What happens when you convert SVGZ to SVG
- The SVGZ is unpacked on our conversion server. An SVGZ is an SVG compressed with gzip, so this gives back the SVG exactly as it was saved, byte for byte.
- The result is checked to really be an SVG before it is sent back, and SVGs that unpack to more than 64 MB are refused.
- The SVG opens in every browser, and in Illustrator, Inkscape, Figma and other design tools.
- 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 SVGZ to SVG online
- Press "Choose SVGZ 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 SVGZ and the SVG by then.
Why convert SVGZ to SVG?
SVGZ files usually come from Inkscape drawings and SVG files compressed for storage. 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, SVGZ 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. Inkscape and Illustrator open SVGZ; browsers only show it when a web server sends it with gzip encoding, while SVG renders natively in every browser.
How to convert SVGZ to SVG on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your SVGZ 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 SVGZ 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 SVGZ 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 SVGZ 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 SVGZ to SVG
There are no settings: the SVG inside is returned exactly as it is.
If you serve SVGs on a website, your web server can compress them on the fly, so there is no need to store them as SVGZ.
SVGZ vs SVG: the differences
| SVGZ | SVG | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Compressed Scalable Vector Graphics | Scalable Vector Graphics |
| Type | image | image |
| Created by | the World Wide Web Consortium | the World Wide Web Consortium |
| First released | 2001 | 2001 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | Yes | Yes |
| Vector or raster | Vector | Vector |
| Colour | any colour, described as shapes rather than pixels | any colour, described as shapes rather than pixels |
| In a browser | Inkscape and Illustrator open it; browsers only show it when a web server sends it with gzip encoding | renders natively in every browser |
| Common uses | Inkscape drawings and SVG files compressed for storage | logos, icons, charts and illustrations on the web |
| MIME type | image/svg+xml | image/svg+xml |
About SVGZ and SVG files
What is an SVGZ file?
An SVGZ is an ordinary SVG compressed with gzip, which often shrinks it to a fifth of its size or less, because SVG is repetitive text. Unpacking it gives back the SVG exactly, byte for byte.
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.
SVGZ 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 SVGZ format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .svgz is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert SVGZ to SVG from the command line
gzip, built into Mac and Linux, does the same on your own computer:
gunzip -c input.svgz > 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.
SVGZ to SVG converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting SVGZ to SVG?
No. Unpacking gzip is lossless: the SVG is identical to the one that was compressed.
Why is the SVG a different size from the SVGZ?
Several times larger than the SVGZ, because SVG is repetitive text that gzip compresses very well.
Are my SVGZ files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. The SVGZ is unpacked on our conversion server, which also checks that the result really is an SVG and not something larger or different. 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 SVGZ 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 SVGZ 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 SVGZ 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.