Pick the format by destination

  • PNG — screens, previews, print-then-cut artwork, sublimation. Raster, supports transparency.
  • PDF — print shops and anything that must arrive with exact dimensions and embedded fonts.
  • Plain SVG — websites, cutting machines, other design software.
  • EPS / PS — older print workflows that specifically ask for them.
  • DXF — simple parts destined for CAD or older plotters.

Always keep the editable Inkscape SVG master and export copies. File → Save a Copy exists precisely so you do not overwrite it.

PNG export in practice

Ctrl+Shift+E opens the export dialog. Choose what defines the area — page, drawing, selection or a custom box — then set either DPI or explicit pixel dimensions; the dialog shows the other value so you can check it. Useful numbers: 96 DPI matches the SVG user unit, 150 DPI is adequate for large-format viewing at a distance, and 300 DPI is the normal floor for print and sublimation. Batch export of several selected objects or pages saves real time on icon sets.

PDF for print

File → Save a Copy → PDF. In the dialog, decide how text is handled: embedding fonts keeps text editable but requires licensing that allows it, while converting text to paths guarantees the letters look right anywhere — the safer default, discussed in text and typography. Set bleed if your printer asked for it, and keep in mind that Inkscape works in RGB: CMYK conversion happens at the printer, so ask for a proof when exact color matters.

SVG for web and machines

Save a copy as Plain SVG or Optimized SVG to drop editor-specific attributes. For the web, ensure a viewBox is present, strip metadata, and serve compressed. For machines, close your paths, convert strokes to paths and build at real-world size — the specifics per machine are in Cricut and Glowforge, and format background is in working with SVG.

When the export looks wrong

  • Blurry raster output — DPI too low for the final size; recalculate from physical dimensions.
  • Missing objects — the export area or a stale selection excluded them, or they sit on a hidden layer.
  • Unexpected white background — the document background has an opaque alpha in Document Properties.
  • Different fonts — the destination lacks them; convert to paths.
  • Enormous PDF — a large embedded bitmap or heavy filters; link and downsample images, or rasterize the filtered part deliberately.

More diagnosis paths are collected in Windows troubleshooting.