October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsSlow PC?RecommendedPC slow today? Run a repair scan before it gets worseResolve common Windows issues and optimize system performance.Scan NowOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
ThatPainter
Adobe Illustrator

How to Export SVG from Adobe Illustrator: Save, Export As, and Export for Screens

Use Save As for a single SVG with settings, Export As for separate artboard files, and Export for Screens or Asset Export for batches. Learn which SVG options affect editability, file size, and fidelity.

By ThatPainter Team 4 min read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

ThatPainter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More

For one SVG with control over its SVG-specific settings, use File > Save As or File > Save a Copy. To create separate SVGs for selected artboards, use File > Export > Export As; for repeatable batches of artboards or collected assets, use File > Export > Export for Screens or Asset Export. Keep your editable Illustrator document as an .ai file and treat the SVG as a delivery file.

Choose the route that matches what you need to export

Need Illustrator route What to expect
One SVG and access to SVG-specific settings File > Save As or File > Save a Copy; choose SVG or SVG Compressed (SVGZ) Opens the SVG Options dialog, where you can set options such as text handling, images, CSS properties, precision, metadata, and Illustrator editing data. Saving SVG has special behavior with multiple artboards.
Separate SVGs for selected artboards or a range File > Export > Export As; choose SVG and use the artboard controls Choose the artboards or range to export. Check the dialog’s scope and the resulting filenames before delivery.
A batch of artboards or collected assets File > Export > Export for Screens, or collect artwork for Asset Export Select artboards or collected assets, choose SVG among the available formats, and set export options. Output may be organized into format or scale subfolders.

Export for Screens supports local-folder and Adobe cloud-storage destinations in Adobe’s documented workflow. Menu labels and available options can vary by Illustrator version, so follow the labels in your installed application.

Save one SVG and choose its settings

  1. Keep or save the editable working document in Illustrator’s native .ai format.
  2. Choose File > Save As or File > Save a Copy, select SVG or SVG Compressed (SVGZ), and save the output.
  3. In the SVG Options dialog, select settings based on how the SVG will be used. Pay particular attention to text, raster images, Illustrator editing data, CSS properties, and decimal places.
  4. Open the exported file in its intended browser or application and check the appearance when fidelity matters.

Text: editable text or outlined paths

Converting text to outlines turns letters into vector paths. This preserves their shape without relying on the viewer having the same fonts, but the text is no longer editable as text and loses text semantics. If you leave text as text, consider whether the receiving environment has the required fonts and whether selectable or editable text matters.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Raster images: embed or link

Embedding raster images makes them available inside the SVG but increases the file size. Linked images keep the SVG dependent on separate image files; those files must remain available at the expected locations for the image to appear.

#1 Best Overall
Wacom Intuos Small, Wired Graphic Drawing Tablet with Pen + Software
  • Wacom Intuos Small Graphics Drawing Tablet: Enjoy industry leading tablet performance in superior control and precision with Wacom's EMR, battery free technology that feels like pen on paper
  • Works With All Software: Wacom Intuos tablet can be used in any software program to explore new facets of digital creativity; draw, paint, edit photos/videos, create designs, and mark up documents
  • What the Professionals Use: Wacom's industry leading pen technology and pen to paper feeling makes it the preferred drawing tablet of professional graphic designers
  • Software and Training Included: Only Wacom gives you software with every purchase. Register your Intuos tablet and gain access to some of the best creative software and Wacom's online training
  • Wacom is the Global Leader in Drawing Tablet and Displays: For over 40 years in pen display and tablet market, you can trust that Wacom to help you bring your vision, ideas and creativity to life

Illustrator editing data: self-contained editing or a leaner delivery file

The Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities option embeds Illustrator data in the SVG and increases its size. Adobe warns that edits made directly to the SVG code do not carry back into the embedded Illustrator portion when the file is reopened in Illustrator. For ongoing design work, retain the .ai source rather than relying on the exported SVG as the sole editable file.

CSS properties: choose for the consuming workflow

The dialog’s CSS choices include Presentation Attributes, Style Attributes, Style Attributes with Entity References, and Style Elements. They organize styling in different ways; choose according to the application or workflow that will consume the SVG rather than assuming one setting is best for every purpose.

