Importing other File Formats

Inkscape can import and open a large variety of file formats. The availability of some import file formats depends on other programs installed on your computer. Third-party Inkscape extensions can be used to import additional file formats.

When you import certain file formats, Inkscape may open a dialog asking you to specify import options for the file.

For some file formats, Inkscape is only able to import a subset of all available features of that file format.

Commonly available import file formats

(ordered by file extension)

Adobe Illustrator 9.0 and above (*.ai): Adobe Illustrator files created with Illustrator 9.0 and newer
Adobe Illustrator SVG (*.ai.svg): SVG file exported from Adobe Illustrator
ani (*.ani): file format for animated mouse cursors on MS Windows
wmf (*.apm): same as Windows Metafiles (*.wmf)
bmp (*.bmp): Windows Bitmap image file format
Corel DRAW Compressed Exchange files (*.ccx): Corel DRAW exchange file format
Corel DRAW 7-X4 files (*.cdr): Corel DRAW file format version 7-X4
Corel DRAW 7-X4 files (UQ) (*.cdr): Corel DRAW file format version 7-X4
Corel DRAW 7-13 template files (*.cdt): Corel DRAW template file format version 7-13
Corel DRAW 7-13 template files (UC) (*.cdt): Corel DRAW template file format version 7-13
Computer Graphics Metafile files (*.cgm): standardized graphics format for vector and raster data
Corel DRAW Presentation Exchange files (*.cmx): Corel DRAW exchange file format for presentations
Corel DRAW Presentation Exchange files (UC) (*.cmx): Corel DRAW exchange file format for presentations
ico (*.cur): non-animated cursors file format for MS Windows
ACECAD Digimemo File (*.dhw): ACE CAD digital notepad notes file
Dia Diagram (*.dia): Diagram file format from Dia
AutoCAD DXF R13 (*.dxf): dxf CAD file format from AutoCAD, version 13
Enhanced Metafiles (*.emf): proprietary Windows vector file format that only supports straight lines
Encapsulated PostScript (*.eps): embeddable printer graphics file
GdkPixdata (*.gdkp): pixel data files for GTK
gif (*.gif): graphics interchange format, a common raster file format (animations not supported in Inkscape)
GIMP Gradient (*.ggr): gradient file from Gimp, gradient will be available in the Fill and Stroke dialog
HP Graphics Language file (*.hpgl): plotter file format
icns (*.icns): Apple icon image file format
ico (*.ico): Windows computer icon file format
jpeg2000 (*.j2k): see *.jp2
jpeg2000 (*.jp2): standardized compressed raster image file format
jpeg2000 (*.jpc): see *.jp2
jpeg (*.jpe): see *.jpeg
jpeg (*.jpeg): Joint Photographic Experts Group compressed raster image file format
jpeg (*.jpg): see *.jpeg
jpeg2000 (*.jpf): see *.jp2
jpeg2000 (*.jpx): extended jpg2000 file format, see jp2
pnm (*.pbm): portable bitmap file format (black and white only)
pcx (*.pcx): ZSoft picture exchange raster graphics file format
pnm (*.pgm): portable graymap file format (grayscale)
Adobe PDF (*.pdf): standardized document exchange file format
HP Graphics Language Plot file [AutoCAD] (*.plt): plotter file format
png (*.png): portable network graphics, a lossless raster image file format
pnm (*.pnm): portable anymap file format (see also pbm, pgm and ppm)
pnm (*.ppm): portable pixmap file format (RGB)
PostScript (*.ps): printer graphics language file format
qtif (*.qif): see *.qtif
qtif (*.qtif): Quick Time image file format
ras (*.ras): Sun (Solaris) raster file format
Scalable Vector Graphic (*.svg): SVG files, such as the files Inkscape generates
Compressed Inkscape SVG (*.svgz): gzip-compressed SVG file with all editor data
tga (*.targa): see *.tga
tga (*.tga): Truevision Advanced Raster Graphics Array image file
tiff (*.tif): see *.tiff
tiff (*.tiff): Tagged Image File Format (raster file format)
Microsoft Visio 2013 drawing (*.vsdm): drawings created in MS Visio 2013
Microsoft Visio 2013 drawing (*.vsdx): drawings created in MS Visio 2013
Microsoft Visio XML Diagram (*.vdx): diagrams created in MS Visio
Microsoft Visio Diagram (*.vsd): diagrams created in MS Visio
Windows Metafiles (*.wmf): improved version of .wmf with support for Bézier curves
WordPerfect Graphics (*.wpg): graphics exported from Word Perfect
Microsoft XAML (*.xaml): Microsoft’s graphical user interface description language file format
xbm (*.xbm): X BitMap file format for cursors (black and white)
xpm (*.xpm): X PixMap file format for cursors (color, successor of *.xbm)