Category: Vector Graphics

In 2014, people uploaded an average of 1.8 billion digital images every single day.

Not all of those images are in the same file format, however. There are many different types of image file formats to choose from. Some of the most popular include JPG, TIFF, BMP, PSD, GIF, and RAW. Each has different pros and cons.

If you have PNG images, you may want to try to convert them to another file format. If so, there are some important things you should know before you do so.

Read on as we take a look at what you need to know before you convert PNG images.

What is a PNG file?

PNG stands for Portable Network Graphic. It is a raster graphics file format that was developed to replace the GIF format. It was designed to be an open-source format after the creators of the GIF starting asking for royalties to cover the cost of licensing the algorithm that made the file format work. 

PNG files are one of the most popular file types for use on websites because it uses lossless compression. This form of compression is able to reduce the size of an image file without losing any of the information within it. This makes it a good choice for high-quality images or images that contain text. These types of images can begin to look a bit blocky when saved as other image file formats that don’t use lossless compression.

One of the major benefits of PNG files for web design is that they can have transparent backgrounds, meaning you can use them for company logos that will fit seamlessly over the background images on your website.

Why Would You Want to Convert a PNG?

There a number of reasons why you might want to convert a PNG to a different file type.

Because PNG files use lossless compression, it means that their file sizes are still fairly large. With lossy compression formats such as JPG, you lose some of the information in the image, but it also means that you can compress the image to a smaller file size. 

If you need your images to be smaller, then it may make sense to convert your PNG to a different format. This can be the case if your website is slow to load due to having a large number of PNG images. Converting these to a different format may help to speed up your site, especially for people with slow connections.

What Are the Best Options to Convert To?

If you’re going to convert a PNG file then you’ll probably want to convert it to another well-known image format. Of these, the best options are likely to be JPG, TIFF, or GIF.

PNG vs JPG

JPG uses lossy compression. This means that some of the information in the image is lost when the file is converted. It allows you to create smaller files, but it also means that the image will not be quite the same quality as the original. Usually, this isn’t a huge problem, but for high-resolution images, or images that contain a lot of text, there can be a noticeable drop off in quality between a PNG and a JPG.

On the flip side, PNG files allow you to have a completely transparent background. In comparison, a JPG image does not. If you design a logo, the JPG version will have a visible background which can look a bit unprofessional on a website. If you’re converting a PNG with a transparent background to a JPG, that transparency will likely be converted to a white background instead. 

You need to consider whether transparency is something you want to keep before you convert a PNG to a JPG.

PNG vs TIFF

TIFF files were designed with printing in mind. They are particularly common in scanning and publishing and other applications where saving high-quality color images is necessary. 

PNG files are designed to be able to transfer high-quality images between computers. TIFF files are intended for real-world uses.

PNG vs GIF

Although PNG files were born out of the problems with GIFs, GIF files live on today thanks to their ability to store multiple frames which can be played as an animation.

GIF files do offer transparency, but this is not as refined as with PNG files. With a PNG you can have alpha transparency, which allows you to use degrees of transparency rather than just fully transparent, or visible.

How to Convert a PNG Image

There a number of different ways to convert a PNG image to another format. Some software such as Paint or Preview will allow you to save a PNG to a limited number of other formats. You can also convert PNG files using high-end graphics software such as Photoshop.

The simplest (and cheapest!) way to convert PNG files is to use an online image converter. These sites allow you to upload your images and convert them to multiple other file formats without the need for purchasing or installing expensive software.

Are You Looking to Convert PNG Images?

If you’re looking to convert PNG images into other formats quickly and easily, then you’re in the right place.

We offer free PNG conversion into a wide range of different formats, including JPG, TIFF, GIF, BMP, ICO, PSD, WEBP, and more. You can also convert other common image file types, including AI, GIF, PSD, and SVG files. 

You’re not limited to images either. You can convert major document file types such as DOC, PAGES, PDF, and PPT as well as spreadsheet formats such as XLS, CSV, and ODS. The process is easy; simply upload your file, click convert and our servers will automatically generate a secure download of your converted file. The service is completely free, and you can convert as many files as you like without having to download any additional software.

Convert your PNG images now!

Do you want to learn about an image format that’s used on 31% of all websites?

The Adobe Scalable Vector Graphics file format or SVG is one of the world’s most-used graphic types. Unlike JPEGs, an SVG can scale without becoming pixellated. And its small file size makes it popular amongst web and graphic designers.

This article helps you get started with scalable vector graphics.

We show you how to create your first SVG file using XML. Learn how scalable vector graphics apps like Illustrator make the process easy. Then explore how to convert SVGs into other formats like PDF.

