Exporting a PRISMA flow diagram means saving your finished study selection figure as a file you can place in a manuscript, thesis, or slide deck. The right format depends on where the diagram will appear: a high-resolution PNG is the safest choice for most journal submissions, a vector SVG preserves perfect sharpness at any size, and PDF or Microsoft Word placement matters when a publisher requests editable or print-ready figures. Our free PRISMA 2020 flow diagram generator exports a high-resolution PNG in one click, and this guide explains how to take that file into every other format a journal might ask for.
Choosing a format is not just a technical detail. Editors routinely return figures that are blurry, pixelated, or below the required resolution, which delays acceptance. Understanding the difference between raster and vector output, and the dots-per-inch your target journal expects, lets you submit a clean figure the first time.
Raster Versus Vector: The Decision That Matters Most
Every diagram file is either raster or vector, and this single distinction drives every other export choice.
A raster image (PNG, JPEG, TIFF) is a fixed grid of pixels. It looks crisp at its native size but becomes blocky when enlarged beyond the pixels it contains. A vector image (SVG, EPS, and most PDF figures) stores the diagram as mathematical shapes and text, so it stays perfectly sharp at any zoom level and can be edited later.
For a PRISMA flow diagram, the practical implications are:
- PNG is universally accepted, easy to insert anywhere, and high resolution is enough for almost every journal. It cannot be rescaled larger without quality loss.
- SVG is ideal when a typesetter needs to resize your figure to fit a column, or when you want to edit a box label without rebuilding the diagram.
- PDF sits in between: it can carry vector content while remaining a single portable file that prints predictably.
- JPEG should be avoided for diagrams. Its compression creates fuzzy halos around text and thin lines, which is exactly what a flow diagram is made of.
PRISMA Flow Diagram Format Comparison
| Format | Type | Best for | Editable later | Journal acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNG | Raster | Most submissions, slides, web | No | Very high |
| SVG | Vector | Resizing, typesetting, editing | Yes | High (check guidelines) |
| Vector or raster | Print, portable single file | Sometimes | High | |
| TIFF | Raster | Some print journals at 300+ DPI | No | High where required |
| JPEG | Raster | Avoid for line diagrams | No | Low for figures |
Exporting a High-Resolution PNG
The fastest path to a usable file is a direct PNG export. In our generator, you fill in the identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion numbers, then click Download PNG. The image is rendered at 2x pixel ratio, which produces a crisp file suitable for journal manuscripts, thesis chapters, and conference posters.
If you are still entering your data, our step-by-step walkthrough on how to create a PRISMA flow diagram covers each field in order. Once the preview looks correct, the PNG is ready to drop straight into your document.
To check whether a PNG meets a journal's resolution rule, divide the pixel width by the printed width in inches. A figure that prints at 6 inches wide needs roughly 1,800 pixels across to reach 300 dots-per-inch, the common print standard. Exporting at 2x resolution gives you ample headroom for a single-column or full-width figure.
Converting Your PRISMA Diagram to PDF
Many publishers accept or prefer PDF figures because they print consistently across systems. There are two reliable routes:
- Place the PNG in a document and export to PDF. Insert the downloaded PNG into Word, Google Docs, or LaTeX, then use "Save as PDF" or "Export." This keeps the workflow simple, though the figure inside the PDF remains raster.
- Print to PDF directly. Use your operating system's built-in "Microsoft Print to PDF" or "Save as PDF" option from the print dialog to wrap the image in a single-page PDF at full resolution.
For a LaTeX manuscript, the cleanest approach is to include the PNG with \includegraphics and let the PDF build process embed it. Set the figure width to the text width so the diagram scales to the column without distortion.
Getting a Vector SVG for Resizing and Editing
A vector SVG is the format typesetters love because it can be enlarged to a full page or shrunk to a column with zero quality loss. If your target journal explicitly requests vector figures (some high-impact medical and engineering titles do), an SVG or vector PDF is the answer.
When you need vector output, two options exist. First, the official PRISMA2020 R package can render an SVG version of the diagram if you are comfortable with code; our guide on building a PRISMA diagram in R walks through that workflow. Second, you can open a high-resolution PNG in a vector editor such as Inkscape and use its trace feature, although a true vector source is always cleaner than a trace. Comparing these approaches against browser tools is covered in our roundup of the best PRISMA flow diagram tools.
Embedding a PRISMA Diagram in Microsoft Word
Most thesis and many journal templates live in Word, so getting the figure to sit cleanly in a document is a frequent need:
- Insert the PNG using Insert > Pictures, not copy-paste, which can downsample the image.
- Set the image to In Line with Text so it does not float unpredictably during edits.
- Add a numbered caption ("Figure 1. PRISMA 2020 flow diagram of study selection") using References > Insert Caption so cross-references update automatically.
- Avoid stretching the image by a corner past 100 percent of its size, which reintroduces blur.
When you later export the Word file to PDF for submission, the embedded PNG carries its full resolution into the final document.
Meeting Journal Figure Requirements
Before you submit, check three numbers in your target journal's author guidelines:
- Minimum resolution, usually 300 DPI for halftones and up to 600 to 1,200 DPI for line art.
- Maximum figure width, typically expressed in millimetres for single and double columns.
- Accepted file types, which almost always include PNG or TIFF and sometimes require EPS or PDF for vector art.
A frequent rejection cause is mislabelled or inconsistent numbers rather than the file format itself. Our guide to common PRISMA diagram mistakes explains how to make sure your records, reports, and studies add up before you export anything. Selecting the right starting template also matters, which our overview of the four PRISMA 2020 flow diagram templates covers in detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What format do most journals want for a PRISMA flow diagram?
A high-resolution PNG or TIFF at 300 dots-per-inch or higher satisfies the large majority of journals. Check the author guidelines, because a minority of titles request vector formats such as EPS or PDF for line figures.
How do I make my PRISMA diagram high resolution?
Export at a higher pixel ratio rather than enlarging a small image afterward. Our generator renders at 2x resolution, which provides enough pixels for a full-width 300 DPI figure. Enlarging an already-exported PNG only stretches existing pixels and adds blur.
Can I get an editable PRISMA flow diagram?
Yes, through a vector format. An SVG or vector PDF keeps each box and label editable. A PNG is a flat image, so to change a number you update the data in the generator and export a fresh file, which takes only seconds.
Why does my PRISMA diagram look blurry in Word?
Blurriness usually comes from inserting a low-resolution image, pasting instead of using Insert, or stretching the figure beyond its native size. Start from a high-resolution PNG, insert it as a picture, and keep it at or below 100 percent scale.
Should I use JPEG for a PRISMA flow diagram?
No. JPEG compression blurs text and thin lines, which dominate a flow diagram. Use PNG for raster output or SVG and PDF for vector output.