your prints.
- Click on the "Order Prints" button in the upper right-hand corner of your screen.
- In the pop-up that emerges, select your preferred printed product (those that are not compatible with your document will appear faded). Click "Next."
Note: If an error message occurs on this screen, please review the first bullet above.
- In the next screen, select your desired size, siding arragement, and quantity and click "Next."
- The next page will ask you to download a PDF proof of your document. Please follow the steps that appear on the screen, which are detailed above, to ensure that your print will turn out to your liking. Once you are satisfied that your proof is print-worthy, select “Approve and Add to Cart.”
- After reviewing your order in your cart, select "Next" to be taken to the Shipping and Delivery page.
- Input your shipping address, production speed and shipping method. If you have questions about this step, please refer to the Shipping and Billing tab below. Select “Next.”
- On the next screen, enter your payment information and billing address, and select “Next” to review your order one final time.
- Double check your order. If everything looks good, click “Order,” and you should be all set! You will receive a confirmation email shortly.
UV Coating is a clear-coat applied to printed material that gives the material a glossy look, helps protect it against damage, and enhances the brilliance of its ink. We recommend adding UV coating to documents that will be handled frequently, such as business card and postcards.
Paper weight, given in pounds (#), is a measure of paper thickness. There are two types of paper weight: text weight and cover weight. Text weight paper is lighter paper, akin to high-quality printer paper. Cover weight is much heavier paper, used for items like cards or folders. After selecting a product, you can see its paper weight in the Print Options page of the print-ordering flow, listed next to the product size. For your reference, 50# text weight paper is what you might find in a household printer, and 100# cover weight paper is often used to make business cards. Please note that 100# text weight and 100# cover weight will have different thicknesses because they use different types of paper.
Our printing partner uses the CMYK color model, which is a process that creates color by subtracting brightness from a white background by masking light. The acronym refers to the colors Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key (black), which are the colors of the printing plates used for the masking. This model differs from the additive RGB color model that creates colors by adding the brightness of primary colors - Red, Green, and Blue - to a black background. Please note that if you are designing your document using the RGB color scheme, the colors may turn out slightly different in the printed version, as they must first be translated into CMYK. Please check out this article for information on how to change your document settings from one color scheme to the other.
Refers to the density of the dots that make up a printed image. With the exception of free accounts, everyone can download documents at 300DPI.
Policies and guidelines
Lucidpress does not currently provide document binding - all items will be delivered in looseleaf format. However, we may support binding in the future. Please let us know if this is a feature you would be interested in by filling out a Product Request form.
We would love to hear from you about any other features you would like to see our Print and Ship service offer! If you would like to suggest additional print materials, or have any other suggestions, please don’t hesitate to submit a request.
Delivery time is the combination of production and shipping time. Normal production time is 3-5 business days, and rush production time is 12-15 business hours. Shipping time depends on the shipping method you select upon check-out. We offer five different shipping methods, including Priority and Next Day options.
After you place your order, a confirmation email will be sent to you with an estimated delivery date. If you have questions about your specific order please contact us at printing@lucidpress.com
Lucidpress will not print documents that contain explicit content. Print orders for any such documents will be canceled and refunded without prior notice.
After you place your order, a confirmation email will be sent to you with an estimated delivery date. If you have questions about your specific order please contact us at printing@lucidpress.com
Lucidpress will not print documents that contain explicit content. Print orders for any such documents will be canceled and refunded without prior notice.
When you order prints, you agree to our terms of service. Included in our Terms of Service, states the following:
If you would like us to check and see if your order can still be canceled, please send us a message at printing@lucidpress.com
If you would like us to check and see if your order can still be canceled, please send us a message at printing@lucidpress.com
Lucidpress recommends that you review all design work before you place an order to avoid any problems with the finished product by downloading and reviewing a pdf file. If the issue is present in the pdf which you had the opportunity to download and review before printing, then it shall not be considered a defect or mistake and Lucidpress will not be responsible.
There can be occasions where your order might not arrive as expected. If you think this might be the case, please reach out to our support team with your print order number and picture of what happened.
Postcard scuffs and blemishes from transit:
It is possible that your order can be sent back to you damaged due to defects from transit. When the printer sends out direct mailers or postcards, they are sent to several sorting facilities. Post office equipment is set up for letter-sized material; anything larger or smaller has a higher rate of bouncing in the machines, which can scuff or blemish the paper. The machines they use for sorting send the postcards through at roughly 60 mph. In addition, if a sorting facility falls behind on cleaning their machines, we will see an increase in scuffs because of the dirty equipment. If a postcard or mailer is sent back to you, it likely went through this sorting process several times. You shouldn't need to worry about all of your postcards having these damages as usually only the ones sent back are the ones that incurred the damages. Lucidpress is not responsible for these damages.