Read on to see how simple yet powerful the SVG format is and how to best use it. 

What Is a Scalable Vector Graphics File?

An SVG file doesn’t work in the same way as other popular file formats like JPEGs.

Instead of breaking an image into tiny pixels, it uses mathematical data called vectors. These vectors tell the computer to create graphics based on direction and magnitude. For example, SVG code tells the browser to draw a circle with a radius of 100 pixels.

The Adobe Scalable Vector Graphics format or SVG is written in a language called XML.

XML is a web markup language that provides a set of instructions for other apps to follow. In this case, creating a series of lines and shapes that combine to produce a graphic.

SVGs are very small in size so they’re great for sharing online. They also don’t lose definition when scaled which makes them perfect for logo creation.

Manually Create Scalable Vector Graphics

Want to make your very own SVG file? Then follow the instructions below.

Open your favorite simple text editor like Notepad. Next, enter the following code. You can either copy/paste it or type it in.

Finally, save the file as rectangle.svg and open it in a browser like Google Chrome. You’ll see an orange rectangle at the top left of the screen.

Congratulations! This is your first scalable vector graphics file.

Play around with the numbers in the tag. Make it wider by editing the width attribute or edit the color by changing the rgb() values. Then visit W3Schools SVG Tutorials to learn how to add circles, paths, and text.

Scalable Vector Graphics Apps

Building complex graphics like company logos becomes difficult if you manually write the XML code. Thankfully, several scalable vector graphics apps are available for you to draw and sketch.

Adobe Illustrator

Illustrator is Adobe’s flagship product for vector graphic design.

The application lets you create web and mobile app icons to packaging, illustrations, and billboards. It works on Windows and Mac platforms as well as iPad.

Adobe Illustrator isn’t free but you can use it as part of the Creative Cloud package for a monthly fee.

Inkscape

Inkscape is an open-source vector drawing tool that includes powerful features like:

• bezier curves
• freehand drawing
• object transformations
• gradient editor

You can build complex SVG files and export them as XML. From there, you can convert those files to other formats using Offdrive’s free online conversion tools.

Convert SVG to Other Formats

One disadvantage of using SVGs on the web is that older browsers may not display them correctly. Internet Explorer has a reputation for ignoring SVG animations or not rendering files at all.

To combat this, simply convert your scalable vector graphics files into a more popular format like PNG. But how do you do that?

SVG to PNG

Visit our SVG to PNG conversion page and upload your SVG file.

Confirm that you’re not a robot by filling out the reCAPTCHA. A button will appear stating ‘Convert SVG to PNG’. Click the button and the conversion will happen within seconds.

You can then download your new file or choose to convert more SVGs. The service is entirely free and has no file size limits.

Convert SVG to PDF

Adobe’s Portable Document Format or PDF remains a popular way to share content. Regardless of the information, you can be certain it always retains its format.

Scalable vector graphics PDF conversions are great for users with older browsers who want to see your files. The process is easy too.

Use our SVG to PDF conversion tool to upload and convert your files to PDF format.

Our powerful servers transform your content within seconds. We can also convert between multiple formats like:

• SVG to GIF
• SVG to ICO
• SVG to JPG
• SVG to WEBP

Check out our Image Conversion toolbox for the full list of options.

Animated SVGs

One final tip when creating scalable vector graphics is using them to build animations.

This feature allows you to craft beautiful graphics that move on-screen. You can even make short animated features that won’t hog bandwidth as movies do.

Editors like SVGator let you create your animated SVGs using standard drawing tools. However, you can code them yourself if you’re versed in XML and CSS stylesheets.

Here’s an example of a simple animated SVG file.

begin=”0s”
dur=”20s”
type=”rotate”
from=”0 60 60″
to=”360 60 60″
attributeName=”transform”
repeatCount=”indefinite”
/>

Save this content to a new file called ‘animated.svg’ then open it in Chrome. You’ll see an orange rectangle spin clockwise!

Edit the element to change the duration lengths and rotation points. But remember, animations won’t appear when you convert them to another format.

Convert Any File Online for Free With Offdrive

Scalable vector graphics let you create complex files that scale without compromising quality.

Using tools like Adobe Illustrator, you can make logos, designs, and graphics in the SVG format. From there, it’s simple to convert those files into PDFs or other formats by using Offdrive’s free online tools.

Offdrive.com lets you convert a broad range of files to other types.

Need to transform a Word document into HTML or rich text format? Use our Document Conversion tools. Have a 7Zip file that you need to open as RAR? That’s no problem with our Archive Conversion tools.

Visit Offdrive.com and select an option from the menu. Then upload your file, hit convert, and wait for our free conversion software to do the rest.