How do I change the dpi in illustrator?

[_danielito_]

I created an image in illustrator and saved it as a jpeg. When I took it to print in the shop they told me the image had the wrong dpi (72). How can I change this so that I can print the image?

Thanks for your help in advance.

[Scott Falkner]

Take the file to a print show that support Illustrator or PDF files, and save as press ready PFD. If the print shop says they only print JPEG and you must print there (I wouldn't) then use File > Export rather than Save for Web. Save for Web is for saving for.... Web. Really?

[Wade S Zimmerman · Accepted solution]

Go to Effects>Document Raster Effects Settings and either check high Quality 300 DPI or do a custom setting and use 355 dpi which is what the high end publications use.

Then make your pdf and that should do it. The 72 dpi is a way of keeping the file smaller and have illustrator function faster. It is the default setting.

[laurena62066208]

I only had the option to change the "ppi" - no dpi. Is that the same thing?

[Monika Gause]

laurena62066208 schrieb:

I only had the option to change the "ppi" - no dpi. Is that the same thing?

No, it's not.

You most probably want to change the image resolution. This is measured in PPI (pixels per inch). If someone told you to change the DPI, then they just used the wrong terminology.

[_clifford_hager_]

When you save the file as .jpg there is a dialog that opens that allows you
to set the resolution. 72 is the (old) standard for internet images because
older monitors worked at 72hz and pixels were scanned 1/1 at that rate.
With today's falt screen monitors, scan rate is a thing of the past so only
pixel count size is relevant fro web display. For print, simply set the dpi
to high (300) or more (custom).

Also, you'll need to discus with the print shop what formats thay like to
use best. .jpg is not often used for print, CMYK .tiff is used more often
along with .pdf production ready.

[Andreas Jansson]

I just want to make a correction to this old message.

The number 72 (concerning ppi/dpi) has nothing to do with refresh rate in Hz.

Old screens used to have this "density" of pixels (72 pixels per inch, ppi). There is one story (that might very well be true) about Apple building a monitor (their old style... with a built-in computer) with the same resolution as their printer (72 dots per inch, dpi), to make the printed image the same size as the image on screen when viewed in 100% zoom.

It's just a preset. A print shop that knows anything about an image file has no problems printing a perfectly fine copy from an image set to 72 ppi/dpi (ppi translates to screen, dpi to printers but it roughly means the same thing, I would say). One problem might be that your image will come out very BIG, unless the printshop has changed the print size to a certain format.

For the quality, the only important thing is that you've got enough pixels in your image (not the pixels per inch setting).

[Benjamin Root]

Locking this old thread. If you need further help with Illustrator, please start a new discussion