What programs edit AI files? How to open AI files without Adobe Illustrator

The AI file is the native format that Adobe Illustrator saves the project in. There are many programs that allow editing AI files. This wikiHow teaches you programs that can edit this file type.

Table of Contents

What is an AI file?

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AI is the native format of Adobe Illustrator files. When you save a file in Adobe Illustrator, the content is saved as a “.ai” file by default. Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editing program. When it comes to vector graphics, you can think of this as an image made up of data points that define shapes, colors, lines, curves, and so on.

Vector and raster: Most digital images are raster images. These images are made up of a series of colored pixels (or pixels). When you zoom in on a raster image, you’ll see the pixels. This is what makes raster images blurry and jagged when zoomed in. Vector graphics are made up of data points, so they maintain clarity no matter how much you zoom in.

Can I edit the AI file in another program?

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Yes, but there will be limitations. While other vector graphics programs can open and edit AI files, what you see may not be what you expect. Besides, each program will handle the file differently. For example, the way Adobe Illustrator handles transparency and gradation may not be the same as CorelDRAW. Additionally, some other aspects of the image may need to be rasterized when opened in another program. ^{[1] X Research Source}

It is recommended to save the file in SVG format to ensure maximum compatibility with other vector graphics programs, such as Adobe Illustrator.

Which programs are the best at editing AI files?

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Adobe Illustrator is the best program for editing AI files. AI is the native file format of Adobe Illustrator so it is the best equipped software to edit and save files in AI format. Adobe Illustrator supports all the necessary features for opening and editing AI files correctly. The downside of Adobe Illustrator is that you need to pay a subscription fee to use it.

You can start your 7-day trial of Adobe Illustrator at https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html

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CorelDRAW can also edit and export AI files. CorelDraw is Illustrator’s biggest competitor. This software can open AI files, and is also one of the few third-party programs that can export files to AI format. However, it is possible that the AI file in CorelDRAW will look different from when opened in Adobe illustrators. Besides, CorelDRAW also requires a subscription fee.

You can start your 15-day trial of CorelDRAW at https://www.coreldraw.com/en/product/coreldraw/.
You can open AI files in the same way as opening any vector file in CorelDRAW. To export the file to AI format, click File > Export > ” AI – Adobe Illustrator ” > “Save as Type” > Export . ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Gravit Designer is a cloud-based program that can edit AI files. The Pro version of Gravit Designer has the ability to import and edit AI files. However, it is possible that the displayed image will not be completely accurate when imported into Gravit Designer. Besides, Gravit Designer cannot save files with the “.ai” extension so you will need to save the file in a different format. The Pro version of Gravit Designer also requires a subscription fee, but at a lower cost than Illustrator and CorelDraw.

You can register to use Gravit Designer at https://www.designer.io/en/pricing/. Gravit Designer also has a free version but with limited features and cannot edit AI files.

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Affinity Designer is a graphic editor with AI file editing capabilities. Affinity Designer can edit both vector and raster graphics. This software requires you to pay a subscription fee, but at a cheaper rate than Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW. Although AI files can be imported and edited, Affinity Designer cannot save or export files to AI format.

Similar to other programs, AI files imported into Affinity Designer may not look completely accurate.

Which program is the best in the field of AI file editing?

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Inkscape is the best free alternative to Adobe Illustrator. Inkscape is a free graphic editor you can use to open and edit AI files. However, Inkscape does not have the ability to save or import files in AI format. For that, you will have to save the file in an alternative format, such as SVG or EPS.

The latest version of Inkscape can be downloaded for free at https://inkscape.org/releases/inkscape-1.1.1/.
It is likely that the AI file will not be displayed 100% correctly in Inkscape because certain features supported by another program may not be compatible with this program.

Can raster programs edit AI files?

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Yes, but only in raster format. You can open the AI file in a graphics editor like Photoshop or GIMP, but the file will be converted to a raster image. You can then use the tools to edit the image in raster format and save the file as a raster image. Additionally, AI files with multiple layers will only have one layer left when imported into Photoshop or GIMP.

Photoshop is the most optimally equipped software for AI file processing. Although not a vector graphics program, AI files imported or imported into Photoshop will look more accurate than when imported into software other than Adobe (such as GIMP).
In Photoshop, you can layer AI files as smart objects in a new Photoshop layer. As a result, the clarity of the vector graphics will remain the same while in class.

Can AI files be converted to another format?

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Yes, a lot of websites do this. You can convert the AI file to another vector format or to a raster format. However, AI files converted to other formats may not display correctly. Here are some websites that convert AI files into other formats:

https://cloudconvert.com/ai-converter
https://fileproinfo.com/tops/converter/ai#
https://www.imageconvert.org/

Steps