“How to Open AI Files in Affinity Designer: A Step-by-Step Guide”
Adobe Illustrator (AI) files are widely used in the design industry, but what if you don’t have access to Adobe Illustrator? If you’re an Affinity Designer user and you need to work with AI files, don’t worry – it’s still possible! In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of opening AI files in Affinity Designer.
Step 1: Install Affinity Designer
If you haven’t already, the first step is to install Affinity Designer on your computer. Affinity Designer is a powerful vector graphic design software that can be a great alternative to Adobe Illustrator. You can purchase and download it from the official website or through the Mac App Store or Microsoft Store.
Step 2: Prepare the AI File
Locate the AI file that you want to open in Affinity Designer. Make sure to have the AI file saved in a location that you can easily access.
Step 3: Drag and Drop
Once Affinity Designer is installed and the AI file is ready, the simplest way to open it is by using the drag and drop method. Simply open Affinity Designer, and then drag the AI file from its location and drop it into the Affinity Designer window. This will automatically open the AI file in Affinity Designer, allowing you to start working with it.
Step 4: Import the AI File
If the drag and drop method doesn’t work for any reason, you can use the Import function in Affinity Designer. To do this, open Affinity Designer and go to File > Import. Navigate to the location of the AI file, select it, and click “Open.” This will import the AI file into Affinity Designer, where you can edit and manipulate it as needed.
Step 5: Save in Affinity Designer Format
After you’ve made any necessary edits to the AI file in Affinity Designer, it’s important to save your work in Affinity Designer’s native file format. This ensures that you can easily access and make further edits to the file in the future. To do this, go to File > Save or File > Save As, and choose the appropriate location and file name for your Affinity Designer file.
Step 6: Export as AI
If you need to send the file back in AI format or work with a team that uses Adobe Illustrator, you can export your edited file as an AI file from Affinity Designer. Simply go to File > Export, choose “Adobe Illustrator (PDF),” and select the AI format from the dropdown menu. Then, click “Export” and save the file in the desired location.
Closing Thoughts
Opening AI files in Affinity Designer is a straightforward process that allows you to work with Adobe Illustrator files even if you don’t have access to Illustrator itself. Whether you’re collaborating with others who use Illustrator or need to make edits to AI files without Adobe software, Affinity Designer provides a viable solution. By following the steps outlined above, you can seamlessly integrate AI files into your design workflow using Affinity Designer.