Rank #2
UGEE M708 Drawing Tablet, 10x6 inch Large Space for Digital Drawing
  • Large Active Drawing Space: UGEE M708 V3 graphic drawing tablet features 10 x 6 inch large active drawing space with papery texture surface, provides enormous and smooth drawing for your digital artwork creation, offers no-lag sketch and painting experience
  • 16384 Passive Stylus Technology: A more affordable passive stylus technology offers 16384 levels of pressure sensitivity allows you to draw accurate lines of any weight and opacity according to the pressure you apply to the pen, sharper line with light pressure and thick line with hard pressure for artistry design or unique brush effect for photo retouching
  • Compatible with Multiple System and Softwares: Powerful compatibility, tablet for drawing computer, perform well with Windows 11/10/8/7, Mac OS X 10.10 or later, Android 10.0 or later, mac OS 10.12 or later, Chrome OS 88 or later and Linux; Driver program works with creative software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Macromedia Flash, Comic Studio, SAI, Infinite Stratos, 3D MAX, Autodesk MAYA, Pixologic ZBrush and more
  • Ergonomically Designed Shortcuts: 8 customizable express keys on the side for short cuts like eraser, zoom in and out, scrolling and undo, provide a lot more for convenience and helps to improve the productivity and efficiency when creating with the drawing tablet
  • Easy Connectivity for Beginners: The UGEE M708 V3 offers USB to USB-C connectivity, plus adapters for USB C, ensuring easy connection to various devices and allowing beginner artists to set up quickly and focus on their creativity without compatibility concerns; Whether using a laptop, desktop, chromebook, or tablet, the UGEE M708 V3 provides a seamless experience for those just starting their digital art journey

Decimal places and SVGZ

Adobe documents a decimal-place range of 1–7. More decimal places can improve vector precision while increasing file size. Adobe also says SVGZ compression can reduce file size by 50% to 80%; that is Adobe’s stated range, not a guarantee for a particular artwork. SVGZ cannot be edited with a text editor, so use it only when the recipient and workflow support compressed SVG.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Export separate SVGs for artboards

For one file per artboard, use File > Export > Export As, choose SVG, then use the artboard controls to select the artboards or range. Review the dialog’s scope and filenames before exporting so the files correspond to the artboards you intend to deliver.

Rank #3
Sale
XPPen Deco 01 V3 10x6 Drawing Tablet, 16K Battery-Free Stylus, 8 Keys
  • Word-first 16K Pressure Levels: The upgraded stylus features 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity and supports up to 60 degrees of tilt, delivering smoother lines and shading for a natural drawing experience. With no battery or charging needed, it operates like a real pen, making it easy for beginners to create effortlessly. This functionality helps novice artists develop their skills and explore their creativity without the intimidation of complex tools
  • Designed for Beginners: This drawing pad desinged with 8 customizable shortcuts for both right and left-hand users, express keys create a highly ergonomic and convenient work platform
  • Perfectly Adapted for Android: The XPPen Deco 01 V3 art tablet supports connections with Android devices running version 10.0 and above. It is recommended to download the XPPen Tools Android application, which adapts to your smartphone's screen aspect ratio, ensuring accurate mapping. It also supports mapping on Android screens with different aspect ratios in portrait mode
  • Large Drawing Space, Bigger Bold Inspiration: This expansive drawing pad has10 x 6.25-inch helps you break through the limit between shortcut keys and drawing area
  • Easy Connectivity for Beginners: The Deco 01 V3 offers USB-C to USB-C connectivity, plus adapters for USB C. This ensures easy connection to various devices, allowing beginner artists to set up quickly and focus on their creativity without compatibility concerns. Whether using a laptop, tablet, or desktop, the Deco 01 V3 provides a seamless experience, making it an ideal choice for those just starting their digital art journey

Do not assume that selecting all artboards always means one file per artboard. The export workflow’s scope determines whether artboards become individual files or the document is exported as one artwork; verify the choice in the dialog.

Export a batch with Export for Screens or Asset Export

Export for Screens: artboards or the full document

Choose File > Export > Export for Screens to select artboards, a range, or the full document, then select SVG and configure the available export settings. Check whether your selection and scope will produce individual artboard files or a single artwork, and inspect any format or scale subfolders in the output.

