What happens when you convert EPS to DXF
- The EPS is rewritten into a one-page EPS by Ghostscript, and pstoedit traces its drawing into an AutoCAD DXF (release 14) on our conversion server.
- The DXF holds lines, polylines and text with their colours. Curves are written as polylines of short straight segments, which every CAD program and laser cutter reads.
- DXF from this route is outlines only: filled areas become their outlines without a fill, gradients and transparency are dropped, and embedded pictures are left out entirely.
- Everything is placed on a single layer; layers from the original are not kept.
- 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 EPS to DXF online
- Press "Choose EPS 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 DXF". 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 DXF with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your EPS and the DXF by then.
Why convert EPS to DXF?
EPS files usually come from logos and artwork for print, and stock vector graphics. People convert them to DXF because DXF is what CAD programs, laser cutters, CNC routers and vinyl cutters import.
In short, EPS is good at what it was made for, and DXF is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. EPS does not open in browsers; Illustrator, Inkscape and Affinity Designer open it, and macOS Preview converts it to PDF, while DXF does not open in browsers; AutoCAD, LibreCAD, FreeCAD, Inkscape and most CAD and laser-cutting software read it.
How to convert EPS to DXF on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your EPS files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each DXF is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the EPS files from Finder onto the drop zone and the DXF files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose EPS files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted DXF 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 EPS files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The DXF is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for EPS to DXF
There are no settings: curves become polylines and every object keeps its colour.
For laser cutting and CNC work, check the scale when you import the DXF, since CAD programs ask which unit the drawing uses. Clean, outlined artwork converts best; photos and effects do not survive.
EPS vs DXF: the differences
| EPS | DXF | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Encapsulated PostScript | AutoCAD Drawing Exchange Format |
| Type | image | image |
| Created by | Adobe | Autodesk |
| First released | 1987 | 1982 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | No | No |
| Animation | No | No |
| Vector or raster | Vector | Vector |
| Colour | vector drawing, which can also hold raster images | lines, arcs, polylines and text on layers, with a colour per object |
| In a browser | does not open in browsers; Illustrator, Inkscape and Affinity Designer open it, and macOS Preview converts it to PDF | does not open in browsers; AutoCAD, LibreCAD, FreeCAD, Inkscape and most CAD and laser-cutting software read it |
| Common uses | logos and artwork for print, and stock vector graphics | CAD drawings, laser cutting, CNC machining and plotter work |
| MIME type | application/postscript | image/vnd.dxf |
About EPS and DXF files
What is an EPS file?
An EPS is a small PostScript program that draws one page of artwork, with a bounding box so it can be placed inside other documents. Printers and designers still ask for it, but it is gradually being replaced by PDF and SVG.
What is a DXF file?
DXF is a text description of a drawing: every line, arc, polyline and piece of text written out with its coordinates and layer. Autodesk published it with the first AutoCAD so other programs could exchange drawings, and nearly every CAD, CNC and laser-cutter program still reads it.
EPS to DXF 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 EPS will not convert. It may be damaged, or try to do something the converter blocks for safety, such as reading other files.
Convert EPS to DXF from the command line
Ghostscript and pstoedit do the same on your own computer:
pstoedit -f "dxf_s:-splineaspolyline" input.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.
EPS to DXF converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting EPS to DXF?
Lines and curves keep their shape and position, with curves approximated by short straight segments. Fills, gradients and pictures are not carried over, because this DXF holds outlines only.
Why is the DXF a different size from the EPS?
Usually larger than the EPS, because DXF writes every point of every line as text.
Are my EPS files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful EPS to DXF conversion needs Ghostscript and pstoedit, two open-source tools, 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 DXF as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several EPS files to DXF 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 DXF file?
DXF does not open in browsers; AutoCAD, LibreCAD, FreeCAD, Inkscape and most CAD and laser-cutting software read it. DXF is common for CAD drawings, laser cutting, CNC machining and plotter work.
Is this EPS to DXF 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 EPS to DXF 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 DXF is saved to your Downloads folder.