Is there a free way to convert a photo to vector?

Yes. Standard tracing is free and unlimited and runs in your browser — no account, no watermark, nothing uploaded. AI vectorization is a paid alternative (1 credit per image) when you want a different approach to the photo.

Why does my photo look like a poster after vectorizing?

Tracing replaces gradual color with flat areas. A photograph has fewer clean edges, so the tracer approximates boundaries. That posterized look is an expected trade-off, not necessarily a setting you got wrong. AI vectorization offers another approach, with results that vary by photo.

Should I use the Photo preset or the Logo preset for a photo?

Photo / Detailed, which is the default on this page. It preserves more colors when tracing gradients. Use Logo if your photo is really a flat graphic — a photographed logo or a sign.

What image formats and sizes can I use?

JPG, PNG and WebP up to 10 MB per file. HEIC from an iPhone is not supported yet — export to JPG first.

Is my photo uploaded anywhere?

Not with standard vectorization. The conversion runs locally in your browser using WebAssembly and your file never leaves your device. AI vectorization is different: it uploads the image to our cloud workspace to process it.

How many credits does AI vectorization cost?

1 credit per image. Credits come in one-time packs from $4.90 with no subscription, or 200 each paid monthly period with Pro. Unused Pro credits don't roll over. Batch queues and saving Standard results to your workspace are Pro features; successful AI results are retained for three months for all users of paid AI tasks.

Can I convert several photos at once?

Not on the free path — one at a time, each traced in your browser. Pro adds a workspace batch queue for up to 20 images.

What is the difference between "photo to vector" and "image to vector"?

Nothing technical. People say both. This page is tuned for photographs specifically — gradients, noise and compression artifacts — while the general Image to Vector page covers every kind of image.

Can I use the SVG commercially?

Use the SVG only where you have the necessary rights to the source photo. Converting a file does not grant rights to someone else's photograph or artwork.

Will it work on a photographed logo for a sign or T-shirt?

That is a good case for a photo. Shoot it straight-on, fill the frame, avoid glare, and crop out the background before tracing. Check the resulting paths before printing or cutting.

Can I edit the SVG after downloading?

Yes, in Illustrator, Inkscape or Figma. The result page's free color palette lets you recolor, hide and reduce colors before you download. Pro adds shape editing, retracing and workspace saving for Standard results. AI results are not currently supported by the workspace editor.

Does vectorizing make a blurry photo sharp?

It makes the edges scalable, but it cannot add detail that is not in the source. A blurry or heavily compressed photo will trace with visible noise — raise the speckle filter, or start from a better source.

Free · Browser-only · No watermark

Photo to Vector Converter

Turn a photo into a real SVG — not a pixel copy renamed .svg. Standard tracing runs 100% in your browser for free; AI vectorization can help simplify a photo into vector shapes when tracing isn't enough. AI results vary with the source.

With standard vectorization, your image never leaves your browser.No uploadNo sign-upNo watermarkFree forever

Drop an image here, or click to choose

PNG, JPG, WebP up to 10 MB · 100% in your browser

Preset:

Advanced

Fine-tune only if the SVG looks too noisy, too flat, or too large.

Color precision8Speckle filter10Path precision2

Why this tool

Two ways to handle a photo — standard tracing for a stylized result, AI vectorization for another approach to simplifying a real photograph into shapes.
Standard tracing runs on your device with WebAssembly: no upload, no server queue, files up to 10 MB, unlimited conversions. Large or complex photos can take longer and depend on your device's resources.
Photos come out as editable paths you can recolor — the free color palette on the result page lets you swap, hide and reduce colors before you download.
No watermark and no account — download the SVG the moment it renders.

Why photos are the hardest thing to vectorize

A photo is a grid of pixels — millions of tiny squares, each with its own color. Much of what makes a photo look like a photo is difficult for a tracer to represent faithfully: soft shadows, gradients, film grain, skin tones that shift a little on every pixel.

Tracing looks for areas of similar color, draws a boundary around them, and fills them with a path. On a logo that often works well — a logo can be a few flat colors with hard edges. A photograph has fewer clean boundaries, so the tracer approximates them, and the result is often a posterized, painted-over version of the photo.

That posterized look is an expected trade-off of tracing a photo. Knowing this helps you choose between the two paths below — and explains why a photo can turn into a messy SVG even when the converter is working as intended.

Two ways to vectorize a photo — pick the right one

Photos can benefit from different approaches, and those approaches have different costs — so here is the comparison before you start.

