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Inkscape for Laser Cutting: Design and Export SVG Files (2026)

Inkscape is free, open-source vector design software that runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux — making it the most accessible starting point for laser hobbyists without Illustrator or CorelDRAW. The one concept that matters most: strokes define cut paths (the laser follows the line), and fills define engrave areas (the laser rasters inside the shape). Once that clicks, a basic logo or nameplate takes about 15 minutes to design. Last verified: 2026-07-07 — lasertinkerer.com

Key findings
  • Strokes = cut paths; fills = engrave areas — this is the single most important concept
  • Always convert text to path (Path › Object to Path) before saving — fonts don't travel with SVG files
  • Export as Plain SVG, not Inkscape SVG — LightBurn imports Plain SVG more cleanly
  • Each stroke colour becomes a separate layer in LightBurn — use colour deliberately to separate operations
  • Inkscape is free and runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux; no subscription required
  • For finger-joint boxes, use Boxes.py (free, browser-based) rather than drawing tabs by hand
Inkscape laser cutting workflow overview STEP 1 STEP 2–3 STEP 4 ★ STEP 5 STEP 6 Document Setup Draw shapes strokes = cuts fills = engrave Text → Path critical step ★ never skip Export Plain SVG Import into LightBurn / LaserGRBL
Step 4 — converting text to path — is the step most beginners skip and the most common cause of broken imports. It takes five seconds and is always required.

Why use Inkscape for laser cutting?

Most laser cutting software (LightBurn, LaserGRBL, xTool Creative Space) is excellent at controlling the laser and adjusting settings, but the design tools are limited — they aren't built for creating complex shapes from scratch. Inkscape fills that gap. It is purpose-built for vector design, exports the SVG format that laser software expects, and costs nothing.

The main alternatives are:

If you already have Illustrator or CorelDRAW, the stroke/fill and text-to-path concepts apply there too — the workflow is the same, only the keyboard shortcuts differ.

Step 1 — Set up your document correctly

Getting the document units right upfront prevents scaling errors later.

  1. Open Inkscape. Go to File › Document Properties (Shift+Ctrl+D).
  2. Under "Display Units" and "Default units", select mm. This means every measurement you type is in millimetres — the same unit your laser software uses.
  3. Set the document size to your laser's working area. For most desktop diode lasers it is 400 × 400 mm (Sculpfun S30, xTool D1 Pro, Atomstack A20). Some smaller machines are 200 × 200 mm. Check your machine's specifications.
  4. Under "Snap" (the magnet icon in the toolbar), enable "Snap to nodes" and "Snap to bounding boxes". This helps shapes line up precisely.
  5. Optionally enable a grid: View › Show/Hide › Page Grid. A 5 mm grid is useful for laser work where placement accuracy matters.
DPI note: Inkscape versions before 0.91 used 90 DPI internally; version 0.92 and later (including 1.x) use 96 DPI. LightBurn handles this automatically on import. If you see a scaling discrepancy on an old file, go to File › Document Properties › Snap › Scaling and confirm your file's DPI setting.

The most important concept: strokes vs fills

This is the concept that confuses every new laser user. In Inkscape — and in every vector design tool — a shape has two independent visual properties:

Your laser software (LightBurn, LaserGRBL) interprets these differently:

Stroke vs fill in laser cutting: strokes are cut paths, fills are engrave areas STROKE ONLY (no fill) → Laser CUTS along the stroke line FILL ONLY (no stroke) → Laser ENGRAVES rasters inside the fill STROKE + FILL (both set) → Engrave then CUT two operations stroke colour = cut layer in LightBurn fill colour = fill/engrave layer
Inkscape's stroke and fill map directly to laser operations. Each unique stroke colour becomes a separate layer in LightBurn — use this deliberately to keep cuts and engravings on separate, independently-controllable layers.

To check or change a shape's stroke and fill, select it and go to Object › Fill and Stroke (Shift+Ctrl+F). The dialog shows both properties separately. The quickest shortcut: click a colour in the palette at the bottom to set the fill; Shift+click the same palette to set the stroke colour.

