Guide
DTF file requirements
Every file is checked the moment you add it, so you can fix a problem before you order. These are the checks, and what each one means for the print.
File type
PNG and JPG both work. Use a PNG with a transparent background if you can: we trim the empty edges, so only the design uses film. A JPG has no transparency, so the whole rectangle prints, background and all, unless you remove a plain background as below.
Plain backgrounds and faint pixels
If a design sits on a plain background, for example a logo on white in a JPG, tick “Remove the white background” next to it. We clear only the background joined to the edges of the image, so the same colour inside the design, such as the white of an eye, stays. The design then takes less film. If some background is left, or too much goes, change the tolerance.
Faint pixels are partly see-through: soft shadows, glows and fades. DTF can print them speckled or weak. When at least 1% of a design is faint, we show the share next to it and offer “Make faint pixels solid or clear”. Each faint pixel at 50% opacity or more becomes solid, and the rest become clear. The smooth edge round each shape, up to 2 px wide, stays as it is.
Both happen on your device, and your original file is unchanged: untick the box to go back. Check the before and after pictures before you order.
Resolution
A PNG can store its resolution in dots per inch (DPI). If yours doesn't, we assume 300 DPI, and you can type the print width yourself.
Effective resolution is the pixel count divided by the print size. Below 250 DPI you'll see a warning next to the design, because the print can look blurred.
Print size
Each design prints at the size its pixels and resolution give it, unless you set a width. A design wider than a printer's film, whichever way round it goes, can't fit that printer's sheet and is listed separately.
Where the checks happen
In your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and closing the tab clears your files.