How to use it
- Choose how many colours to trace. Use 2 for black line art, 4 to 8 for most logos.
- Drop in the image. Tracing takes a few seconds.
- Download the SVG and open it in a browser or vector editor to check it.
Tracing is not the same as converting
Most converters on this site move the same pixels into a different container. PNG to SVG is different in kind. The tracer groups the image into a small number of colours, finds the outline of each coloured area, and describes those outlines as curves. The result is a new drawing based on your image, not a copy of it.
That is why the input matters so much. A clean logo with a few flat colours traces into tidy shapes. A photograph traces into thousands of blobs that look like a poster-effect filter and produce an enormous file. For photos, keep them as JPG or WebP.
Getting a better trace
- Start large. A 1000-pixel-wide logo traces far better than a 100-pixel favicon.
- Fewer colours, cleaner result. Every extra colour adds shapes. Try the smallest number that still looks right.
- Tidy the source first. Remove the background with the transparency tool, or boost contrast with the black and white converter for line art.
Treat the output as a solid first draft. For a logo you will use everywhere, it is worth opening the SVG in a vector editor to smooth any wobbly curves.
PNG and SVG compared
| PNG | SVG | |
|---|---|---|
| First released | 1996 | 2001 |
| Compression | Lossless | Vector, stored as text |
| Transparency | Yes, including soft edges | Yes |
| Animation or pages | Only as APNG, rarely used | Animation via CSS |
| Best for | Screenshots, graphics, text and transparency | Logos, icons and diagrams |
| Support | Universal | Browsers and design tools |
Questions people ask
Can I convert a photo to SVG?
You can, but the result looks posterised and the file will be very large. Tracing suits flat artwork.
Why do the edges look slightly lumpy?
The tracer fits curves to pixel boundaries. Larger source images and fewer colours give smoother lines.
Will the SVG be editable?
Yes. Each colour region is a separate path you can recolour or adjust in any vector editor.