Convert

Convert between file formats

Different programs and machines speak different file languages, and figuring out which one you actually need — SVG, DXF, PNG, JPG, WebP, HEIC — isn't always obvious, especially when a "cut file bundle" hands you five formats at once with no explanation of which to use where.

This section handles the conversions that come up most often for this kind of work: turning iPhone photos (HEIC) into a format your design software can actually open, switching between image formats for web use versus print use, and moving files between the vector and raster world when a project calls for it.

A common source of confusion this solves: software that flatly refuses to open a file, or opens it but strips out something important, is almost always a format mismatch rather than a corrupted file. Converting to the format your specific tool actually expects usually resolves it immediately, without needing to touch the design itself.

One thing conversion won't fix: a file that's structurally broken (open paths, hidden objects) stays broken after conversion — converting and fixing are separate steps, and running a check first (see the Check section) saves you from converting a problem file only to run into the same issue in the new format.