Convert PNG to DXF for laser cutting and CNC
Adaver turns a PNG, JPG or other image into a DXF file for laser cutters, CNC machines and CAD software. It traces every color area into a closed outline, keeps each color in the file, and lets you remove what you don't want cut before you export.
PNG, JPG, WebP, AVIF, BMP or GIF; large images take longer. Uploads are deleted after 24 hours.
Example
A PNG game sprite with 5 colors, traced by Adaver. As a DXF, every color area becomes a closed outline that keeps its color.
How to make a DXF from a PNG
Upload the artwork
Choose, drop or paste a PNG, JPG, WebP, AVIF, BMP or GIF. Simple artwork with solid colors and clear edges, such as a logo, a badge or a silhouette, gives the cleanest outlines.
Simplify it in Studio
Merge similar colors until only the parts you want to cut or engrave are left, and delete shapes you don't need, such as the background. Every step can be undone.
Download the DXF
With Pro, download the drawing as DXF. Open it in your laser, CNC or CAD software, set the final size, and choose what to cut or engrave for each color.
What is in the DXF file
Adaver writes a simple DXF file. Every shape outline is a closed polyline (LWPOLYLINE), and curves are made of many short straight segments.
Each outline keeps its exact color as a DXF true color. The indexed color written next to it is only black, white or gray, so use software that reads true colors to tell the parts apart. Everything sits on layer 0. The file sets no units: one unit is one pixel of the traced image, so an image 1,000 pixels wide comes in 1,000 units wide. Scale it to the size you need after you open it.
Tips for a clean cut file
Every filled color area becomes its own outline, so areas that touch share an edge and the same line can appear twice. For a cut file, reduce the artwork to one or two colors before you export.
Delete the background shape so its outline isn't cut, and remove small specks that would only waste time on the machine. If you engrave as well as cut, keep one color for each setting and assign them in your software.
Questions
Can my laser or CNC software open the DXF?
It is a simple DXF made of closed polylines (LWPOLYLINE) on layer 0, a kind of file most CAD, laser and CNC programs import. Open it and check it before you cut: set the size, since the file has no units, and look for shared edges where shapes touch.
What size will the DXF be?
The file has no units. One unit is one pixel of the traced image, so set the final width or height in your CAD, laser or CNC software after you open it.
Can I convert a JPG to DXF too?
Yes. Adaver traces PNG, JPG, WebP, AVIF, BMP and GIF images, and any of them can be downloaded as DXF. The same drawing can also be downloaded as SVG, PDF, EPS or PNG.
Is PNG to DXF free?
Tracing and editing are free with an account, within fair use. Downloading the DXF, or any other format, needs Pro, a monthly plan, and each new version or format uses 1 credit; the pricing page shows the price.
More in the FAQ and on the pricing page.