Choose Pixel Dimensions for a Reconstructed Logo

The short answer: there is no single best pixel resolution

A logo reconstructed from a scanned print should end up as vector artwork: paths and shapes defined mathematically rather than as a grid of pixels. Vector artwork has no inherent pixel resolution, so it can be scaled to any size without losing edge quality. Pixel dimensions only become a decision when you export a raster copy, such as a PNG for a website header, a social profile image or a document template. The right size for each export depends on where it will appear, how large it will be displayed and the pixel density of the screen or printer. In practice, the best resolution for a logo in pixels is the one that matches its largest real-world use, produced fresh from the vector master each time.

Why the scan's resolution is not the logo's resolution

When a logo is redrawn from a printed sample, the scan is only a reference. Its resolution affects how accurately you can see curves, corners and letter spacing while tracing, but it does not limit the finished artwork. Once the shapes are rebuilt as vector paths, the scan can be discarded or kept separately for comparison. A higher-quality scan makes reconstruction easier because blur, paper texture and printing artifacts are less likely to be mistaken for real design details.

This also means the scan should not be resized and passed off as the final logo. Enlarging a raster scan adds pixels without adding detail, so edges stay soft or jagged regardless of the stated dimensions.

Check that the reconstruction is actually vector

File formats such as SVG, PDF, EPS and AI can contain true vector paths, but they can also simply wrap a raster image. A file that embeds the original scan, or an auto-traced result that was never cleaned up, may carry a vector-friendly extension while still behaving like a bitmap or containing messy, uneditable geometry. The extension alone does not prove the artwork is editable vector.

• Open the file in a vector editor and switch to an outline or wireframe view; real vector shapes show as clean path outlines, while an embedded raster appears as a single rectangular box.
• Select individual elements and confirm you can edit anchor points and curves.
• Zoom in heavily on edges; vector edges stay crisp, while an embedded image becomes visibly pixelated.
• Check the file's links or embedded-images panel for any placed bitmap that should not be there.
• Confirm whether text has been converted to outlines or still depends on an installed font.

How to choose pixel dimensions for each export

Work backward from the placement rather than picking a universal number. For each use, find the largest size at which the logo will be displayed, then account for pixel density.

• Screens: determine the logo's displayed width and height in layout units (for example, CSS pixels on a web page), then multiply by the device pixel ratio you want to support so the logo stays sharp on high-density displays.
• Print: multiply the physical output size by the pixel density the printer or vendor requires; their specification takes priority over general advice.
• Platforms such as social networks, app stores and marketplaces: use the dimensions and aspect ratio stated in that platform's current documentation, since these requirements change and differ between services.
• Keep the original aspect ratio when scaling, and add any required clear space as padding rather than stretching the artwork to fill a canvas.
• When in doubt, export larger rather than smaller from the vector master, because downscaling a raster loses less quality than enlarging one.

Use | What determines the pixel size | Practical note

Website header or navigation | Displayed size on the page multiplied by the target screen density | Prefer SVG where the site supports it; supply a PNG fallback if needed

Social profile or avatar | The platform's published image specification | Usually a square or circular crop, so a compact mark often works better than a wide lockup

Favicon or app icon | The icon sizes required by the browser or operating system | Fine details from the original print may vanish; a simplified version may be needed

Presentations and documents | The largest size the logo will occupy on a slide or page | A vector format avoids blurring when users resize it

Printed materials | Physical size multiplied by the printer's required pixel density | Many print vendors prefer vector files such as PDF or EPS over raster exports

Pixel count matters more than the PPI setting

Raster files often carry a pixels-per-inch (PPI or DPI) value in their metadata. That number only tells software how large to print the image physically; it does not change how much detail the file contains. Two exports with identical pixel dimensions but different PPI settings will look the same on screen. When someone requests a logo at a particular resolution, clarify whether they mean pixel dimensions, physical print size at a given density, or both.

Plan for small sizes, not just large ones

Reconstructed logos often come from marks designed for print, where thin rules, small type and tight gaps reproduce well. At small pixel sizes those details can merge or disappear. Rather than relying on one export to cover every size, consider a simplified or stacked variant for icons and avatars. Review each export at its actual display size, not only zoomed in.

Raster formats for exported logos

• PNG: lossless and supports transparency, which suits flat logos placed over different backgrounds.
• JPEG: no transparency and lossy compression that can create visible artifacts around sharp edges and solid color, so it is generally a poor fit for logos.
• SVG: a vector format for the web; it scales to any size, but confirm that the target platform or software accepts it and that the file contains genuine paths.
• WebP and similar modern formats: can offer smaller files with transparency, but support varies by platform, so check before relying on them.

A practical delivery package

Instead of a single "best" file, a reconstructed logo is typically delivered as an editable vector master plus raster exports sized for known placements. Naming each raster file with its pixel dimensions and color variant (for example, full color, single color or reversed) helps recipients choose correctly without guessing. Keep the vector master as the single source for any future exports so that every new size is generated from clean artwork rather than from an earlier raster copy.

Rights to redraw and use the artwork

Being able to scan or download a logo does not grant permission to redraw, modify or use it. The artwork may be protected by copyright, the name and mark by trademark, and any typeface in the logo by a separate font license. If you are reconstructing a logo for a client, confirm they own or are authorized to use the mark, and check whether the font license permits embedding or converting the letterforms to outlines in delivered files.

What this guide cannot specify

No platform-specific dimensions, printer requirements or measured comparisons were available for this article, so it does not list exact pixel sizes for particular services or print jobs. Those figures are set by each platform, device and vendor and can change; check their current documentation or specifications before exporting final files.