Real vector paths inside the SVG
Some converters wrap the PNG in an SVG file and call it a vector. We opened our result: it held 9 path elements, no image element and no base64 data, so the shapes can be edited and scaled.
PNG to SVG Converter
Add a PNG and get back an SVG built from traced colour paths. Flat logos and icons work best; soft shadows and photos do not.
To convert png to svg, add the PNG file, keep SVG as the output format and download the result. In our test, a transparent 800 × 600 logo of 17,613 bytes became an svg of 7,958 bytes made of 9 traced paths with no embedded picture, and its transparent background stayed transparent.
Transfers use HTTPS, and files converted on the free tier are deleted after 24 hours, so the result is not a long-term archive. Quality depends on the source file, so open the SVG file once before you share it.
FromPNGLosslessTransparency
PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
A lossless raster format with a full alpha channel. It preserves every pixel it is given and supports transparency, which makes it the usual choice for logos, screenshots, and any image with sharp edges or text.
ToSVGLosslessTransparency
SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)
An XML-based vector format from the W3C. Shapes, paths and text are stored as drawing instructions, not pixels, so an SVG stays sharp at any size and can be styled with CSS, animated or scripted inside a browser.
A transparent 800 × 600 PNG logo with a soft shadow, converted on indox.org
- PNGthe original, transparent logo with soft shadow
- 17,613 bytes
- SVGfrom indox, 9 paths, about 0.45× the size
- 7,958 bytes
- SVG, white backdropfrom the same logo flattened on white (18,628 bytes), 10 paths
- 4,378 bytes
Why use indox to convert PNG to SVG?
Transparent backgrounds stay transparent
The empty area around our logo came back empty: a corner pixel of the rendered SVG had alpha 0, and 63.3% of its pixels were fully transparent against 63.8% in the PNG.
Nothing to install, any device with a browser
The tracing runs on indox servers, so you do not need Inkscape or Illustrator. Add the file in a browser on Windows, Mac, Linux or a phone and save the SVG.
The limits are listed with figures
The page lists what tracing cannot keep, with figures from our own run: soft shadows, fake white backgrounds, photos and small text. You can judge the fit before you convert.
What happens to your PNG
Stays
- Your original PNG, which is not touched
- The overall shape and colours of flat artwork
- Fully transparent areas, clear in our test
- The canvas size, 800 × 600 in our test
Changes
- Pixels: replaced by traced paths, 9 in our logo
- Soft shadows: partial transparency becomes solid colour
- White backdrop: drawn as a shape, #F9F9F9 in our test
- File size: 17,613 became 7,958 bytes in our test
- viewBox: not set, only width and height
How do I convert PNG to SVG online?
- 1
Add your PNG file
Drop the file on the box or choose it from your device. Keep the original PNG: the SVG is a traced copy and cannot be turned back into the exact pixels.
- 2
Confirm SVG and start the conversion
Check that SVG is the output format and press Convert. In our test it took 3.3 seconds from the click to Completed for the transparent logo.
- 3
Download the SVG and zoom in on it
Save the file and open it in a browser tab, then zoom to several hundred percent. Edges should stay sharp. Look at shadows and any white background before you use the file.
What do I get from indox's PNG to SVG converter?
You hand over a PNG, usually a logo, icon or flat illustration, and take away an SVG of traced shapes that stays sharp when enlarged. The page tells you in advance what tracing cannot keep, so you know whether the result fits your job.
- A traced SVG with real paths from the PNG you add
- Transparent backgrounds kept clear in our test
- Shadow and white-background behaviour measured in our test
- Nothing to install on Windows, Mac or a phone
- Your original PNG is left as it was
What are the limits for PNG to SVG?
Size
The upload box shows the live size limit before you add a file. Signing in raises it; a paid plan does not change it.
Formats
PNG in, SVG out. Pick another output on the converter if you need a different format.
Privacy
Files are encrypted in transit over HTTPS and processed on indox infrastructure.
Deletion
Free-tier files are kept for 24 hours after the job finishes, then deleted automatically.
Limits worth knowing
- Soft shadows, glows and gradients lose their smooth edges. Partial transparency becomes solid colour, so a blurred shadow turns into a hard shape. Remove it from the PNG first, or redraw it as a vector shape afterwards.
- A PNG with a white backdrop keeps the backdrop. It becomes a full-size shape in off-white, not a transparent area. Make the PNG transparent before converting, or delete that first path in a vector editor.
