Vectorize Image
Trace flat graphics toward SVG for crisp scaling at any size. Upload a PNG/JPG/WebP, tune Potrace controls, then download your vector output.
Potrace vectorizer - 1 credit per run - no AI model
Best results come from logos, icons, and high-contrast line art. Soft gradients and photos usually produce noisy or oversized SVG paths.
Vectorize images for logos, icons, and sharp web graphics
Vectorization (often called raster-to-vector tracing) rebuilds a bitmap—pixels in a PNG, JPEG, or similar—as curves and regions you can scale without stair-stepping edges. That matters for favicons, responsive UI marks, and print-ready brand assets where one master file must work from business cards to billboards.
The usual output is SVG: a text-based format describing paths and fills. Unlike photographs, SVGs stay sharp because the renderer draws geometry, not a fixed grid of samples. For how vectors fit alongside photos on a site, see our best image format for a website guide.
Raster vs vector at a glance
- Scaling
- Raster: quality tied to pixel dimensions; vector: paths scale mathematically
- Photographic tone
- Raster: smooth tone across a fixed pixel grid; vector: poor fit for photos unless heavily simplified
- Transparency
- Both can carry alpha; cutout PNGs often trace cleanly—see transparency and alpha
- File size
- Simple logos: SVG often wins; complex traces or embedded images: can exceed a tuned WebP—compare with how image compression works
What these controls change in the trace
The advanced controls now focus on color posterization before tracing, which is where most anti-aliasing and boundary artifacts originate in multi-color output.
- Colors: sets how many centroid colors k-means keeps when snapping the image into a hard posterized palette.
- Color match tolerance: controls how aggressively nearby shades are merged into each palette color.
- Fixed trace cleanup: masks are opened (erode+dilate) before Potrace to reduce speckles and edge noise.
- Best input: high-contrast logos and icons tend to produce compact, clean SVG.
Tradeoffs and safe use
Tracing is destructive in the sense that you replace pixels with an approximation. Gradual skies, skin, and fabric weave rarely vectorize into compact, attractive SVG; you usually get bands or enormous path data. For those subjects, keep a raster pipeline: resize image to the display size you need, then compress image or optimize image for web, aligned with optimizing images for the web.
Resolution metadata (DPI) on a PNG does not change how traceable the pixels are; it mainly affects print handoffs. Our image resolution and DPI article separates metadata from real resampling when you prepare mixed vector-and-raster deliverables.
When not to vectorize
- Continuous-tone photography: keep JPEG, WebP, or AVIF; vector output will not look like a camera capture.
- Noisy or heavily compressed sources: JPEG blocks become false edges unless you denoise or redraw first.
- Legal or brand-critical marks: prefer original vector masters from design tools; auto-trace can subtly drift curves from approved artwork.
- Animations or video: SVG animation exists but is a different workflow from GIF/WebP clips; do not expect a tracer to replace motion assets.
SVG round-trips and mixed workflows
If you already have SVG and need a raster preview for a legacy CMS or email, use SVG to PNG at a defined pixel width rather than re-tracing a PNG export—generation stays predictable and avoids double-lossy steps.
Vectorize Image Questions, Answered
Will vectorizing fix a blurry or low-resolution photo?
No. Tracing follows visible edges and flat regions in the bitmap you supply; it cannot recover detail that was never captured. For soft photos, you get simplified paths, not a sharper photograph. Upscale or re-shoot before vectorizing if you need cleaner edges.
What format do I get after vectorizing an image?
Most browser workflows export SVG: paths and shapes that scale to any size without adding pixels. SVG is ideal for logos, icons, and diagrams. Full-color continuous-tone art is usually better left as PNG, WebP, or JPEG.
Does turning a PNG or JPEG into a vector always make the file smaller?
Often for flat logos and simple graphics, yes. For complex traces with thousands of points or embedded raster fallbacks, an SVG can grow large. Compare byte size after export; photos almost always stay smaller as well-compressed rasters.
Can I vectorize a full-color photograph and keep it looking like a photo?
Automatic tracing is not a substitute for a photo. You may get posterized regions or huge path counts that still look graphic, not photographic. Marketing hero shots, product tiles, and realistic portraits belong in raster formats with sensible dimensions and compression.
When should I skip vectorization and keep a raster image?
Skip it for natural textures, heavy gradients, noise, and anything where pixel fidelity matters. Prefer rasters for social ads, photo galleries, and print reproduction of continuous tone. Use vectors when you need infinite scaling for line art, UI icons, and simple brand marks.