Run through this before you upload your figures. Most rejected or returned figures fail on one of these points. Tick them off here, or print the page (Ctrl/Cmd + P) to keep a copy.

1. Size and format

• ☐ Built at final print size (single or double column width, per the journal)
• ☐ Resolution meets the journal minimum (often 300 dpi for colour images, more for line art)
• ☐ File type and colour mode match the guide for authors (e.g. TIFF, EPS or PDF; RGB or CMYK)
• ☐ Fonts embedded or outlined; the smallest text is still readable at final size (about 6–8 pt)

2. Readability

• ☐ One sans-serif font, used consistently
• ☐ Labels and abbreviations match the manuscript text exactly
• ☐ Arrows, line styles and colours mean the same thing everywhere
• ☐ The legend explains every symbol, colour and abbreviation

3. Colour

• ☐ Never relies on red vs. green alone (about 1 in 12 men have a colour-vision deficiency)
• ☐ Uses a colour-blind-safe palette such as Okabe–Ito (see the colour-blind-safe figures guide)
• ☐ Checked in a colour-vision simulator, and still readable in greyscale

4. Science

• ☐ Matches the data and text; nothing simplified to the point of being wrong
• ☐ Scale bars, units, species and cell types are labelled
• ☐ Panel letters are in reading order and cited in the text

5. Integrity

• ☐ Permission obtained for any third-party image or adapted figure
• ☐ Any AI-generated content disclosed according to the journal’s policy
• ☐ Tool credits included where required (e.g. “Created with BioRender.com”; see BioRender vs. an illustrator)

6. Graphical abstracts

• ☐ Correct shape and size for the publisher (see the graphical abstract size guide)
• ☐ No white border or empty margins; reads left to right or top to bottom
• ☐ One clear message, and no raw data unless the journal allows it