LightBurn colour layers: LightBurn groups imported shapes by stroke colour and assigns each colour to a layer. Shapes with a red stroke go on the red layer; blue stroke goes on the blue layer. This is how most hobbyists separate "cut" (red, last) from "engrave" (black, first) in a single design file. You control the order of operations in LightBurn, not Inkscape.

Step 2–3 — The tools you'll actually use

Inkscape has dozens of tools, but laser cutting only needs a handful. Here are the ones worth learning first:

Tool Shortcut Used for Laser cutting use case
Selection F1 / S Select, move, resize shapes Most things — picking and positioning elements
Node editor F2 / N Edit individual path nodes Adjusting curves, fixing imported paths with bad nodes
Rectangle R Draw rectangles; hold Ctrl for squares Boxes, frames, slots, living hinge panels
Circle / Ellipse E Draw circles; hold Ctrl for true circles Holes, decorative cutouts, coaster outlines
Bézier / Pen B Draw freeform paths and curves Custom shapes, tracings of hand-drawn art
Text T Add text (must convert to path before export) Name engravings, monograms, labels
Zoom Z Zoom in/out; Ctrl+scroll also works Checking node alignment, verifying gaps between cut lines

For sizing and positioning: enter exact dimensions in the W and H fields in the toolbar at the top (make sure the lock icon between W and H is set correctly for whether you want proportional scaling). For exact position, use the X and Y fields in the same toolbar — these are relative to the document origin (top-left corner by default).

To check that two shapes are the same size, select them both and look at the Transform dialog (Object › Transform, Shift+Ctrl+M). Use the "Align and Distribute" panel (Object › Align and Distribute, Shift+Ctrl+A) to centre shapes on the page or relative to each other.

Step 4 — Convert text to path (never skip this)

Inkscape text elements store a reference to a font by name — the actual letterform outlines are not embedded in the file. When you open the SVG on another computer or import it into LightBurn, Inkscape looks for that font by name. If the font isn't installed, Inkscape substitutes a fallback font, and the letters look different. LightBurn may skip text elements entirely.

Converting text to path solves this permanently: the letterform outlines become regular vector paths, embedded directly in the SVG. The font is no longer needed.

How to do it:

  1. Select all text in your design. The quickest way: Edit › Find/Replace (Ctrl+F), search for element type "text", select all found. Or simply press Ctrl+A to select everything and then hold Shift while clicking non-text elements to deselect them.
  2. Go to Path › Object to Path (Shift+Ctrl+C).
  3. The text selection handles change from a text cursor to standard path handles. The text is now a group of path objects that look like the original letters but are no longer editable as text.
Do this before saving. Once you convert text to path you cannot edit the words — the letters become shapes, not characters. Always keep a separate backup copy of the file with the text still as text, so you can go back and fix typos. Name the backup clearly (e.g. keychain_nameplate_EDIT.svg).

Boolean operations — cutting holes and combining shapes

Boolean operations combine two or more shapes into one, using set logic. These are essential for laser cutting design: making holes in shapes, subtracting letters from a surface, or merging overlapping paths into a single clean cut line.

Inkscape Boolean operations for laser cutting: Union, Difference, and Intersection UNION Path › Union Ctrl++ two shapes merged into one path use for: combining paths DIFFERENCE Path › Difference Ctrl+− bottom minus top rectangle with hole use for: holes, keyhole slots, letter cutouts, inlays INTERSECTION Path › Intersection Ctrl+* overlap area only overlapping region use for: clipping paths, trimming to a shape
The three Boolean operations you'll use most. Difference is the workhorse: select the background shape first, then Shift+click the shape you want to subtract, and run Path › Difference. The top-most object is always subtracted.

The most common use of Difference in laser cutting is making text cut through a surface. Draw a rectangle (your sign or keychain blank), type your text, position the text over the rectangle, select both (Ctrl+A), and run Path › Difference. The letter shapes become holes in the rectangle — the laser cuts them out.

Path › Union merges overlapping shapes into a single outline. Use this when two cut lines overlap — a double-pass over the same spot burns deeper than intended and can cause charring or fire in thin materials.

Step 5 — Export as Plain SVG

Inkscape has two SVG formats:

To export as Plain SVG: File › Save a Copy, then change the format dropdown to "Plain SVG (*.svg)". Give the file a clear name and save it. Your original Inkscape file remains intact for future edits.

