SVG is a vector image format that uses mathematical instructions instead of pixels — it scales to any size without losing quality, making it the standard for logos, icons, and illustrations.
Use caution
Type Image
By W3C
MIMEimage/svg+xml
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SVG is a vector image format that uses mathematical instructions instead of pixels — it scales to any size without losing quality, making it the standard for logos, icons, and illustrations. Your company logo is probably an SVG. You just never see the file. While JPGs and PNGs are grids of coloured pixels, an SVG is a set of instructions: draw a circle here, a curve there, fill it with this colour. No pixels, no blur, no artefacts. This makes SVG the format of choice for charts, diagrams, and anything else that needs to look sharp at every resolution. It's also tiny: a logo that would be 50KB as a PNG might be 2KB as SVG. The tradeoff is that SVG is not for photographs — it can't efficiently describe the complexity of a camera image. Also worth noting: SVG files are XML under the hood and can contain embedded JavaScript, so treat files from unknown sources with appropriate caution.
Technical details
Full Name
Scalable Vector Graphics
MIME Type
image/svg+xml
Developer
W3C
Magic Bytes
N/A
Safety
.svg requires caution. SVG files can contain embedded scripts. Only open SVGs from trusted sources.
What opens it
Any web browser
FREEAll
Inkscape
FREEAll
Adobe Illustrator
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Affinity Designer
$70All
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FAQ
Can I use SVG for photos?
Technically yes, but it's a terrible idea. SVG is designed for shapes, lines and text — not photographic images. Use JPG or WebP for photos.
Should I use SVG or PNG for my website?
For logos, icons, and illustrations: SVG. It's resolution-independent, tiny in file size, and looks perfect on retina displays. For photographs or complex raster images: PNG (or JPG). Use <a href="https://fwip.app/tools/svg-to-png/">fwip</a> if you need to convert between the two.
How do I edit an SVG file?
Inkscape (free) is the best open-source SVG editor. Adobe Illustrator and Affinity Designer handle SVGs professionally. For quick text edits, you can open an SVG in any text editor — it's just XML — and change colours, text, or coordinates directly.
Can SVGs be animated?
Yes. SVG supports animation natively through SMIL or CSS animations, and libraries like GSAP and Lottie make complex SVG animation straightforward. Animated SVGs are far smaller and sharper than GIFs, which is why modern websites increasingly prefer them.