Bring Image trace (image to Vector) to Affinity Designer.

[James husted]

One of the only reasons I have not gone completely to Affinity and keep an old copy of Illustrator CS6 is because of the image trace function. Converting of bitmap/raster images to vector artwork is a mainstay for logo designers. Having to manually do this in Designer is a real drag.  

[v_kyr]

23 minutes ago, James husted said:

Having to manually do this in Designer is a real drag.

I use third party tracing tools as workarounds, for this still missing feature.

• List of some third party vectorization & tracing tools

[Aritstrybycg]

I agree. I would love to see this tool!

[HHK]

On 7/13/2023 at 7:31 PM, James husted said:

One of the only reasons I have not gone completely to Affinity and keep an old copy of Illustrator CS6 is because of the image trace function. Converting of bitmap/raster images to vector artwork is a mainstay for logo designers. Having to manually do this in Designer is a real drag.  

100% agree. Live trace is needed for brand designers. I use this feature often in Illustrator when I am trying out new fonts BEFORE I buy them. It gives me enough knowledge to know whether a font will work for my intended purpose. It's not as crisp however it still allows me to work out branding problems before refining the final version for the client. This is a huge Illustrator benefit. I'm honestly shocked it wasn't included in V1 let alone we're still waiting with it not in V2. 

[Taffe]

I agree. I would love to see 'image trace' in Affinity Photo.

[MeadowheadT]

Funnily enough, back when Serif made Draw Plus, this was a feature of their software, they called it Auto Trace. They had a version of image trace before Adobe did. So I would love for them to bring it back and refine it for the Affinity suite. But I'm in favour of them taking the apple approach here, really get it right, and get to be stable before they fully release it.

[fde101]

Serif has stated in the past that they were not happy with the results they were getting from tracing using the algorithms they had on hand and that when they introduce this into the Affinity suite they want to do it right and have something better than what they could achieve right now.  There were also hints that they intend to do this in a big way and implement it as an entirely new persona just for this task.

This was some time ago, however, so not clear what direction this may currently be taking - still, I would expect this will come in time, but they are waiting until they can do it in a way that they will be happy with, which I can certainly get behind.

[Taffe]

I have no problem with Serif doing the job properly. My concern is that they have forgotten about 'image trace' altogether.

[PSDfield]

Realy would like to see bitmap tracing in the Affinity Suite, currently I use Inkscape for that feature alone: https://inkscape.org/doc/tutorials/tracing/tutorial-tracing.html

[PaoloT]

On 7/14/2023 at 1:58 AM, v_kyr said:

I use third party tracing tools as workarounds, for this still missing feature.

You make it look too easy! What if when returning to Designer you no longer find it???

[Phillip Rutledge]

Bring Image trace (image to Vector) to Affinity Designer

Yes, I agree. As a matter of fact I was just trying to figure out how to do this yesterday. It's a shame to have to go to "work arounds" to accomplish what we want to do. I don't say this to discredit Affinity but to encourage them.

Phillip

[Spring]

As a freelance designer. I used both Inkscape as the main software and old Illustrator versions only for printing because of cost-related reasons. I was so happy that I thought I could use Affinity as an acceptable replacement for Adobe Suite and many freeware (clunky) in the process. It somehow works smoother and lighter than Adobe Suite on my Windows 11 PC.

Until I found out that there is no image trace in Affinity Designer. It's one of the main features of any graphic design software. What a deal breaker. I hope they bring it to the Designer soon.

[george_b]

i would be so glad to have this feature on Affinity apps.

[JDW]

On 7/14/2023 at 12:31 AM, James husted said:

One of the only reasons I have not gone completely to Affinity and keep an old copy of Illustrator CS6 is because of the image trace function. 

James, it's now the end of 2024, and despite all the advances in AI and other tech, it's really quite outrageous that Affinity Designer even now lacks something so BASIC and EXPECTED as an Image Trace function.  

We need the tracing feature, but sadly, Serif needs a lot of pounding to hear us.  Even then they don’t really listen.  I know because I’ve posted in this forum for YEARS and almost nothing I’ve said has been heard by them.  If they had listened, pretty much nobody would be on Adobe apps today because the Affinity suite would be so great.  

 While that may sound discouraging, don’t stop.  Keep pounding.  Let your voice be heard.  Eventually, a firm may buy the products from Serif and finally add the important features that Adobe users have long been waiting for.

