Laser File Check

Laser cut SVG checker

SVG files often look fine on screen but hide problems that only show up at the laser. Check yours for the usual culprits.

Drop your SVG or DXF hereFrom Inkscape, Illustrator, Affinity, Fusion, LibreCAD and more · up to 30 MB

Checked entirely in your browser. Your file is never uploaded.

Machine and material (optional)

Only used to compare against your file. Leave blank to skip those checks.

What goes wrong with SVG files

  • Open paths: a shape's start and end points don't meet, so it can't be cut out as a closed piece. See the open path guide.
  • Duplicate lines: copy-and-paste or overlapping shapes make the laser cut the same line twice, which burns edges. See duplicate lines.
  • Live text: text that hasn't been converted to paths may change font or disappear. See text to path.
  • Images: embedded or linked bitmaps can be engraved but not vector cut, and linked images often go missing.
  • Hidden objects: shapes with no stroke and no fill, or hidden layers, can still be imported and cut.
  • Effects: blurs, shadows, masks and clipping paths rarely survive import into laser software.
  • Wrong size: a unitless SVG can import at 75% or 133% of the intended size.

Preparing an SVG in Inkscape

  1. In File → Document Properties…, set the page size units and display units to millimeters or inches, and leave the scale at 1.
  2. Select all text and choose Path → Object to Path.
  3. Use Path → Stroke to Path only if you want the outline of a thick line cut, not the line itself.
  4. Close open shapes with the Node tool: select both end nodes and use Join selected nodes.
  5. Save as Plain SVG and check the file again.

Preparing an SVG in Illustrator

  1. Outline text with Type → Create Outlines.
  2. Join open endpoints with Object → Path → Join.
  3. Release clipping masks with Object → Clipping Mask → Release, then expand effects with Object → Expand Appearance and Object → Expand.
  4. Export with File → Export → Export As → SVG.

Questions

Why does the check show two sizes for my SVG?

If the SVG's width and height have no units, different programs read them differently. Inkscape and web browsers use 96 pixels per inch, Adobe Illustrator uses 72, and Inkscape 0.91 and older used 90. If an SVG imports about a third too big or too small, choose the right setting under “If the file has no units” (in LightBurn, change the import DPI to 96 or 72), or re-export with millimeters or inches.

Are clipping masks a problem?

Many laser programs ignore clipping masks and cut the full, unclipped shape. Release the mask and use a boolean operation (such as Intersection) to make the clipped shape real geometry.

Does stroke color matter?

Many laser programs use stroke colors to decide which lines to cut, score or engrave. The report lists the colors used so you can check they match your software's settings.