EMF to FIG Converter

Instant EMF to FIG conversion — free online tool for everyone

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Wide Format Support

EMF to FIG is just one option — Convertio handles a vast range of conversions, so you always have the right output format.

Quality Maintained

Convertio handles the EMF to FIG conversion with care — optimized settings ensure maximum visual fidelity in the output.

Any Device Welcome

Desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone — Convertio adapts to your screen and converts EMF to FIG from whatever device you have.

How to convert EMF to FIG

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose fig or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your fig file right afterwards

About formats

EMF (Enhanced Metafile) is a vector graphics format developed by Microsoft as the successor to WMF (Windows Metafile), introduced with Windows NT 3.1 in July 1993. EMF records a sequence of GDI (Graphics Device Interface) function calls that describe vector shapes, text, embedded bitmaps, and rendering attributes in a device-independent manner. Unlike WMF's 16-bit coordinate system limited to 65,536 units, EMF uses 32-bit coordinates and adds support for Bezier curves, advanced path operations, world coordinate transforms, gradient fills, and extended text capabilities including Unicode. The format functions as a graphics recording mechanism — applications capture their drawing operations into an EMF file, which can then be replayed at any scale on any device with full geometric precision. One advantage is native Windows integration: EMF is the standard clipboard and spooler format for vector content across the Windows ecosystem, enabling lossless copy-paste of graphics between Office documents, design tools, and presentation software without rasterization. Resolution independence is another key strength — EMF graphics scale smoothly from screen display to high-resolution print output. An extended variant, EMF+, introduced with GDI+ adds anti-aliasing, alpha transparency, and advanced brush types. EMF remains deeply embedded in Windows-based publishing, technical documentation, and enterprise document workflows.
Developer: Microsoft
Initial release: July 27, 1993
FIG is the native file format of Xfig, a free vector graphics editor for the X Window System, originally written by Supoj Sutanthavibul at the University of Texas at Austin in 1985. The format uses a plain-text structure where each graphic object is described on one or more lines with numeric parameters specifying object type, coordinates, line properties, fill attributes, and depth ordering. FIG supports compound objects (groups), polylines, polygons, splines, arcs, ellipses, text strings, and imported bitmaps, each with configurable colors, line styles, arrow heads, and area fills. Files begin with a header line declaring the format version (currently 3.2), followed by a resolution specification and the object definitions. One advantage is exceptional simplicity — the entirely text-based format is trivially parsed, generated, and manipulated by scripts, making FIG popular as an intermediate format in automated diagram generation pipelines. The rich ecosystem of conversion tools is another strength: fig2dev exports FIG files to dozens of output formats including EPS, PDF, SVG, LaTeX picture environments, PSTricks, and TikZ. This made Xfig and FIG especially popular in academic and scientific communities, where authors generate publication-quality figures that integrate seamlessly with LaTeX documents. While graphical tools have evolved since the 1980s, FIG remains in use among researchers who value its scriptability, LaTeX integration, and well-documented format stability.
Initial release: 1985

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert EMF to FIG?

EMF cannot be used in Unix/Linux illustration tools. Converting to FIG makes your vector graphics editable in Xfig and other scientific drawing applications.

What can I use to open FIG files?

You can open FIG files with Xfig, fig2dev, or other Unix/Linux vector drawing tools.

What platforms support this EMF to FIG converter?

Any platform with a browser — Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and Chrome OS all work perfectly.

How long does EMF to FIG conversion take?

Most files convert within seconds. Server-side processing keeps things fast regardless of the device you are using.

Is the EMF to FIG conversion free?

You can convert EMF to FIG for free on convertio.tools. Larger or more frequent conversions are available with a subscription plan.

Can I batch-convert multiple EMF files to FIG?

Yes — upload several EMF files at once and Convertio processes them to FIG in parallel, saving you time.