If your artwork contains transparency, including overprints, and you need high-resolution output, select Window > Flattener Preview to preview the effects of flattening
Last updated on
Oct 25, 2026
Learn how to save Adobe Illustrator artwork as EPS for compatibility with legacy page layout, word-processing, and graphic applications that need it.
The Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) format preserves many of the graphic elements you create in Illustrator, so EPS files can be reopened and edited as Illustrator files. EPS isn't suited to modern workflows, but it's still necessary for compatibility with legacy page layout, word-processing, and graphic applications. If your artwork contains multiple artboards, they're preserved when you save to EPS format. For current projects, consider saving in Illustrator format instead.
EPS files are based on the PostScript language and can contain both vector and bitmap graphics.
Save the file as EPS
Select File > Save As or File > Save a Copy.
Type a filename, and choose a location for the file.
Select Illustrator EPS (*.EPS) as the file format, and select Save.
To create a separate file for each artboard, select Use Artboards, and then select All or select Range to specify which artboards to include.
In the EPS Options dialog box, set the options you want, and select OK.
EPS Options dialog box reference
|
Option |
Description |
|
Version |
Specifies which version of Illustrator the file should be compatible with. Legacy formats don't support every feature in the current version, so when you choose an earlier version, some save options become unavailable, and certain data may change. Read the warnings at the bottom of the dialog to understand how your data will be affected. |
|
Format |
Sets the characteristics of the preview image saved in the file, which displays in applications that can't show EPS artwork directly. Choose None to skip the preview image, or select a black-and-white or color format. If you choose TIFF (8-bit Color), also choose a background option:
|
|
Transparency options |
Determines how transparent objects and overprints are handled. The available options change depending on the format version you choose. For CS formats, specify how to save overlapping colors set to overprint, and choose a preset or custom options for flattening transparency; select Custom to adjust the flattener settings. For legacy formats earlier than 8.0, select Preserve Paths to discard transparency effects and reset transparent artwork to 100% opacity with Normal blending mode, or select Preserve Appearance and Overprints to keep overprints that don't interact with transparent objects — overprints that do interact with transparency are flattened. |
|
Embed Fonts for Other Applications |
Embeds all fonts that have appropriate permissions from the font vendor, so the original font displays and prints when the file is placed into another application, such as InDesign. This option increases the size of the saved file. If the file opens in Illustrator on a computer without the font installed, Illustrator substitutes a faux version of the font to prevent illegal use of the embedded font. |
|
Include Linked Files |
Embeds files linked to the artwork rather than maintaining the links. |
|
Include Document Thumbnails |
Creates a thumbnail image of the artwork that displays in the Illustrator Open and Place dialog boxes. |
|
Include CMYK PostScript In RGB Files |
Let's print RGB color documents from applications that don't support RGB output. When you reopen the EPS file in Illustrator, the RGB colors are preserved. |
|
Compatible Gradient and Gradient Mesh Printing |
Let's get our older printers and PostScript devices to print gradients and gradient meshes by converting gradient objects to JPEG format. This option can slow printing on printers that don't have trouble with gradients. |
|
Adobe PostScript |
Sets the level of PostScript Illustrator uses to save the artwork:
Printing to a PostScript Language Level 2 device converts gradient mesh objects to bitmap images, so print artwork that contains gradient mesh objects to a PostScript 3 printer when you can. |
Design with precision in Illustrator
Bring your ideas to life with vector graphics tools built for creative freedom and accuracy.