Importing into LightBurn

In LightBurn: File › Import (or drag the SVG onto the LightBurn canvas). LightBurn reads the stroke and fill colours and assigns each unique colour to a layer automatically. Check the layer list on the right: cut lines should show as "Line" mode; fill areas should show as "Fill" mode. Confirm the assignments match your intention before running.

Importing into LaserGRBL

In LaserGRBL: File › Open and select the SVG. LaserGRBL shows a preview — if it looks correct (shapes visible, no missing elements), it is ready. LaserGRBL treats everything as raster for its standard workflow, so for cutting (following a path), you may be better served by LightBurn for complex vector work.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Mistake Symptom Fix
Text not converted to path LightBurn shows no text, or the wrong font Path › Object to Path on all text before saving
Saved as Inkscape SVG instead of Plain SVG LightBurn imports extra elements (grid lines, guides, notes) File › Save a Copy › Plain SVG
Overlapping cut paths Laser cuts the same line twice; extra charring Path › Union on overlapping outlines
Shapes have both stroke and fill when you only want a cut LightBurn imports as two operations (fill + line); engraving runs unexpectedly Open Fill & Stroke (Shift+Ctrl+F); remove fill by clicking the X in the Fill tab
Wrong document units (px, pt, or in instead of mm) Design is wrong size in LightBurn (often 3.78× or 0.35× the intended size) File › Document Properties: set to mm; then verify shape dimensions in the toolbar
Shapes not grouped when importing multi-element design Elements scatter when moved in LightBurn Select all, Object › Group (Ctrl+G) before saving — or group by layer in LightBurn after import
Cut path is a stroke that's too wide to see easily in Inkscape Looks like a thick decorative border but you wanted a hairline cut Stroke width for cut paths is irrelevant — the laser follows the path centre regardless. Any visible stroke colour works; set it to 0.1mm or 0.01mm for precision visual editing but it doesn't change the laser path.

Bonus: Inkscape extensions for laser work

The Inkscape Extension Manager (Extensions › Manage Extensions) includes several add-ons built for laser cutters. These are community-developed and quality varies, but a few are worth knowing:

For producing boxes with complex joinery (t-slots, living hinges, push-fit lids), Boxes.py generates better results than hand-drawing in Inkscape. See the kerf compensation guide for the measurements these tools need.

Materials and gear for your first Inkscape-designed projects

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links are to Amazon search results — use them to compare options rather than as specific product endorsements.

Frequently asked questions

Is Inkscape free for laser cutting?

Yes. Inkscape is completely free and open-source (GPL licence). It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. There is no paid version or subscription. It supports SVG, DXF, and PDF export — all formats accepted by LightBurn and LaserGRBL.

What file format should I export from Inkscape for laser cutting?

SVG (Plain SVG) is the recommended format. LightBurn imports SVG natively and preserves layer colours, stroke widths, and fill information. LaserGRBL also accepts SVG. DXF is an alternative for simple shapes but loses fill and colour information. Avoid exporting as PNG or JPG for cutting — those are raster formats and produce raster engraving output, not cut paths.

Why does my text look wrong after importing into LightBurn?

The most common cause: you didn't convert text to path before saving. In Inkscape, select all text, then go to Path › Object to Path (Shift+Ctrl+C). This converts each letter from a font reference to embedded vector outlines. Without this step, LightBurn either uses a fallback font or ignores the text entirely.

How do I make a cutout (hole) in a shape in Inkscape?

Draw the outer shape, then draw the hole shape on top. Select both (Shift+click, or Ctrl+A if only those two are present), then go to Path › Difference (Ctrl+Minus). The top shape is subtracted from the bottom shape, leaving a hole. This is the standard method for keyholes, letter cutouts, and slots for finger-joint assemblies.

Can I design a finger-joint box in Inkscape?

Yes, but it is quicker to use a dedicated tool. Boxes.py (free, browser-based) generates parametric finger-joint box SVGs with correct kerf compensation built in — download the SVG and open it directly in LightBurn. The Inkscape Tabbed Box Maker extension is another option if you want to stay inside Inkscape. Hand-drawing a box requires manually accounting for kerf on every joint — see the kerf compensation guide for the maths.

Further reading