 All said, Serif, implement an Artwork Trace Function today!  You’ve had plenty of time to work on it.  No more excuses.  Just Do It™.

[PaoloT]

23 hours ago, JDW said:

Eventually, a firm may buy the products from Serif

Actually, the whole Serif was bought several months ago by another company, and they still didn’t add the feature you want! You didn't complain loudly enough!

 

[JDW]

13 minutes ago, PaoloT said:

Actually, the whole Serif was bought several months ago by another company, and they still didn’t add the feature you want! You didn't complain loudly enough!

Indeed.  So I shall keep at it until Ashley Hewson listens.  Thank you for the inspiration!

Looking forward to hearing your voice join mine, unless all is perfection on your side of the rainbow. 🙂 🌈

[Taffe]

15 hours ago, JDW said:

Indeed.  So I shall keep at it until Ashley Hewson listens.  Thank you for the inspiration!

Looking forward to hearing your voice join mine, unless all is perfection on your side of the rainbow. 🙂 🌈

Here's an idea for Canva since they bought out Serif. Why not buy out existing software that does image trace only? Then they can add it to the Affinity apps.

[KevNZ]

Hey Affinity Friends,

First of all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all,

Have Fun, Be Safe and Enjoy Family, Friends and Loved Ones.

SURPRISED.

well, well, I only just found out now that Affinity was bought by Canva, 

Congratulations and I wish the Whole A Team all the best for the future, I owe you many thanks,

but especially helping me get off my Addiction to Adobe, Thank You All.

Well now that I hear Canva has the Funds and Commitment to help Affinity continue

on this awesome mission, don't you guys and girls think it's about time we Finally got the "TRACE FEATURE"

I am with the my fellow design colleagues on this request, it sounds like an insignificant, minor feature,

but it can be a real lifesaver, it's so handy and gets us out of many a bind at times as well.

 

All the best for 2025 and

"Keep On Creating, The World Needs All The Creatives It Can Get"

it is the Most Popular skill in the World, and imagine a World without us,

it would be a "World of no colours and all straight lines".

 

As an Architect said to me one 6am morning on site, when I was complaining

about his fancy Curved Planter Box he had so proudly Designed,

that was 18 feet long (6m) that I had to make out of Structural Steel,

and Mount on the Outside of the Telecom Building in Brisbane,

12 Stories up, and there was 6 of them...

 

All the best Friends

Kiwi ❤️

[Andshrew]

+1 Needs to happen. Would GLADLY pay full price for a rev to AD3 to have an even attempt at auto-trace included 

[Anton Ditrikhs]

I still can not belive that there is not one! For me this is one of the biggest problems with ADisigner. What the problem to make it? It's a big problem to have to use third party apps for imagetracing. I'm tired of waiting, I demand!(

[JDW]

Anton, the developer and current owner for the Affinity suite bears the biggest responsibility in this, but the end user doesn’t get off scot-free. Fact is, until more Affinity users chime in with STRONG DEMANDS like yours, nothing will change. Kudos to you for making that excellent and much needed DEMAND!

It’s truly sad, yet an easy fix. Nobody is screaming, so nothing gets done. But when everyone screams, the wheels of change start to move.

[njminchin]

I guess i'm sticking with open-source free Inkscape 🙄 My colleague tried to get me onto Affinity Designer, but it just doesn't seem worth it with some features missing that Inkscape has for free 🤷‍♂️

[JDW]

And that is precisely why Affinity Designer needs a TRACING FEATURE if it expects to remain relevant in the future.  Not having that is like not having a Text Tool, for goodness sake.  It's fundamental to any good vector design program.

[GameDirection]

On 2/12/2025 at 9:10 PM, JDW said:

And that is precisely why Affinity Designer needs a TRACING FEATURE if it expects to remain relevant in the future.  Not having that is like not having a Text Tool, for goodness sake.  It's fundamental to any good vector design program.

It's the most powerful feature many of us utilize that it doesn't offer and is a huge turn off for many designers. I would assume/expect this might be a huge pull they are saving for V3 to garner new purchases of the software. "Now with Image Trace + AI Image Trace" and what not.

[rluhman]

Well I'll add my call to the chorus. A tracing feature is very much a missing piece. I have many times when I need to create a new design and I've been given some initial concepts and need to redraw it in vector so I can move forward. I spend a good deal of time just redrawing when I could be creating.