There can be occasions where your order might not arrive as expected. If you think this might be the case, please reach out to our support team with your print order number and picture of what happened.
Postcard scuffs and blemishes from transit:
It is possible that your order can be sent back to you damaged due to defects from transit. When the printer sends out direct mailers or postcards, they are sent to several sorting facilities. Post office equipment is set up for letter-sized material; anything larger or smaller has a higher rate of bouncing in the machines, which can scuff or blemish the paper. The machines they use for sorting send the postcards through at roughly 60 mph. In addition, if a sorting facility falls behind on cleaning their machines, we will see an increase in scuffs because of the dirty equipment. If a postcard or mailer is sent back to you, it likely went through this sorting process several times. You shouldn't need to worry about all of your postcards having these damages as usually only the ones sent back are the ones that incurred the damages. Lucidpress is not responsible for these damages.
FAQ
Currently we are able to ship anywhere within the United States. If you do not live in the United States, you may download your document as a PDF and then send it to a local printer in your area.
Lucidpress does not offer international direct mail shipping. All services are done within the US.
Lucidpress does not offer address validation. Anything submitted in the CSV file for your list of addresses will be what the print partner will use to ship the mailers.
Our main vendor that we use for prints is with a company called Alexanders. We also have other print partners depending on the location and integration you have set up. If you are interested or would like to have us partner with a print company you are affilated with, you may contact us at printing@lucidpress.com and/or refer to our printer API for setting up.
Lucidpress does not guarantee delivery dates and will not provide refunds for orders that arrive after the estimated delivery window. Sometimes delays can arise with holidays, weekends, and weather events in the case where the shipping carrier is unable to deliver your order.
If you would like us to review your order, please send us a message at printing@lucidpress.com
If you would like us to review your order, please send us a message at printing@lucidpress.com
Want to cancel an order? You might be able to—if you're quick enough. Go to your Order History (located in your Account Settings). If there is an option to Cancel Order on your print order, you can still cancel it and get your money back. If not, this means that the production process is already underway, and we will not be able to reimburse you.
If you would like us to check and see if your order can still be canceled, please send us a message at printing@lucidpress.com. For more information on cancelations, please see our cancelation policy.
If you would like us to check and see if your order can still be canceled, please send us a message at printing@lucidpress.com. For more information on cancelations, please see our cancelation policy.
Noticed a mistake that you made? Try to cancel your order as soon as possible so that you can place a new one with your updated changes.
Lucidpress recommends that you review all design work before you place an order to avoid any problems with the finished product by downloading and reviewing a pdf file. If the issue is present in the pdf which you had the opportunity to download and review before printing, then it shall not be considered a defect or mistake and Lucidpress will not be responsible.
Lucidpress recommends that you review all design work before you place an order to avoid any problems with the finished product by downloading and reviewing a pdf file. If the issue is present in the pdf which you had the opportunity to download and review before printing, then it shall not be considered a defect or mistake and Lucidpress will not be responsible.
Lucidpress is a design and publishing software. We are focused on the design and what you can do with Lucidpress. Ordering prints isn't the only thing you can do with Lucidpress. To meet the need for all of our users, we have templates available for different use cases. Users use Lucidpress to download, publish online, embed in emails and websites, or share on social media. We partner with a company called Alexanders that has a limited selection of what can be printed. If you would like to see all of the document sizes that can be printed, please see this page: https://www.lucidpress.com/pages/print
If the printer doesn't have a product that fits the size of your document, you can either adjust it by following these steps or download the document and use a local printer in your area (or print at home) to print your document.
If the printer doesn't have a product that fits the size of your document, you can either adjust it by following these steps or download the document and use a local printer in your area (or print at home) to print your document.
When printing Lucidpress documents with professional printers, an "Embed text error" may occur. However, the invisible text is a non-issue for them, and they can disregard any error messages they see regarding embedded fonts.
The error occurs because printers use software to ensure that your PDF will print without issue. This software checks that all fonts in your document have corresponding font files embedded in the PDF. But, Lucidpress does not embed the font files for the invisible text.
Your document will print without any problems, but the printer's software may show an error message about embedded fonts. The lack of embedded fonts will have no effect on your printed documents, and printers should disregard this error message.
As always, we recommend printing a single copy of your Lucidpress PDF to make sure everything looks right before printing at scale or printing multiple copies
The error occurs because printers use software to ensure that your PDF will print without issue. This software checks that all fonts in your document have corresponding font files embedded in the PDF. But, Lucidpress does not embed the font files for the invisible text.
Your document will print without any problems, but the printer's software may show an error message about embedded fonts. The lack of embedded fonts will have no effect on your printed documents, and printers should disregard this error message.
As always, we recommend printing a single copy of your Lucidpress PDF to make sure everything looks right before printing at scale or printing multiple copies
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