Rank #4
Sale
HUION Inspiroy H1060P Graphics Drawing Tablet, 10 x 6.25 in, 12+16 Hot Keys
  • Working Area Configuration - HUION art tablet equips with a 10 x 6.25 inches working area, providing the user with the most comfortable size to work; the 10mm slim structure and minimalist design of appearance make the drawing tablet more attractive.
  • Tilt Function Battery-free Stylus: This computer graphics tablet come with a battery-free stylus PW100, no need to charge, allowing for constant uninterrupted drawing. ±60° tilt support enables imitation of lines input with diverse drawing gestures, with accuracy ensured.
  • Press Keys:12 programmable press keys plus 16 programmable soft keys, you can set shortcut keys on drawing tablet's driver based on your preferences, such as erase, zoom in/out, scroll up and down, and so on.
  • Compatibility: HUION graphics tablet supports Windows 7 or later/ macOS 10.12 or later/ Android 6.0 or later/ Linux (Ubuntu). A USB adapter is required to connect to a Mac computer. H1060P supports various mainstream design and drawing software, including PS, SAI, AI, CDR, etc. (Please note: The H1060P is compatible with Ubuntu, but it requires the use of the Xorg display server. Wayland is not supported.)
  • NOTE: You can easily connect your phone to the art tablet via the OTG connector; while iPhone and iPad are NOT at the moment. The cursor will not show up in the SAMSUNG Galaxy S series at present. If you are not sure whether the product is compatible with your Phone or any help, please contact us.

Asset Export: collected artwork

Use Asset Export when you have collected individual pieces of artwork to export as assets rather than exporting whole artboards. Select the collected assets, choose SVG among the available formats, and set the export options for the intended use.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Check SVG fidelity before delivery

Not every Illustrator feature necessarily remains vector or renders identically in every SVG viewer. Adobe warns that mesh objects are rasterized in SVG and that certain SVG-effect stacking can also produce rasterized output. If appearance is critical, inspect the exported SVG in the target browser or application rather than judging it only inside Illustrator.

Best Value
Sale
HUION Inspiroy H640P 6x4 inch Drawing Tablet 8192 Pen Pressure
  • Customize Your Workflow: The 6 customizable press keys on Huion H640P drawing tablet for pc let you assign your most-used commands—like undo, zoom, brush switch, or save—so you can keep your hands on the tablet and your mind on the art. Whether you're a digital painter switching brushes, or a comic artist zooming in and out, these keys keep your workflow smooth and uninterrupted. Plus, the Huion driver lets you save different shortcut profiles for different apps, so you never have to reconfigure when switching software.
  • Professional Pen Performance: Huion H640P drawing pad for computer comes with the battery-free PW100 stylus that's always ready when inspiration strikes. With 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, every light sketch, or bold stroke responds naturally to your hand—just like a real pen. The 5080 LPI resolution and 233 PPS report rate deliver lag-free, precise strokes, so you can draw confidently without second-guessing your cursor. The pen side buttons help you switch between pen and eraser instantly.
  • Compact and Portable: Huion H640P computer graphics tablet features a compact, ultra-portable design at just 0.3 inches thin and 0.61 lbs light, so it slides easily into your backpack—perfect for sketching in coffee shops, taking notes in class, or editing on the go between home and studio. The 6x4 inch active area offers enough room for natural pen movements while fitting comfortably on crowded desks, or lecture hall seats.
  • Stable Compatibility: Huion H640P graphic drawing tablet works seamlessly with Mac, Windows, Linux PCs, and Android smartphones/tablets (OS version 6.0 or later). Left-handed friendly, and you just need to flip the tablet and adjust the settings in the driver. Please note: H640P does NOT support iPhone/iPad.
  • Move Beyond the Mouse: Huion Inspiroy H640P is a pen tablet that replaces your mouse for more natural, precise control. Freehand draw, take notes, or even play OSU—everything you do with a mouse, you can do better with a pen. The precise tip makes it ideal for detailed photo editing, graphic design, or signing PDF. Meanwhile, the ergonomic pen grip helps you avoid the strain that comes from hours of using a mouse.

Keep the original Illustrator document while iterating: non-native exports may not retain all Illustrator data, and the export is intended to deliver the artwork, not replace the working source.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

More from the Paint Desk

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.