What happens when you convert EMF to SVG
- The EMF is opened by Inkscape, the open-source vector editor, on our conversion server and saved as a plain SVG, without Inkscape's own editing data, so it opens cleanly in browsers and other editors.
- Shapes, lines, fills and colours stay vectors, so the result scales to any size. Embedded pictures are carried over as pictures.
- Text in the metafile becomes SVG text where Inkscape can read it as text.
- 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 EMF to SVG online
- Press "Choose EMF 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 SVG". 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 SVG with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your EMF and the SVG by then.
Why convert EMF to SVG?
EMF files usually come from charts and clip art copied between Windows programs, and vector pictures in Office documents. People convert them to SVG because SVG stays sharp at any size and is tiny for logos and icons, which makes it the standard for graphics on the web and in design tools.
In short, EMF is good at what it was made for, and SVG is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. EMF does not open in browsers; Windows shows it, and Word, PowerPoint, LibreOffice and Inkscape open it, while SVG renders natively in every browser.
How to convert EMF to SVG on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your EMF files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each SVG is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the EMF files from Finder onto the drop zone and the SVG files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose EMF files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted SVG appears in Files, in the Downloads folder; to put it in your photo library, open it there, tap Share and choose Save Image.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose EMF files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The SVG is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for EMF to SVG
There are no settings: the drawing is converted at its own size, with every shape kept as a vector.
Keep the EMF as the master copy, and convert from it again whenever you need another format.
EMF vs SVG: the differences
| EMF | SVG | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Enhanced Metafile | Scalable Vector Graphics |
| Type | image | image |
| Created by | Microsoft | the World Wide Web Consortium |
| First released | 1993 | 2001 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes |
| Animation | No | Yes |
| Vector or raster | Vector | Vector |
| Colour | Windows drawing commands, which can also hold bitmaps | any colour, described as shapes rather than pixels |
| In a browser | does not open in browsers; Windows shows it, and Word, PowerPoint, LibreOffice and Inkscape open it | renders natively in every browser |
| Common uses | charts and clip art copied between Windows programs, and vector pictures in Office documents | logos, icons, charts and illustrations on the web |
| MIME type | image/emf | image/svg+xml |
About EMF and SVG files
What is an EMF file?
An EMF is a recording of the drawing commands a Windows program sends to the screen, played back to redraw the picture at any size. It replaced WMF with 32-bit Windows, and Office still uses it when charts and diagrams are copied between programs.
What is an SVG file?
SVG describes shapes as text instructions, so it stays sharp at any size and a simple logo can be under 5 KB. Turning it into pixels fixes it at one resolution, so choose the output size before converting.
EMF to SVG 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.
- "This file is not really in EMF format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .emf is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert EMF to SVG from the command line
Inkscape does the same on your own computer:
inkscape input.emf --export-type=svg --export-plain-svg --export-filename=output.svgConverting 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.
EMF to SVG converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting EMF to SVG?
Shapes and colours stay vectors, so nothing is lost to pixels. Each vector format supports a slightly different set of effects, so rare metafile features may be simplified.
Why is the SVG a different size from the EMF?
Both store drawing instructions, so the SVG is usually of a similar size to the EMF; embedded pictures make the biggest difference.
Are my EMF files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful EMF to SVG conversion needs Inkscape, the open-source vector editor, 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 SVG as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several EMF files to SVG 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 an SVG file?
SVG renders natively in every browser. SVG is common for logos, icons, charts and illustrations on the web.
Is this EMF to SVG 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 EMF to SVG 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 SVG is saved to your Downloads folder.