PaintlustratorPaintlustrator guide · SVG export
How can I create and export an SVG on iPad for free?
In Paintlustrator, draw with Apple Pencil or touch, then tap Export SVG → Save to Files to save your drawing as an SVG for free. SVG export requires no subscription or export purchase and uses a transparent background by default.
This workflow creates a new drawing. If you already have an SVG file, read about creating versus editing SVGs first.
Make it. Export it. Open it.
Watch a little heart become a real SVG you can use outside Paintlustrator.
Read the video description
- A pink heart and three purple sparkles are created with the Shapes tool in Paintlustrator.
- Export SVG opens with Include image layers and White background turned off. The artwork is saved through Save to Files.
- The same exported SVG is shown in Safari, then the video ends on the artwork. Download that exact SVG below to try it yourself.
Try a real exported SVG
This little heart was made in Paintlustrator and saved with Save to Files. The download is the unchanged export: four vector paths, with a transparent background.
Download the sample SVGOpen it in your own SVG viewer to see the result. You’re welcome to reuse this sample in your projects.
1. Start your drawing
Open a blank canvas and draw with the Pen, Shapes, or Text tools. A simple heart or a few shapes make a useful first project. Use layers to keep parts of your artwork separate.
You can also trace a photo on a separate layer or draw above a PDF reference.
2. Keep the editable project
Your project saves locally while you work. For a separate backup, open Export SVG and choose Save editable project backup. The project file keeps your layers for editing in Paintlustrator.
Keep this project as well as your exported SVG: Paintlustrator does not currently import SVG files back into the editor.
3. Choose your export options
Open Export SVG. Visible layers marked for SVG export are included.
- Include image layers: leave this off to export only your drawing. Turn it on to embed visible photos or PDF references whose Include in SVG setting is enabled.
- White background: leave this off for transparency, or turn it on to add a white background to the file.
4. Save to Files or share
Choose Save to Files, select a folder on your device or in a storage location available through Files, then tap Save. The app confirms Saved to Files after the save completes.
To send the file directly to another app or device, choose Share / AirDrop instead.
5. Open the exported artwork
Open the saved file in an SVG-compatible viewer or the app where you plan to use it. Check the appearance before sending it on. SVG viewers and editors can differ in how they display a file.
Will everything scale like a vector?
Your drawing paths scale without the pixelation of a fixed-resolution image. Text exports as vector outlines. Photos and PDF reference pages included in the export remain raster images; exporting an SVG does not turn them into vector paths.
Why does a transparent SVG look white?
A viewer may display a transparent file on a white page. Leave White background off when exporting, then place the SVG over a colored background in your destination app to check its transparency.
Does this work on iPhone too?
Yes. Paintlustrator includes free SVG export on iPhone and iPad. Draw with touch on either device, or Apple Pencil on a compatible iPad. On iPhone in landscape, open the project menu at the top of the right bar to find export.
Ready to make your first SVG?
Draw with Apple Pencil or touch, keep your editable Paintlustrator project, and export an SVG for free.
Download free for iPhone and iPadKeep the project too: exported SVGs cannot currently be imported back into Paintlustrator.