How to Convert a PNG or JPG to SVG
Turn a logo, icon or drawing into a real SVG vector you can scale and edit. How tracing works, which images convert well, and settings for Cricut and laser cutters.
PNG and JPG images are grids of pixels. SVG files describe shapes. Converting one to the other means tracing the outlines in your image and rebuilding them as paths, which is called vectorizing.
Watch out for "fake" SVGs
Many converters simply embed your PNG inside an SVG file. It has the right extension but it's still pixels: it blurs when enlarged and cutting machines can't use it. Open the SVG in a text editor; if it contains a long block starting with data:image/png;base64, it isn't a real vector.
How to vectorize an image
- Open PNG to SVG (or JPG to SVG).
- Choose a style: "Logo" for flat-colour artwork, "Black & white line art" for signatures, stencils and cut files, "Detailed" for illustrations.
- Adjust the number of colours and the detail, then download.
What converts well
- Good: logos, icons, text, clip art, cartoons, signatures and line drawings with clean edges.
- Poor: photos, gradients and blurry or low-resolution images. They become stylised posters with thousands of paths.
Settings for Cricut, Silhouette and laser cutters
Use "Black & white line art". It outputs only the dark shapes as single-colour paths, which cutting software turns into cut lines. Start from the largest, sharpest version of the image you have.
Going the other way
Need a PNG of an SVG for a document or social media? SVG to PNG renders it at any size you choose.