What makes SVG different from other image formats
Most image formats store pictures as a grid of coloured pixels. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) stores images as mathematical descriptions of shapes — lines, curves, circles, and paths. This means an SVG can be scaled to any size, from a 16×16 favicon to a billboard, with no loss of sharpness. The file size also stays constant regardless of the display size.
Where SVG shines
- Logos — look perfect on all screen resolutions, including high-density displays
- Icons — tiny file sizes and infinite scalability make SVG the ideal icon format
- Illustrations and diagrams — charts, maps, and technical drawings remain sharp at any zoom level
- Animations — SVG elements can be animated with CSS, creating lightweight animated graphics
- Accessibility — SVG text can be read by screen readers, unlike text embedded in raster images
When not to use SVG
SVG is not suited to photographs or complex images with gradients and thousands of colour variations. A photograph represented as SVG shapes would be enormous and slow to render. Use WebP or AVIF for photographic content.
Converting to and from SVG
To convert a raster logo to an SVG container, use our PNG to SVG converter. Note that this wraps the raster image in an SVG file — it doesn't perform vector tracing. For true vector paths from a raster image, a dedicated tracing tool like Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator is needed.
To convert SVG to raster formats for use in contexts that don't support SVG — email clients, social media, certain apps — use our SVG to PNG, SVG to JPG, or SVG to WebP converters.
SVG as a favicon
Modern browsers support SVG favicons, which look sharp on all displays with a single file. The recommended approach in 2026 is to provide an SVG favicon for modern browsers and an ICO file as a fallback. Create the ICO from your logo PNG with our PNG to ICO converter.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Should I use SVG or PNG for my website logo?
- SVG for the web — it looks perfect on retina displays and is typically much smaller than a PNG at the same visual quality. Keep a PNG version for use in documents, presentations, and applications that don't support SVG.
- Can SVG files contain malware?
- SVG is an XML format and can technically contain scripts. Never open SVG files from untrusted sources directly in a browser, and sanitise SVG before embedding user-uploaded SVGs in your site.
- Why is my SVG showing as a broken image?
- SVG files must be served with the correct MIME type (
image/svg+xml). Check your server configuration if SVG files display as broken images or download instead of displaying.