5 Methods To Convert PDF to SVG on Windows, Mac, and Online

Many people use SVG files for graphic applications, especially on the web. SVG files uniquely store graphic information, and you can resize them without quality loss. However, many documents are available in PDF format.

Whether you are dealing with academic or financial documents, the document is likely in PDF form. If you want to convert your PDF to SVG, you need a suitable PDF to SVG converter.

There are many options out there to convert PDF to SVG. However, you need to find the right one. Fortunately, this article takes you through a complete guide on converting PDF to SVG without investing too much of your time.

Can You Convert a PDF to an SVG File?

Yes. It is possible to convert a PDF to an SVG file. This process can be done using various PDF to SVG converters. Open a PDF file with a software tool that supports PDF to SVG conversion, then select SVG as the export format. SVG, Scalable Vector Graphic, is an XML-based file format for two-dimensional graphics. This file format stores images in mathematical formulas/texts and not as shapes like pixel-based image formats. Therefore, after converting the PDF image to SVG format, it can be resized without losing their quality. 

Convert PDF to SVG With Inkscape (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Inkscape is a powerful design tool allowing users to convert PDF to SVG. This tool is ideal for illustrators and designers because it offers flexible drawing tools to create vector graphics seamlessly.

Inkscape is free and supports a broad range of file formats. It offers various settings options to transform the output file to meet your needs easily. Since PDF consists of bitmaps and not vector graphics, this program converts your PDF into an original –cuttable SVG file format. This way, you can extract the various elements forming the image to create your desired SVG image.

How To Convert PDF to SVG Using Inkscape

Using Inkscape to convert PDF to SVG is not that complicated. However, you might need to make your file cut with the origin. The following steps show how to convert PDF to SVG using Inkscape.

Step 1 Download, install, and open Inkscape on your computer. Navigate to the "File" menu and open the PDF file you want to convert to SVG. Alternatively, you can drag the PDF file and drop it on the interface.

Step 2 The "PDF Import Settings" box will pop up on the screen. Choose desired file input settings and click "OK.

Step 3 Finally, click the output format drop-down icon and select "SVG." When satisfied, click the "Save" button to save your file in SVG format.

Convert PDF to SVG for Free Using Pixillion (Windows, Mac)

Pixillion Image Converter Software is one of the market's best PDF to SVG converters. This converter is popular because of its stability, ease of use, and ability to support multiple file formats. It is ideal for converting images and digital photos for the web, email, or phone display. The good thing about this PDF-to-SVG converter is that it supports batch conversion.

Therefore, you can save both time and energy by converting multiple PDF files simultaneously. Besides conversion, Pixillion Image Converter Software lets you resize, compress, and add captions/watermarks. Furthermore, you can preview your output file before actual conversion to ensure the output file is satisfactory.

How To Convert PDF to SVG

Converting PDF to SVG with Pixillion Image Converter Software is not a rocket science task. Anyone can do it, including newbies. The following steps illustrate how to convert PDF to SVG using Pixillion Image Converter Software.

Step 1 Launch the Pixillion Image Converter Software on your device to access the main window.

Step 2 Click the "Add Files" button and browse the PDF file you want to convert to SVG. You can select multiple PDF files to be converted simultaneously.

Step 3 Click the "Output Format" drop-down icon and select "SVG" as your output file format. Click "Convert" to trigger the PDF to SVG conversion.

Method 3. Convert PDF to SVG Online with BuildVu (Web)

BuildVu is a simple yet useful online PDF-to-SVG converter. This online converter is easy to use and supports multiple file conversions simultaneously. It offers advanced options such as PDF password, image scale, text mode, and embedding images as base64.

The beauty of this program is that it creates SVG files that are easy to handle. When the output SVG file is ready, you can preview it or download it. The preview feature ensures that your output file meets your needs.

How To Convert PDF to SVG Online for Free

The following steps show how to convert PDF to SVG with BuildVu.

Step 1 Using a suitable browser on your computer, navigate to BuildVu PDF to the SVG page. Click the "Choose File" button and select the PDF file that you want to convert. Click "Open" to upload it.

Step 2 When the PDF file is uploaded, choose desired settings under the "Advanced Settings" section.

Step 3 Click the "Convert" button to let the program convert your file to SVG. When it is done, you can view or save your output file. Click the "Download" button to save your output file on your computer. You can also preview it before downloading.

Convert PDF to SVG Using pdf2svg with Linux

Linux users can use the Linux command line to convert PDF to SVG. There are several versions of command lines that can work for you. However, you need to install the right dependencies and libraries. The standalone PDF2SVG command line application also helps users convert batch PDFs to SVG files.

The following steps show how to convert PDF to SVG using the Linux Command line.

Step 1 First, install the right dependencies using the code snippet below for the Poppler library.

