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Export for Print

FileSpin's Print Export addon converts an image into a print-ready file suitable for professional printing: CMYK colour, a stamped print DPI (300 by default), in one of four prepress formats. Upload an image or point to an existing asset — the API returns the converted file, or saves it as a conversion or a new asset.

Key capabilities​

  • CMYK separation — RGB is converted to CMYK using industry-standard ICC profiles (US Web Coated SWOP, Coated FOGRA39, Japan Color 2001, and more), so colours are prepared for the press rather than the screen.
  • Four formats — CMYK TIFF (LZW, lossless — the safe prepress default), CMYK JPEG, print PDF, and PDF/X-1a (the portable "send to printer" exchange format with a CMYK output intent).
  • Print resolution — the output carries the DPI you choose (72–1200, default 300), so a designer or print shop sees the correct physical size.
  • Optional target size + upscale — request a target print size (e.g. A4) and, if you allow it, FileSpin will AI-upscale a too-small source to meet it at the chosen DPI.
  • Two surfaces — call the API on demand, or run it automatically on upload via the Automated Media Pipeline.
  • Flexible output — save the result as a named conversion on the source asset, or as a brand-new asset (optionally inheriting the source's metadata).

How it works​

  1. The source image is loaded at full resolution (EXIF orientation honoured; transparency flattened onto white, since CMYK has no alpha channel).
  2. If you requested a target_size larger than the source supports at the chosen DPI and enabled upscaling, the image is AI-upscaled first (this consumes AI credits).
  3. The image is separated from RGB to CMYK with the selected ICC profile and rendering intent (relative-colorimetric with black-point compensation by default).
  4. The file is written at the requested DPI in your chosen format and returned and/or saved.

Choosing a format​

FormatBest for
tiff (default)Lossless prepress masters; the safest hand-off to any print workflow.
jpegSmaller CMYK files where some compression is acceptable.
pdfA single-page, correctly-sized print PDF wrapping the CMYK image.
pdfxPDF/X-1a — the most portable print-exchange format, with an embedded CMYK output intent.

Billing​

Print Export is a paid, per-plan addon. Each successful export counts against your plan's Print Export quota. Using the optional allow_upscale path additionally consumes AI credits when an upscale is actually performed — standard exports (no upscale) only use the Print Export quota.

Get started​