SVG open path checker
Find shapes in your SVG that don't quite join up. Open paths are highlighted in the preview so you can find them in your design app.
Checked entirely in your browser. Your file is never uploaded.
Why open paths cause bad cuts
A closed path has a clear inside and outside. Laser software uses that to cut parts out, order inner cuts before outer ones, apply kerf offsets and fill shapes for engraving. An open path has none of that, even if the gap is a hundredth of a millimeter.
Common causes: shapes built from separate lines, traced bitmaps, text converted to paths in some fonts, and shapes exported from CAD as individual segments.
How to close paths
- Inkscape: with the Node tool, select the two end nodes and click Join selected nodes. For shapes made of separate pieces, select them all and use Path → Combine first.
- Illustrator: select the path (or the two endpoints) and use Object → Path → Join.
- Affinity Designer: select the curve and use Close Curve in the Node tool's context toolbar.
- LightBurn: Edit → Close selected paths with tolerance or Edit → Auto-join selected shapes.
Then check the file again to confirm nothing is left open.
Questions
Is every open path a mistake?
No. Score lines, engraved strokes and decorative lines are often meant to be open. Open paths only matter for shapes you want to cut out as pieces or fill when engraving.
What is a nearly closed path?
A shape whose loose ends are all within 0.1 mm of another end or line but aren't joined. It looks closed on screen, so it's almost always a mistake.
Will the tool close paths for me?
No. Closing a path means adding or moving geometry, and the tool can't know whether a gap is intentional. It shows exactly which paths are open so you can close them in your editor.