To convert AI to PDF, select or drop your .ai file above, check that PDF is chosen as the output, and click Convert. This conversion runs on our server, and your files are deleted 72 hours later.
What is an AI file?
AI – Adobe Illustrator drawing. AI is Adobe Illustrator's own format. Modern AI files contain a PDF of the drawing, which is what is read here; very old ones, or files saved without PDF compatibility, may not open.
AI Converter →What is a PDF file?
PDF – PDF document. PDF is the document format that looks the same on every device: it fixes where each letter and picture goes on a page. It is made for reading and printing, not for editing.
PDF Converter →How to convert AI to PDF
- Click Select File, or drop your .ai files anywhere on this page. You can add several at once.
- Check that PDF is chosen as the output format. On this page it is picked for you.
- Click Convert. When a file has to go to our server, the button says Upload and convert instead.
- Click Download next to each file when it's done.
AI vs PDF: how they compare
| AI | ||
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Shapes, paths and text | Fixed pages |
| Editable | In drawing programs | Hard |
| Created by | Adobe, 1987 | Adobe, 1993 |
| Best for | Illustrator drawings | Sharing and printing documents |
Good to know
- The AI drawing is drawn by Inkscape. Only the first page is converted.
- The shapes stay shapes in the PDF, so it stays sharp at any size.
- An Illustrator file saved without PDF compatibility cannot be read.
Frequently asked questions
Is converting AI to PDF free?
Yes. Everyone gets 25 free credits a day, with no account needed. Conversions on our server use one credit per started minute of work, so most cost a single credit. Credits reset at midnight UTC.
Are my AI files uploaded anywhere?
This conversion runs on our server, because drawing an AI file needs Inkscape, which does not run in a browser. Your file is sent over an encrypted connection, and both it and the result are deleted 72 hours after the conversion. The server has no internet access while it works on your file.
How large can the AI file be?
Up to 1 GB per file. This conversion runs on our server, which accepts files up to that size.
Will the PDF look the same as the AI?
The shapes stay shapes, so the PDF looks like the AI at any size. Fonts the converter does not have are replaced, and effects the PDF cannot hold are simplified.
Can I convert several AI files at once?
Yes. Add as many files as you like; they are converted one after another, and each one gets its own Download button.
Convert AI to other formats
- AI Converter
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- AI to EMF Converter
- AI to EPS Converter
- AI to PNG Converter
- AI to PS Converter
- AI to SVG Converter
- AI to WMF Converter
Convert other files to PDF
- Convert to PDF
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All vector formats
Updated