Guides / PNG to SVG for Laser cutters (xTool, LightBurn)
PNG to SVG for Laser cutters (xTool, LightBurn)
PNG is the friendliest input for tracing: lossless pixels, crisp edges and often a transparent background, so the outline CutVector finds is exactly the outline you drew. Diode and CO2 laser software — LightBurn, xTool Creative Space, LaserGRBL — needs closed, non-overlapping shapes to cut cleanly and to fill evenly when engraving.
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A hand-drawn heart outline can be engraved as a line or offset into a cut-out ring with Stroke → outline. With Stroke → outline at 1–2 mm, the heart line becomes a thin ring you can cut from acrylic. At 0 it stays a filled area for engraving.
How to convert PNG to SVG for Laser cutters (xTool, LightBurn)
- Open CutVector and drop your PNG file (or several at once). If your PNG has a transparent background, leave it — CutVector flattens transparency to white and ignores it automatically.
- Pick the Laser cut preset — one welded cut path, kerf-compensated.
- Switch to the Cut lines view and check every outline is where you expect. Adjust Smoothing, Ignore specks or Min hole area if needed.
- Set Output width to the finished size, then download the SVG.
- In LightBurn use File → Import (Ctrl+I); in xTool Creative Space drag the file onto the canvas. Assign the layer to Cut or Fill and set power/speed.
Recommended settings
| Preset | Laser cut (welded, kerf-compensated) or Laser engrave |
|---|---|
| Kerf | Measure: cut a 20 mm square, subtract its measured size |
| Smoothing | 7+ for smooth motion and faster cuts |
Works great for
- Plywood and MDF cut-outs
- Acrylic signs and inlays
- Leather patches
- Engraved slate and tumblers
Not a good fit
- Photos (use your laser software’s dithering instead)
- Shapes thinner than your kerf
FAQ
Can xTool Creative Space import the SVG?
Yes. Drag the SVG onto the canvas; closed shapes can be set to Cut, Score or Engrave (Fill).
How thin can a cut ring be in acrylic?
Keep rings at least 2 mm wide in 3 mm acrylic; thinner ones get fragile and can melt during cutting.
How do I measure my laser’s kerf?
Cut a 20 mm square from your material and measure it with calipers. If it measures 19.8 mm, your kerf is 0.2 mm — enter that in CutVector.
LightBurn says my shapes are open. What do I do?
CutVector always exports closed shapes. If you edited the file elsewhere, re-export from CutVector, or use Edit → Close Selected Paths in LightBurn.
Does a transparent PNG background matter?
No. Transparent pixels are treated as empty space, so only your artwork becomes cut paths. You never get a rectangle around the design.
What resolution should my PNG be?
Aim for at least 800 px on the long side. Small PNGs (under 300 px) trace with wobbly edges because there are too few pixels to describe a smooth curve.
Cricut and Design Space are trademarks of Cricut, Inc.; Silhouette, Glowforge, xTool and LightBurn are trademarks of their respective owners. CutVector is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Only convert images you own or have permission to use. See Terms.