CDR to AI Converter — Open CorelDRAW Files in Adobe Illustrator
Illustrator cannot open a .cdr file properly. Upload it here and get an .ai file you can edit in Illustrator — shapes, curves, colours and text kept as editable objects.
The file is opened and exported by CorelDRAW itself on our servers, not by a reverse-engineered reader, so even complex designs come through the way the designer made them.
Drop your files here or browse local directory
Up to 150 MB per file · 1 file at a time · 56 formats
Vectorization Settings
Controls how your image is converted to vectors
Better source = better vectors
Upscales your image before vectorization for sharper, cleaner results. Takes a few extra minutes.
Image Type
Output Detail
Auto = smooth curves with fewer nodes. High = more detail, more nodes.
Color Count
Fewer colors = fewer objects. Best for logos. Auto lets the engine decide.
Remove Background
Auto-detect and remove background color
Black & White Mode
Ideal for stamps, signatures, ink drawings
Quick answer
How to open a CDR file in Illustrator
Upload the .cdr above, keep AI as the output and convert. Open the downloaded file in Illustrator CS5 or newer: every shape is an editable path, and live text stays editable.
Why Illustrator struggles with CDR files
CDR is CorelDRAW's own format, and Corel has never published how it works. Every CorelDRAW release has changed it, so other programs only manage partial imports: Illustrator either refuses the file or drops parts of the design. The reliable way is to let CorelDRAW write a file Illustrator understands — which is exactly what this converter does.
A client sent a CDR
Print shops and sign makers work in CorelDRAW. If you work in Illustrator, this is the quickest way to use their files.
Moving from CorelDRAW
Switching to Adobe? Convert your old CDR library to AI so years of artwork keep working.
No CorelDRAW licence
Buying CorelDRAW to export one file makes no sense. Converting takes seconds and costs nothing.
What you get in the AI file
Kept
- Vector shapes and curves as editable paths
- Fills, outlines and colour values
- Spot colours, for print work
- Transparency
- Live text, as editable text
- Embedded photos and images
Worth knowing
- Missing fonts are substituted when the AI file is opened
- Text already converted to curves looks exactly the same everywhere
- CorelDRAW-only effects become groups or images
- Saved as Illustrator CS5, so very old Illustrator versions cannot open it
Not sure what is in the file? The free CDR viewer shows it in your browser first. Going the other way? Use AI to CDR.
AI, PDF, SVG or EPS?
| Format | Choose it when |
|---|---|
| AI | You will keep editing the design in Adobe Illustrator. |
| You only need to view, print or forward the design. It opens on any device. | |
| SVG | The artwork is going on a website, into Figma or Inkscape, or to a cutting machine. |
| EPS | A printer, sign shop or embroidery company asked for a vector file. |
Frequently asked questions
No. The conversion runs on our servers, where the file is opened and exported by CorelDRAW itself. You need nothing but a browser, on Windows, Mac or a phone.
Yes. Shapes and curves arrive as real vector paths, with their fills and outlines, so you can select, recolour and reshape them in Illustrator. It is not a picture of the design placed in an AI file.
The AI file is saved in the Illustrator CS5 format, which opens in Illustrator CS5 and every later version, including the current Creative Cloud release.
Yes, live text stays live text. If the computer opening the AI file does not have the same font installed, Illustrator will ask to substitute it. If the design has to look exactly the same everywhere, convert the text to curves in the CDR first, or send the font along with the file.
CDR files from old CorelDRAW versions up to the latest CorelDRAW 2026 can be uploaded. You do not need to know which version made the file.
Effects that Illustrator does not have, such as some drop shadows, lens effects and special fills, are converted into the closest thing Illustrator can show — usually a group of shapes or an embedded image. The design looks the same; those parts may just be less editable.
Yes. 10 conversions a day at up to 150 MB per file, no account needed. Pro removes the daily limit and raises the cap to 500 MB.
Uploads are encrypted in transit, processed in an isolated environment, and deleted automatically after 3 hours. We never open, share or reuse them.