Participant

Question

Suddenly I can´t open SVG files that I created before, SVG is Invalid.

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
April 1, 2025
2 replies
1296 views

Hello!

I recently got a new computer and reinstalled the Adobe Illustrator and other Adobe software, and now I can´t open SVG-files that I previously created and could open. And the strange thing is that in Adobe Bridge, some SVG-files does not have a thumbnail but some do. And those who do have a thumbnail, those I can open.
I get the error message, see pictures below. I have added two files, one that dont work and one that do. The file that dont work is 20066, anbd the file that do work is 20125.

Please help! 🙂

20066_QH_electrical_box_dual_UB1.svg

20125_QH_modbus2_on_main_board.svg

Bug

G

GreyCatDot

Inspiring

I am having the same problem. I just want to open them and resave them as .ai. I tried one in a validator and got this error

B

Bobby Henderson

Community Expert

I would try opening the SVG file(s) in an earlier version of Illustrator or in an alternative application like Inkscape and then re-saving the file. Just to repeat the point Monika Gause made about SVG files and Illustrator: always keep a copy of your original artwork saved in Illustrator AI format. Other formats like SVG, PDF, etc. are really meant for export purposes only.

Not every feature and effect in Illustrator is supported in other file formats. They all have various limitations. PDF is about the closest thing to an Illustrator-friendly export format, but that’s only because Illustrator by default saves Illustrator data appended to the PDF file. The EPS format is widely supported by a variety of different applications, but it has no native support for transparency effects or other advanced features in Illustrator. SVG does not natively support color modes like CMYK; SVG has other limitations as well. Those are just examples why keeping copies of your original vector artwork in Illustrator format is important. I’ll also add that no one should trust saving copies of their artwork solely in the cloud. Maintain copies on the local hard drive in the computer or on an external hard disc drive. Cloud storage is convenient for a lot of purposes, but it has its own hazards.

Monika Gause

Community Expert

Did you already validate the SVG?

If the validator shows errors, you could fix them in the code (make a copy of the file before doing so)

You could also try and install a different version of Illustrator and try there.

Does the file open in Inkscape? If so, try and open it, then save it with a different name.

Illustrator is famous for not properly being able to open SVGs it has previously saved. SVG in Illustrator is a one-way street. You either import them (and then save them as AI) or you export them (only to never touch them again in Illustrator). Your work file should be AI, the native file format.

U

ulf_9108Author

Participant

Well look. SVG is not a one-way street. I have been able to reopen these files before, on another computer and make adjustments to the SVG-file in Adobe Illustrator without any issues. This is a workflow we have had for over two years now. So what you are suggesting is nothing new, not a solution or anything that, if I may be frank, is viable. Since we have over 1000 illustrations now, created with export from Adobe Illustrator, and all of them have been ready to open in Illustrator, and been able to edit.

And yes, I have been cheking them in validator. But the thing is that even those that can be opened in Adobe Illustrator has errors. So it has to be something else.

So I will reinstall Adobe Illustrator and see if that works. But as a solution to this issue, it is not.

Anubhav M

Community Manager

Hello @ulf_9108,

Thanks for sharing the sample file and details of your workflow. I tried using the SVG you provided, edited and reopened it in Illustrator but could not replicate the problem.

Could you check if this happens with files from a specific folder location and confirm the version of the OS installed, so I can check it with the team?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Anubhav

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