What happens when you convert AI to PDF
- The artwork is read by Ghostscript, the standard open-source PostScript and PDF interpreter, on our conversion server and written as a PDF page the size of the artwork.
- Vector shapes and text stay vectors, so the result is as sharp as the original at any size.
- Ghostscript reads the PDF part that Illustrator saves inside an AI file. An AI saved with "Create PDF Compatible File" turned off has no such part, and gives only a page saying so; resave it with that option on.
- This conversion runs on our 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. Files up to 25 MB are accepted.
How to convert AI to PDF online
- Press "Choose AI files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. Files up to 25 MB each can be converted.
- There are no settings to choose: the converter keeps everything the target format can hold.
- Press "Convert to PDF". The file is uploaded to our conversion server, converted in a few seconds, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result is sent back.
- Save each PDF with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your AI and the PDF by then.
Why convert AI to PDF?
AI files usually come from logos, illustrations and print artwork made in Illustrator. People convert them to PDF because a PDF looks the same on every device and is what forms, portals and printers ask for.
In short, AI is good at what it was made for, and PDF is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. AI does not open in browsers; Illustrator opens it, and Inkscape, Affinity Designer and CorelDRAW import most AI files, while PDF opens in every browser's built-in viewer.
How to convert AI to PDF on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your AI files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each PDF is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the AI files from Finder onto the drop zone and the PDF files land in Downloads. Preview can do single images too: open the file, choose File, then Export, and pick PDF.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose AI files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted PDF appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose AI files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The PDF is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for AI to PDF
There are no settings: the page is sized to the artwork, and vectors and text stay as they are.
The PDF opens in every browser and phone, and prints exactly like the original.
AI vs PDF: the differences
| AI | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Adobe Illustrator artwork | Portable Document Format |
| Type | image | document |
| Created by | Adobe | Adobe |
| First released | 1987 | 1993 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy or lossless |
| Transparency | Yes | No |
| Animation | No | No |
| Vector or raster | Vector | Vector |
| Colour | vector artwork in CMYK or RGB, which can also hold raster images | any colour, pages can mix text, vectors and images |
| In a browser | does not open in browsers; Illustrator opens it, and Inkscape, Affinity Designer and CorelDRAW import most AI files | opens in every browser's built-in viewer |
| Common uses | logos, illustrations and print artwork made in Illustrator | documents, forms, invoices and print-ready files |
| MIME type | application/postscript | application/pdf |
About AI and PDF files
What is an AI file?
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.
What is a PDF file?
A PDF fixes the layout of every page so it looks the same on any device. Converting a PDF to an image renders each page to pixels; converting an image to PDF wraps it as a page.
AI to PDF not working? Common problems
- "Files up to 25 MB can be converted." Server conversions have a size limit. Compress the images inside the file, or split it, and try again.
- "The conversion took too long and was stopped." Very long or complex files can pass the 90 second limit. Split the file and convert the parts.
- The AI will not convert. It may be damaged, or try to do something the converter blocks for safety, such as reading other files.
Convert AI to PDF from the command line
This page uses Ghostscript, which is free for Windows, Mac and Linux. The same conversion from the command line:
gs -dSAFER -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dEPSCrop -sOutputFile=output.pdf input.aiConverting 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 to PDF converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting AI to PDF?
No. Vector artwork and text stay vectors, so nothing is lost at any size.
Why is the PDF a different size from the AI?
Both store vector drawing instructions, so the PDF is usually of a similar size to the AI; embedded images and fonts make the biggest difference.
Are my AI files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful AI to PDF conversion needs Ghostscript, the open-source PostScript interpreter, which cannot run in a browser. The file travels over an encrypted connection, is converted in a private temporary folder, and is deleted together with the PDF as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several AI files to PDF at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open a PDF file?
PDF opens in every browser's built-in viewer. PDF is common for documents, forms, invoices and print-ready files.
Is this AI to PDF converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Because this conversion uses our server, there is a fair-use limit of 25 MB per file and a number of files per hour, which stops the service being overloaded.
Can I convert AI to PDF on my phone?
Yes. It works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. The conversion happens on our server, so it is as fast on a phone as on a computer; the PDF is saved to your Downloads folder.