How to Prepare Digital Art Files for Etsy

You can follow along in the free artwork print packager. It reads your JPEG or PNG locally in your browser and prepares JPG exports; your artwork is not uploaded to SnippetSafe.

1. Choose the original artwork

Start with the largest clean export from your design app or scan. Use the original rather than a listing preview, screenshot or compressed copy if you have it. Keep an untouched backup.

Illustrated example · not a screenshot

YOUR ORIGINALfern-study.png3,000 × 4,500 pixels

Give the file set a recognizable name.

fern-study

On your deviceFile selection, crop previews and export happen in your browser.

Start with one original image. The example uses 3,000 × 4,500 pixels; your own pixel dimensions determine the available print sizes.

Open your image in the packager and give the file set a name the buyer will recognize, such as fern-study. The tool adds each ratio, orientation and exported pixel dimensions to the JPG filenames.

You need the rights to sell the artwork and any included fonts or assets. Etsy requires digital items to be made or designed by the seller. Preparing files does not establish those rights; check Etsy’s digital listing guidance before publishing.

2. Review all five ratios and their pixel limits

Choose portrait or landscape, then select the ratios your buyers need: 2:3, 3:4, 4:5, 11:14 and ISO A. You can select fewer than five. One sufficiently detailed file per ratio can serve several print sizes with the same shape.

Illustrated example · not a screenshot

2:3

3:4

4:5

11:14

ISO A

THIS EXAMPLE’S 4:5 CROP3,000 × 3,750 px300 PPI planning size: 10 × 12.5 in

8 × 10 in375 PPIMeets a 300 PPI target

16 × 20 in187.5 PPIBelow a 300 PPI target

Five ratios describe five shapes, not five promises of print quality. This example uses centered crops. The final pixel dimensions and intended print size must both be checked.

Inspect the subject, signature and edges in every selected preview. With Crop to fill, adjust each crop position. With Keep the whole artwork, the tool preserves the composition and adds white space where needed. See the print ratio chart and crop-versus-border comparison if you are unsure which to choose.

Check the exported dimensions before writing a size list. In the example, 3,000 × 3,750 pixels gives 375 PPI at 8 × 10 inches, but only 187.5 PPI at 16 × 20. Both prints have a 4:5 shape; only the smaller one meets a 300 PPI target.

SnippetSafe does not upscale. Exports are limited to 20 megapixels and 10,000 pixels per side, so a very large source may produce a smaller export. A “300 DPI” label does not add detail. Use the pixels-to-print-size calculation, and remember that source sharpness and your printer still matter.

3. Generate the ZIPs and buyer guide

Select Prepare download files, then save every ZIP in the results. Each package includes a plain-text printing guide with the actual exported dimensions and print-size information. Save the downloads before closing or refreshing the tab.

Illustrated example · not a screenshot

Your print packOne JPG per selected ratio
+ a printing guideZIPs below 20 MB each

2:3, 3:4, 4:5, 11:14 and ISO A JPGsWhen all five ratios are selected

START-HERE-printing-guide.txtActual pixel dimensions and supported sizes

EXAMPLE IMAGE FILENAMEfern-study_4-5_portrait_3000x3750px.jpg

The tool groups your files into one or more ZIPs and includes the guide in every package. Download all the ZIPs before closing the tab; the actual package count depends on the image files.

Extract the ZIPs into a new folder as a buyer would. Open every JPG, check the crop and read START-HERE-printing-guide.txt. The files are RGB JPGs; transparent areas become white. If a printer needs bleed, crop marks, a specific color profile or a different format, prepare those separately to its specification.

The generated guide covers file selection and printing. Add your own shop contact details or usage terms with a text editor if needed, then recheck the size of any ZIP you rebuild. Do not advertise print sizes that your files cannot support at the quality level you state.

4. Attach the downloads to your Etsy listing

For an instant-download listing, choose Digital files when creating the listing, then attach the files the buyer should receive. Etsy currently permits up to five attachments, each no larger than 20 MB. Supported formats include ZIP, JPG, PNG, PDF and TXT.

Illustrated example · not a screenshot

Files attached to one digital listingExample: two ZIPs use two of five slots

ZIP 1Under 20 MB

ZIP 2Under 20 MB

Slot 3Unused

Slot 4Unused

Slot 5Unused

This illustrates attachment counting, not Etsy’s interface. A ZIP occupies one attachment slot, even when it contains several images and a guide. Its total file size still has to fit the per-file limit.

Upload every ZIP from the packager. If you attach an extra file separately, such as a PDF, it uses another slot. Rename attachments before uploading: buyers see those filenames. A listing preview image is separate from the downloadable product files.

A ZIP organizes the download; it does not remove Etsy’s file-size limit. Check the complete ZIP size, not just the individual JPGs inside it. Confirm the current digital attachment rules in Etsy Help when you publish.

A final check before you publish

Every ZIP opens and every exported image displays correctly.
The crops, white borders and included sizes match your listing description.
The buyer can find the correct ratio and understand the printing guide.
The listing clearly says it is a digital download, with no physical print or frame.
You have checked print quality, ideally with a proof at the largest size you advertise.

Keep the original artwork, final ZIPs and listing description together. Clear files reduce guesswork for the buyer; they do not guarantee search rankings or sales.

SnippetSafe is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Etsy. Illustrations explain the workflow and are not screenshots of Etsy or SnippetSafe. Etsy’s attachment rules were checked on 25 September 2026.