Convert WMF to SVG — Free Online Converter
Convert Windows Metafile (.wmf) to Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg) online for free. Fast, secure image conversion with no watermarks or registration....
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How to Convert
Upload your .wmf file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
Choose your output settings. The default settings work great for most files.
Click Convert and download your .svg file when it's ready.
About WMF to SVG Conversion
WMF (Windows Metafile) is Microsoft's original vector format from Windows 3.0 (1990), recording GDI drawing commands as binary records. WMF files contain the vector graphics of the early Windows era — clip art, diagrams, flowcharts, and technical drawings. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) is the modern W3C standard for vector graphics on the web, using XML to describe shapes, paths, and text with support for CSS styling, JavaScript interaction, and animation.
Converting WMF to SVG migrates legacy Windows vector content to the modern open web standard. This is the most important vector-to-vector conversion for WMF files because SVG preserves the resolution independence of the original while adding web compatibility, cross-platform support, and modern features. Unlike rasterization (WMF to PNG/JPG), this conversion keeps the content as editable vector data.
Why Convert WMF to SVG?
SVG is the universal vector format of the modern web. Converting WMF to SVG makes legacy Windows graphics displayable in every web browser, editable in every modern design tool (Figma, Sketch, Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, Canva), and integratable in every web framework (React, Vue, Angular). No other format provides this breadth of support for vector content. The conversion transforms platform-locked WMF files into universally accessible web assets.
SVG adds capabilities that WMF never had: CSS-based styling allows changing colors and appearances without editing the file, JavaScript enables interactivity and animation, responsive scaling adapts to any viewport size, and text in SVG is searchable and selectable. Converting old WMF diagrams to SVG transforms static clip art into dynamic web components.
Common Use Cases
- Migrate legacy WMF clip art libraries to SVG for use in modern web design and applications
- Convert WMF technical diagrams to interactive SVG for web-based documentation systems
- Transform old WMF flowcharts into editable SVG for updating in Figma, Illustrator, or Inkscape
- Create responsive web graphics from WMF corporate logos and branding elements
- Preserve WMF vector content as open-standard SVG for long-term format independence
How It Works
LibreOffice or Inkscape parses the WMF GDI records and translates each drawing command to SVG elements. GDI LineTo and PolylineTo map to SVG path elements, Rectangle and Ellipse map to SVG rect and ellipse elements, TextOut maps to SVG text elements, and StretchDIBits maps to embedded raster data within the SVG. The output uses SVG 1.1 specification (W3C standard). Font references are mapped to CSS font-family declarations. Colors from GDI COLORREF values are converted to SVG hex or rgb() notation. The coordinate system is transformed from WMF's logical coordinates to SVG viewBox dimensions.
Quality & Performance
Vector-to-vector conversion preserves the resolution-independent nature of the content. Shapes, lines, and fills convert with full fidelity. Text is preserved as editable SVG text elements (searchable and selectable). Simple to moderate WMF files produce clean, efficient SVGs. Complex WMF files with advanced GDI operations (region clipping, complex brush patterns) may have minor rendering differences where GDI features do not have exact SVG equivalents. Font mapping from Windows fonts to web-safe fonts may cause minor text spacing changes.
Device Compatibility
| Device | WMF | SVG |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Partial | Partial |
| macOS | Partial | Partial |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Partial |
| Android | Partial | Partial |
| Linux | Partial | Native |
| Web Browser | No | Native |
Tips for Best Results
- 1WMF-to-SVG is the recommended conversion for preserving vector content — avoid rasterization when possible
- 2Use web-safe font fallbacks in the SVG CSS to ensure text renders consistently across platforms
- 3SVG files from simple WMF clip art are typically very small (5-50 KB) and load instantly on web pages
- 4After conversion, clean up the SVG in Inkscape or SVGO to optimize file size and remove unnecessary elements
- 5For batch migration of WMF clip art libraries, LibreOffice's command-line interface supports automated conversion
WMF to SVG is the best conversion for preserving and modernizing legacy Windows vector graphics. The output retains vector editability, gains web compatibility, and adds modern features like CSS styling and JavaScript interactivity.