Supported file formats in Adobe Illustrator

Consult this reference when determining file format compatibility before importing assets into Adobe Illustrator or exporting finished artwork to other applications and platforms.

Format compatibility varies by action—some formats support only import operations while others work for both import and export. Understanding these distinctions helps you plan workflows and avoid compatibility issues when collaborating across applications.

Open

Use File > Open to import these formats as editable Illustrator documents:

Place

Use File > Place to embed or link these formats within existing Illustrator documents:

Place operations support the same format range as Open operations, allowing flexible asset integration within multi-artboard projects.

Save

Use File > Save or Save As to preserve native Illustrator data and editing capabilities:

These native formats preserve layers, artboards, live effects, and other Illustrator-specific features. Always maintain an .ai version as your working file before exporting to other formats.

Export

Use File > Export > Export As to convert artwork to non-native formats for use in other applications:

Export operations may flatten layers or rasterize vector content depending on the target format's capabilities. For step-by-step export instructions, use Export artwork files.

Save for web

Use File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy) to optimize artwork for web delivery with compression and quality controls:

This legacy workflow provides granular optimization controls for balancing file size against visual quality in web graphics.

Export for screens

Use File > Export > Export for Screens to generate multiple format and size variants simultaneously for responsive design workflows:

This workflow automates batch export operations across multiple artboards and scaling factors, optimizing asset delivery for multi-device applications. For detailed export procedures, use Export assets for screens.

Format compatibility considerations

Understanding format limitations helps prevent data loss when moving artwork between applications:

Vector preservation: AI, PDF (with editing capabilities enabled), EPS, and SVG formats maintain fully editable vector paths and live effects

Raster conversion: BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and WebP formats rasterize vector content at specified resolution

Interoperability: DWG and DXF formats exchange CAD data with AutoCAD; PSD format preserves layers when exporting to Photoshop

Legacy formats: Some older formats like PCX, JPEG2000, and Pixar may have limited support in current Illustrator versions