Per-colour DTF halftone
Screened transparency, colour separation, CMYK process or monochrome. Adjustable dot shape, line frequency and screen angle.
How it works
From artwork to DTF film in 4 steps
Nothing to install: the studio opens in your browser, on desktop and on tablet alike.
- 01
Import your image
Photo, logo, illustration or AI-generated image: the colours are detected automatically, whatever the palette.
PNG, JPG, WebP, SVG - 02
Knock out the shirt colour
Pick the garment: that colour becomes transparent, not white. The ink you removed disappears from the halftone too.
Black→ transparentRemoved - 03
Halftone each colour
Dot shape, line frequency (LPI) and screen angle, previewed live on the shirt. Presets are ready for black, white and red shirts.
RoundEllipseLineSquare - 04
Export the PNG
A transparent PNG at your chosen resolution, with the dpi written inside the file and ghost pixels cleaned up before printing.
Export the PNG300 dpi
Features
The whole DTF studio in a single tab
Each tool hands its result to the next, and you can download the PNG at any stage.
True transparency, not white
One click with the eyedropper, or pick the shirt: the colour is removed in favour of the fabric, never replaced with white.
Upscale an image
AI image or logo too small: ×2 to ×4, or straight to A4, A3 or a custom size, at the right resolution.
Vectorise a logo
Crisp shapes at any size, editable nodes, shape union and subtraction, SVG export.
Editing studio
Layers, pen, brush, eraser, shapes and 48 free fonts. Undo and redo at every step.
Shirt preview and proof
A mockup on a real shirt photo, at true print size, plus a proof you can send straight to the client.
DTF guide
What is halftone screening in DTF?
Halftone screening turns the gradients and colours of a design into ink dots of varying size. In DTF printing the shirt shows between the dots: less ink and less white are laid down, the transfer stays softer, and gradients print without solid blocks.
- Line frequency
- The number of dot lines per inch (LPI): a low value gives clearly visible dots, a high value a finer finish.
- Screen angle
- The orientation of the dot grid; an angle such as 22.5° limits moiré against the weave of the fabric.
- Transparency
- The garment colour is removed in the PNG's alpha channel: it is never printed, the shirt itself supplies it.
Pricing
One price
Create your account for free and work on your files. Your first file is free; after that the whole studio for €14.99 a month — €9.99 the first month, cancel anytime.
Studio
Every tool, 100 files a month, cancel anytime
€14.99per month
€9.99 for the first month
- 100 files downloaded per month
- Every tool: DTF halftone, vectorising, retouching, resolution
- Print at whatever size you choose
- Up to 1,200 dpi
- Unlimited projects, saved online
- Batch export by garment colour
- Cancel anytime, in one click
Frequently asked questions
Preparing a DTF file
Short answers to what printers ask themselves before sending a file to production.
What software should I use to prepare a DTF file?
DTF Tone is online software built for DTF: it makes the background transparent, halftones the colours and exports a PNG at print resolution, with nothing to install. Photoshop or Illustrator reach the same result, but by hand and without DTF-specific settings.
How do I make a background transparent for DTF?
Remove the background colour (or the shirt colour) so it moves into the PNG's alpha channel. The file has to be saved as PNG, never JPG, which does not support transparency.
What resolution does DTF printing need?
300 dpi at real print size suits most DTF machines. A design 30 cm wide should therefore be about 3,543 pixels across.
Do I need to halftone an image for DTF?
It is not mandatory, but it is recommended for gradients, shadows and vintage effects: halftoning avoids large solid areas of ink and white, and gives a softer transfer.
How do I avoid ghost pixels in DTF?
Ghost pixels are almost transparent but not quite: the printer lays them down anyway, along with adhesive powder. They need to be made either fully opaque or fully transparent before export; the Studio does it in one click.
Can I vectorise a logo for DTF?
Yes: vectorising redraws the logo as crisp shapes that stay perfect at any size. You can then edit the nodes and export a PNG at print size.