- Photos and detailed images are a poor fit. Tracing turns gradients into stacked colour blobs and the SVG can end up larger than the PNG. Small text turns into wobbly outlines.
- This converter shows no settings. We saw a single Convert button and no controls for colours, detail or smoothing, so you cannot tune the trace here.
- The service can fall back to a black-and-white tracer. That did not happen in our two tests, which both came back in colour, but a result without colour would show it.
- The result is a trace, so shapes follow the pixels and the node count is not tidy. For a logo that must be exact, ask for the original vector file.
When the result is not what you expected
| What you see | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A hard black shape where a soft shadow was | Partial transparency is flattened to solid colour | Remove the shadow in the PNG, or delete the shape and redraw it in a vector editor |
| The SVG has a solid background | The PNG had an opaque white backdrop and it was traced as a shape | Save the PNG with a transparent background and convert again, or delete the first path |
| Edges are wobbly or text is rough | Tracing follows pixels, and small text has few of them | Use a larger PNG, or set the text in a vector editor |
| The SVG is bigger than the PNG | Photos and gradients produce many paths | Keep the PNG for photos. If you need a bitmap from an SVG, use SVG to PNG |
| It does not scale inside a page | The SVG has width and height but no viewBox | Add a viewBox in a vector editor or in the file |
What do the free and paid plans add?
Free
- All converters
- Daily credit refresh
- Email support
Basic
- Access to all features
- AI Extract
- Priority conversions
- Email support
Highest priority
Premium
- Everything in Basic
- Highest priority queue
- Priority support
Pay-As-You-Go
- No subscription
- Credits never expire
- Opt-in auto-refill
- Access to all features
Which conversions are close to PNG to SVG?
PNG vs SVG: what is the difference?
| Compared on | PNG | SVG |
|---|---|---|
| Stores | A grid of coloured pixels | Shapes, paths and text as drawing instructions |
| Scaling | Gets blurry or blocky when enlarged | Stays sharp at any size |
| Transparency | Full alpha channel with smooth partial transparency | Shapes can have opacity, but a trace of a PNG flattens it in our test |
| Best for | Screenshots, photos, soft shadows | Logos, icons and flat illustrations |
| Editing | Edit pixels in an image editor | Edit shapes and colours in a vector editor or in code |
Who can use a PNG to SVG converter?
When to use it
- Turning a flat PNG logo into an SVG that stays sharp at any size.
- Getting an editable starting point for an icon when you lost the vector original.
- Preparing outlines of a simple shape for a cutting machine.
- Making a small scalable icon for a web page from a PNG export.
- Checking how a PNG with a white backdrop behaves before a design handoff.
Where can I read more about converting files?
Sources
- Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 1.1, IntroductionW3C
- Portable Network Graphics (PNG) Specification, Third EditionW3C
- VTracer, raster to vector graphics converterVision Cortex
Facts checked on November 4, 2026
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PNG to SVG FAQs
How do I convert PNG to SVG for free?
Open the converter, add your PNG, keep SVG as the output and download the result. You do not need Inkscape or Illustrator.
Is it real vector tracing or a PNG inside an SVG?
It is tracing. The SVG from our test held 9 path elements, no image element and no base64 data, so the shapes are vectors, with no bitmap in a wrapper.
Does transparency carry over?
Fully transparent areas stay transparent. In our test the corner of the rendered SVG had alpha 0. Partly transparent pixels, such as a soft shadow, become solid colour.
Why is my SVG white-backed?
Your PNG probably has an opaque white background. The tracer drew it as a shape: in our test a full-size rectangle filled #F9F9F9. Save the PNG with a transparent background and convert again.
Will the SVG be smaller than the PNG?
For flat artwork it often is. Our logo went from 17,613 to 7,958 bytes. A photo or a detailed image can produce a larger SVG, so check the size.
Can I convert a screenshot or a photo?
A flat screenshot or an exported interface graphic can work. A photo is a poor fit, because gradients and fine detail become stacked blobs.
Why won't the SVG work as a cut file?
Cutting software cuts every outline in the file. A white backdrop or a shadow shape adds extra outlines to cut, so remove those from the PNG or the SVG before cutting.
What is the difference between this and tracing in Inkscape or Illustrator?
The idea is the same: both turn pixels into paths. Those programs give you detail and colour controls. This page has a single Convert button, which is quicker but not adjustable.