How to Export a Vector File from Illustrator

The short answer

Illustrator saves vector files through two menus. Use File > Save As (or Save a Copy) for AI, PDF and EPS. Use File > Export > Export As and choose SVG for screen and web use. Illustrator's artboard has no background fill, so these files stay transparent unless your artwork contains a filled background shape. Most of the File > Export options, such as PNG and JPEG, produce raster images, which are not vector files.

A vector file describes artwork as mathematical paths: anchor points joined by straight or curved segments, with fills and strokes applied. It can be scaled to any size without losing sharpness. A raster file is a fixed grid of pixels. A vector extension does not guarantee vector content, because an SVG, PDF, EPS or AI file can still contain an embedded pixel image. This matters for logos redrawn from hand-drawn sketches, since the scanned sketch is often still in the document. An extension also does not confirm that the file is editable or that you have permission to reuse the logo.

Which vector format to choose

Format | How to create it | Typical use | Notes

AI | File > Save As > Adobe Illustrator | Editable master file | Keeps layers, live type and effects. Best opened in Illustrator.

PDF | File > Save As > Adobe PDF | Print vendors, sharing with clients | Choose a preset in the save dialog. The option to preserve Illustrator editing capabilities lets the file reopen editable in Illustrator.

EPS | File > Save As > Illustrator EPS | Older print and sign workflows that request it | Live transparency effects such as opacity and blend modes get flattened. Areas without objects stay transparent.

SVG | File > Export > Export As > SVG | Websites, apps, screen use | Uses RGB color. Some versions also offer SVG under Save As.

The exact menu names, dialog layouts and default options depend on your Illustrator version, and none was specified here. If a command below isn't where it's described, look for it in the File, Object or Type menu of your version.

Before you export: prepare the logo artwork

Save an editable master AI file before you change anything. Some preparation steps, like converting type to outlines, can't be undone once the file is closed. Do the export preparation on a copy.

Remove the source sketch. If you traced or redrew the logo over a scanned drawing, delete that image or its template layer. Open Window > Links or Window > Document Info to find any linked or embedded images still in the file.
Check for raster leftovers in Outline view. Choose View > Outline. Vector shapes appear as thin path lines, and placed images appear as boxes with a cross through them. Choose View > Preview to return.
Convert live type to outlines. Select the text and choose Type > Create Outlines. This turns letters into paths, so the logo displays correctly on computers that lack your fonts. Keep the live-type version in your master file in case the wording needs editing later.
Expand strokes and effects if you want consistent scaling. Object > Path > Outline Stroke turns strokes into filled shapes. Object > Expand Appearance converts applied effects into regular paths. Some print vendors require these steps, but they're a recommendation, not a requirement for every file.
Remove stray points and empty objects. Object > Path > Clean Up deletes stray anchor points, unpainted objects and empty text paths.
Fit the artboard to the logo. Object > Artboards > Fit to Artwork Bounds trims the artboard to the artwork, so the exported file has no extra empty margin.
Set the color mode for the destination. File > Document Color Mode lets you choose CMYK for print or RGB for screen. SVG output is RGB in either case.

Export as a vector file: step by step

SVG for web and screen

Choose File > Export > Export As.
Select SVG as the format. Turn on Use Artboards if you want the file cropped to the artboard instead of the artwork bounds.
In the SVG Options dialog, set Styling. Presentation Attributes is generally the most portable choice when the SVG will be placed into other software.
Set Font to Convert to Outlines if any live type remains.
Set Images to Embed or Link only if the logo needs a raster element. A pure vector logo should have no images.
Adjust the decimal setting. This controls coordinate precision. Higher values keep fine curves more accurate but make the file larger.
Turn on Minify if you want a smaller file for web delivery, then click OK.

PDF for print or client delivery

Choose File > Save As or File > Save a Copy, then select Adobe PDF.
Pick a preset. If your printer specifies a standard, such as a PDF/X preset, use that one.
Decide whether to keep Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities turned on. With it on, the file reopens editable in Illustrator but is larger.
Save the file.

EPS for workflows that request it

Choose File > Save As or Save a Copy, then select Illustrator EPS.
Set the version and preview options the recipient requires. If they haven't specified any, the defaults are a reasonable starting point.
If the logo uses opacity or blend modes, check the result afterward. EPS flattens these effects, which can split shapes or rasterize parts of the artwork.

Exporting with a transparent background

The white area you see around the artwork in Illustrator is only a display color, not part of the file. AI, PDF, EPS and SVG files contain no background unless you've drawn a filled rectangle behind the logo. To check, choose View > Show Transparency Grid. Any area that shows a checkerboard is transparent. If a solid white or colored area remains, select that background shape and delete it, or move it to a separate version of the file.

If you need a transparent PNG for a platform that won't accept vector files, use File > Export > Export As > PNG and set the background color to Transparent. That file is raster. Its pixel dimensions are fixed at export, so keep it alongside the vector versions, not in place of them.

Confirm the export worked

Reopen the exported file in Illustrator and switch to View > Outline. Every part of the logo should appear as path lines, with no image boxes.
Open Window > Document Info for the reopened file and check that it lists no embedded images and, if type was outlined, no fonts.
Zoom in far on curves and letter edges. Vector artwork stays sharp at any magnification, while raster content turns blocky.
Turn on View > Show Transparency Grid and confirm there's no unintended background fill.
For SVG, open the file in a web browser or a second application and compare it with the original. Check for changed colors, missing shapes or shifted type.
For print files, send a test file to the printer or sign maker and ask them to confirm it meets their specifications. Requirements differ between vendors.

What this guide does not cover

No version-specific documentation, printer specifications or file-size figures were provided for this article. Dialog option names and defaults may differ in your Illustrator release. Print requirements such as color profiles, bleed or a required PDF standard come from the vendor and should be confirmed with them directly.