Scroll horizontally to compare both methods →

	Standard tracing (free)	AI vectorization (credits)
Best for	Logos, signs, posters, flat graphics — photos you want as a stylized vector	Photographs you want to simplify into vector shapes; results depend on the source
Where it runs	Your browser (WebAssembly) — nothing uploaded	Our cloud workspace — the image is uploaded
Cost	Free, unlimited	1 AI credit per image
Output	Traced paths, posterized color areas	AI-generated vector shapes; detail and curves may differ from the source
Sign-up	None	Account required
Batch	One image at a time here (Pro adds a workspace queue of 20)	Queue of up to 20 with Pro

Not sure which? Try free standard tracing first. If the preview looks like a poster and you need a different interpretation, consider AI vectorization. It does not guarantee a perfect match to your photo.

How to convert a photo to vector

The free path runs entirely in your browser — your photo is never uploaded to a server.

Drop your photo
Drag a JPG, PNG or WebP up to 10 MB into the box. Files stay on your device.
Keep Photo / Detailed selected
It is the default on this page. It keeps more colors than the Logo preset, which is useful for a photo.
Watch the live preview
Compare the SVG with your photo. Judge it on two things: are the main shapes recognizable, and are there scattered specks?
Clean it up in the free palette
Reduce the color count, recolor or hide areas, and download. No account needed.
Download the SVG
The vector paths scale without pixelation. Check the shapes and detail for your website, print, Cricut or design project before using the file.

If step 3 already looks like a poster and you need a different approach, consider AI vectorization instead of repeatedly adjusting the sliders. Its output also depends on the source photo.

Which photos vectorize well — and which don't

Tracing is not restoration. It cannot invent detail that is not in the source, and it works best when the photo already behaves a bit like a graphic.

Vectorizes well: logos photographed straight-on, signs and lettering, product shots on a plain background, high-contrast silhouettes, screenshots of flat artwork, scanned drawings.
Gets messy: portraits and skin, skies and sunsets with smooth gradients, grass, fur and foliage, night shots with noise, heavily compressed messenger images.
Improve the input first: crop to the subject, raise contrast, remove the background, and avoid screenshots of screenshots. A 500 px wide photo cannot recover missing detail just by changing the preset.

FAQ

Is there a free way to convert a photo to vector?: Yes. Standard tracing is free and unlimited and runs in your browser — no account, no watermark, nothing uploaded. AI vectorization is a paid alternative (1 credit per image) when you want a different approach to the photo.
Why does my photo look like a poster after vectorizing?: Tracing replaces gradual color with flat areas. A photograph has fewer clean edges, so the tracer approximates boundaries. That posterized look is an expected trade-off, not necessarily a setting you got wrong. AI vectorization offers another approach, with results that vary by photo.
Should I use the Photo preset or the Logo preset for a photo?: Photo / Detailed, which is the default on this page. It preserves more colors when tracing gradients. Use Logo if your photo is really a flat graphic — a photographed logo or a sign.
What image formats and sizes can I use?: JPG, PNG and WebP up to 10 MB per file. HEIC from an iPhone is not supported yet — export to JPG first.
Is my photo uploaded anywhere?: Not with standard vectorization. The conversion runs locally in your browser using WebAssembly and your file never leaves your device. AI vectorization is different: it uploads the image to our cloud workspace to process it.
How many credits does AI vectorization cost?: 1 credit per image. Credits come in one-time packs from $4.90 with no subscription, or 200 each paid monthly period with Pro. Unused Pro credits don't roll over. Batch queues and saving Standard results to your workspace are Pro features; successful AI results are retained for three months for all users of paid AI tasks.
Can I convert several photos at once?: Not on the free path — one at a time, each traced in your browser. Pro adds a workspace batch queue for up to 20 images.
What is the difference between "photo to vector" and "image to vector"?: Nothing technical. People say both. This page is tuned for photographs specifically — gradients, noise and compression artifacts — while the general Image to Vector page covers every kind of image.
Can I use the SVG commercially?: Use the SVG only where you have the necessary rights to the source photo. Converting a file does not grant rights to someone else's photograph or artwork.
Will it work on a photographed logo for a sign or T-shirt?: That is a good case for a photo. Shoot it straight-on, fill the frame, avoid glare, and crop out the background before tracing. Check the resulting paths before printing or cutting.
Can I edit the SVG after downloading?: Yes, in Illustrator, Inkscape or Figma. The result page's free color palette lets you recolor, hide and reduce colors before you download. Pro adds shape editing, retracing and workspace saving for Standard results. AI results are not currently supported by the workspace editor.
Does vectorizing make a blurry photo sharp?: It makes the edges scalable, but it cannot add detail that is not in the source. A blurry or heavily compressed photo will trace with visible noise — raise the speckle filter, or start from a better source.