What is an AI file?
AI stands for Adobe Illustrator artwork. It was created by Adobe and first released in 1987. Since Illustrator 9 an AI file is a PDF with Illustrator's own editing data added, which is why other programs can open it at all. A file saved with "Create PDF Compatible File" turned off has no PDF part, and only Illustrator can read it.
| Type | image |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless |
| Colour | vector artwork in CMYK or RGB, which can also hold raster images |
| Transparency | Yes |
| Animation | No |
| In a browser | does not open in browsers; Illustrator opens it, and Inkscape, Affinity Designer and CorelDRAW import most AI files |
| Common uses | logos, illustrations and print artwork made in Illustrator |
| MIME type | application/postscript |
Which format should you convert AI to?
- AI to PNG for screenshots, logos and anything with transparency.
- AI to PDF to print, or to attach as a document.
AI is lossless, so converting it to a lossy format is where the file gets much smaller.
How to open an AI file
An AI file does not open in a web browser, and only some devices have a program for it. Here is what works on each. If none of these is to hand, converting the file to PNG here is the quickest way to see what is inside it.
| Windows | Illustrator opens it; Inkscape (free), Affinity Designer and CorelDRAW import it. |
|---|---|
| Mac | Illustrator, Inkscape and Affinity Designer open it, and Preview shows AI files saved with PDF content. |
| iPhone and iPad | Adobe Illustrator on iPad opens it. Otherwise convert it to PNG or PDF here to view it. |
| Android | Android has no common app for AI files. Convert it to PNG or PDF here to view it. |
Want the technical details? See what a .ai file is, with its MIME type, file signature and a viewer.
AI compared with other image formats
How AI stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Transparency | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI | Lossless | Yes | 1987 | logos, illustrations and print artwork made in Illustrator |
| SVG | Lossless | Yes | 2001 | logos, icons, charts and illustrations on the web |
| EPS | Lossless | No | 1987 | logos and artwork for print, and stock vector graphics |
| Either | No | 1993 | documents, forms, invoices and print-ready files | |
| EMF | Lossless | No | 1993 | charts and clip art copied between Windows programs, and vector pictures in Office documents |
How to use the AI converter
- Choose the format you want in the Convert to menu.
- Drop your AI files on the box, or press Choose AI files. Several files can go in at once.
- Adjust the settings if you need to; the defaults suit most people.
- Press Convert and save each file with its Download button. The file is converted on our server and deleted as soon as the result is sent back.
Tips for converting AI files without losing quality
AI is a vector format, so it is a good source for any conversion. Converting it to another vector format keeps shapes as shapes; converting it to PNG or JPG draws it at one fixed size.
- Keep the original drawing as the master copy; it is the file you can edit and convert again.
- Converting between vector formats keeps shapes as shapes. Converting to PNG or JPG fixes the drawing at one size, so pick the largest size you will need.
- Each vector format supports different effects: gradients, transparency and filters are where results differ most, so check them after converting.
- For laser cutters and CAD programs, DXF is the usual format; for Office documents, EMF; for the web, SVG.
Convert AI files from the command line
Ghostscript and pstoedit do the same on your own computer:
gs -dSAFER -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=eps2write -dFirstPage=1 -dLastPage=1 -sOutputFile=art.eps input.ai
pstoedit -f "dxf_s:-splineaspolyline" art.eps output.dxfConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
AI converter FAQ
What is an AI file?
AI stands for Adobe Illustrator artwork, an image format created by Adobe in 1987. Since Illustrator 9 an AI file is a PDF with Illustrator's own editing data added, which is why other programs can open it at all. A file saved with "Create PDF Compatible File" turned off has no PDF part, and only Illustrator can read it.
How do I open an AI file?
AI does not open in browsers; Illustrator opens it, and Inkscape, Affinity Designer and CorelDRAW import most AI files. If the program you need will not open it, convert it to a more widely supported format above.
What is the most common AI conversion?
AI to DXF is the conversion people search for most. The AI is turned into a one-page EPS by Ghostscript, and pstoedit traces its drawing into an AutoCAD DXF (release 14) on our conversion server.
Does converting AI files here upload them?
Yes. AI conversions need Ghostscript, pstoedit, Inkscape and MuPDF, open-source programs that cannot run in a browser, so they run on our conversion server. The file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept.
Is the AI converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Conversions that use our server accept files up to 25 MB, with a fair-use limit per hour. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert AI files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your AI files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several AI files at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.