Convert AI to SVG with Layers and Text Intact

Quick answer

Open SVGSketch, drop the .ai file onto the canvas, click "Import" in the dialog, then export from the Export panel with SVG selected and "Optimize with SVGO" enabled. For a batch, run svgsketch convert design.ai -o design.svg from the command line; add --report report.json to get the import report as JSON.

Steps at a glance

Import the .ai file

Open it with File > Open... (Ctrl+O) or drop it on the canvas, then click "Import".

Decide on text

Keep text editable, or convert it to outlines in the dialog.

Check the report

Open File > Last Import Report... to see approximations and fonts.

Export SVG

Choose SVG in the Export panel with "Optimize with SVGO" enabled.

Batch with the CLI

Run svgsketch convert design.ai -o design.svg for many files.

Step 1: Import the .ai file

Open the file with File > Open... (Ctrl+O) at app.svgsketch.com, or drop it onto the canvas. Select the artboards you need in the dialog and click "Import". Each artboard becomes a view; a single artboard is simply the document.

Step 2: Decide what happens to text

Leave "Keep text editable" selected when the SVG will be edited later or must stay accessible as text. Choose "Convert text to outlines" when the SVG must render identically everywhere without the fonts installed. Either way the report lists the fonts involved.

Step 3: Check the report

Open File > Last Import Report.... Effects, brushes and meshes arrive flattened from the PDF rendition and are listed as approximated or rasterized; spot colors are listed by name after conversion to sRGB. Anything dropped is named so you can decide whether it matters.

Step 4: Export SVG

In the Export panel choose SVG and enable "Optimize with SVGO". Layer and object names become ids and titles in the SVG, so the structure survives into other tools. The Illustrator import page covers what else carries over, and opening AI files without Illustrator covers editing them in place.

Batches: use the command line

The @svgsketch/cli package converts without a browser: svgsketch convert design.ai -o design.svg writes SVG, svgsketch import design.ai -o design.svgs writes the editable document, and the --artboards, --text, --hidden-layers, --report and --fail-on-warnings options mirror the dialog. The same commands accept .eps and .pdf.

FAQ

Does the SVG keep the layer names?

Yes. Layers and sublayers export as groups with ids and titles taken from the Illustrator names.

Why is the SVG larger than the .ai file?

Effects and meshes are flattened by Illustrator into many paths or images. Simplify dense paths after import and keep "Optimize with SVGO" on when exporting.

Can I convert EPS files too?

Illustrator EPS files open through the same importer. EPS files from other applications are not supported.

Does the conversion need an account?

No. Import and SVG export are free, in the browser and in the command line tool.