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Importing other File Formats

Inkscape can import and open a large variety of file formats. The availabilty 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 (via pdftocairo) (*.ai) - Adobe Illustrator file import via pdftocairo

Adobe Illustrator 8.0 and below (*.ai) - Adobe Illustrator files created with Illustrator 8.0 or older

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 Compressed Exchange files (UC) (*.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

Adobe PDF (via pdftocairo) (*.pdf) - standardized document exchange file format, import via pdftocairo library

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

sK1 vector graphics files (*.sk1) - native file format of sk1 vector editor

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

wbmp (*.wbmp) - Wireless Application Protocol Bitmap Format (black-transparent raster graphics)

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)