How to Export Vector Artwork from CorelDRAW to SVG

Exporting vector artwork from CorelDRAW to Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is a straightforward process that ensures your graphics remain crisp, lightweight, and scalable for modern web design and digital workflows. This guide covers the essential step-by-step instructions for exporting your designs, along with the optimal settings to maintain vector paths, color fidelity, and text rendering.

Step 1: Prepare Your Artwork

Before initiating the export, prepare your design to prevent rendering issues:

  1. Select the Artwork: If you only want to export specific elements, select them using the Pick Tool. If you want to export the entire document, leave everything unselected.
  2. Convert Text to Curves (Optional): If the design uses custom fonts that might not render properly on the web, select the text and press Ctrl + Q (Windows) or Cmd + Q (Mac) to convert text objects into vector curves.
  3. Clean Up Overlapping Paths: Merge or weld shapes where necessary to reduce complex layering that could bloat the SVG file size.

Step 2: Open the Export Dialog

  1. Navigate to the top menu and click File > Export, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + E (Windows) or Cmd + E (Mac).
  2. Choose your destination folder.
  3. In the Save as type dropdown menu, select SVG - Scalable Vector Graphics.
  4. Check the Selected only box if you only want to export the currently selected objects.
  5. Click the Export button to launch the SVG Options dialog box.

Step 3: Configure SVG Export Options

The SVG export dialog contains several tabs with settings that dictate how your vector data is processed:

  • Compatibility: Choose SVG 1.1 for maximum compatibility across modern browsers and design software.
  • Styling Options: Select Presentation Attributes or Internal CSS Style Sheet. Internal CSS is generally preferred for web use as it cleanly separates styling from structure.
  • Text Export Method: Under the Text section, choose As Curves if you want to ensure the visual appearance stays intact regardless of installed fonts, or select As Text if you need the text to remain searchable and editable.
  • Encoding: Set the encoding to Unicode (UTF-8) to prevent character corruption.
  • Precision: Keep the decimal precision set to 2 or 3. Lower precision results in smaller file sizes, while higher precision provides smoother curves.

Step 4: Finalize the Export

Once your settings are configured, click OK. CorelDRAW will generate the .svg file in your specified directory, ready to be embedded into web pages, uploaded to digital assets libraries, or opened in other vector editing applications.