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How to Send SVG Artwork to a Client Who Cannot Open SVG

Published March 19, 2026 · Updated March 19, 2026 · 4 min read

SVG is the right format for vector logos and illustrations. It's also a format most clients have never seen and can't open without a browser or specialised software. Sending SVG directly and then spending 20 minutes troubleshooting why it won't open is an unnecessary support call. Sending the right format for the audience is faster.

Why clients can't open SVG

SVG files open in browsers, Illustrator, Inkscape, Figma, and a handful of other tools. They don't open in Windows Photos, macOS Preview (older versions), Microsoft Office, or most image viewers non-technical users have. When a client double-clicks an SVG file, they typically see either an error message or a browser window opening to render it, which is confusing and doesn't look like a "file opened."

Even when the SVG renders in a browser, the client often can't figure out how to print it at the right size, zoom doesn't work the way they expect, and they can't annotate or comment on it.

PDF works for most clients

PDF is the standard format for sharing vector artwork with non-technical clients. It preserves vector quality (no pixelation when printed large), it opens in every PDF reader including Adobe Acrobat Reader (free), Preview on Mac, and built-in browser PDF viewers, and it can be printed at any size with correct output.

Converting SVG to PDF preserves the vectors — the shapes remain mathematically defined rather than being converted to pixels. A PDF logo printed at 1 metre wide will be as crisp as one printed at business card size.

Check the output: after conversion, open the PDF and zoom to 400% in a PDF viewer. If edges are sharp, the vectors are preserved. If they're blurry, the conversion rasterised the artwork — still usable, but the client should only use it at sizes below the rasterisation resolution.

PNG when the client needs an image

If the client needs to place the logo in a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, or website builder, they probably want a PNG. A high-resolution PNG (2000px on the longest side minimum) looks sharp in most digital contexts and is accepted everywhere.

For logos with transparent backgrounds — which most logos need — PNG with transparency is essential. JPG doesn't support transparency; the logo will get a white background that looks wrong on coloured slides or web pages.

What to send

For most logo deliverables, send a package: PDF (for printing), PNG with transparent background at 2x resolution (for digital use), and optionally JPG for contexts where PNG isn't accepted. Keep the SVG source for yourself and send it only if the client specifically asks for it and you're confident they have the software to open it.