  

cd installs/
mkdir pdf2svg cd pdf2svg/
wget https://github.com/dawbarton/pdf2svg/archive/master.zip
unzip master.zip cd pdf2svg-master/
./configure apt-cyg search poppler
apt-cyg install libpoppler-glib-devel libpoppler-devel
./configure make make install
pdf2svg --help

Step 2 After installing dependencies for Poppler, rub the following command to convert your PDF to SVG.

  

$ pdf2svg.exe unsrt-eg.pdf unsrt-eg.svg

Convert PDF to SVG in Python

Python is another plausible method to convert PDF to SVG. This popular programming language offers several libraries and packages to perform several functionalities. While this option is useful, you need programming Python programming language to convert your PDF to SVG comfortably. The following code snippet shows how to convert PDF to SVG.

Step 1 Open the target PDF document using the following code.

  

# Open the target document
doc = self.Document()
pdf = self.Document()
pdf = self.dataDir self+ 'input1.pdf'

Step 2 Instantiate an SVG object using the following code.

  

# instantiate an object of SvgSaveOptions
save_options = self.SvgSaveOptions()

Step 3 Save the output file to SVG format.

  

# do not compress SVG image to Zip archive
save_options.CompressOutputToZipArchive = False;

# Save the output to XLS SVG format
doc.save(self.dataDir +"Output1.svg", save_options)

print "Document has been converted successfully"

You can simply combine the entire code and run it to produce an output SVG file from the input PDF file.

FAQs about PDF to SVG Conversion

How to convert PDF to SVG for Cricut?

Cricut is a popular smart cutting machine for cutting paper, felt, vinyl, fabric, and more. However, Cricut Design Space doesn't support PDF files directly. Therefore, you have to convert PDF to SVG or PNG before it can be imported into Cricut.

Follow the steps below to convert PDF to SVG for Cricut:

• Open a PDF file on a PDF to SVG converter. You can use an online PDF to SVG converters such as BuildVu, Cloudconvert, or Convertio or a free photo program such as Inkscape.
• Click Convert to turn the PDF image to SVG format.
• Launch Cricut Design Space on your computer. Click New Project > Upload > Upload Image and add the converted SVG image.
• Make any necessary adjustments, such as resizing or positioning, within Cricut Design Space. Proceed with your cutting project.

Can I convert PDF to SVG in Adobe Illustrator?

Adobe Illustrator supports PDF and SVG formats, allowing you to import PDF files and save them as an SVG image.

• Launch Adobe Illustrator and open a PDF image.
• Click File > Save As and select SVG as the output format.
• Click OK to save the SVG file.

Which is the best PDF to SVG converter for free?

There are multiple free PDF to SVG converters available on the market. Here are some of the best options.

• Inkscape: Open-source and free vector graphics editor that can convert PDF to SVG. It is best for those who prefer a robust and feature-rich desktop application.
• BuildVu: Web-based PDF to SVG converter that doesn’t require installation. It is the best online solution for quick and straightforward PDF to SVG conversions.
• pdf2svg: Simple and straightforward command line application. It is best for those with technical knowledge to convert PDF to SVG for free.

Wondershare PDFelement – Edit PDFs Before Conversion

The beauty of SVG files is that they can be resized without quality loss. If you are handling an image-based PDF file, such as scanned PDF files, they contain non-recognizable texts. Therefore, the texts will lose their quality when enlarged even after converting to SVG format.

If the texts are made recognizable before converting the imaged-based PDF to SVG, then the quality of the texts won't degrade when the respective SVG file is enlarged. To make your PDF texts real and recognizable, you need to perform OCR on the scanned or image-based PDF file before converting PDF to SVG. However, you need a dedicated OCR tool.

Fortunately, Wondershare PDFelement provides a powerful OCR platform for all types and sizes of image-based PDF files. This program makes converting scanned PDF files to editable and searchable PDFs in HD quality extremely effortless.

Wondershare PDFelement OCR feature accurately recognizes texts on images or scanned PDFs and allows users to edit these files with one click. This ensures high-quality and accurate text recognition. Furthermore, it supports over 20 languages, and users can batch OCR PDFs.

Conclusion

This article has highlighted several good ways to convert PDF to SVG. Clearly, the SVG format offers several benefits, especially for web-based graphic applications. While this is true, it is important to appreciate the fact that not all these methods will work for you. Different methods have their strengths and weaknesses, and it is upon you to choose a solution that fits your needs.

Furthermore, you can see that the quality of output SVG files is quite important. If you are handling scanned PDFs, you first need to make texts recognizable. Here, you need proper PDF OCR software. Fortunately, Wondershare PDFelement is the leading PDF OCR tool. Download it today and get an accurate and reliable PDF OCR.