SVG skill for Claude Code
Give Claude Code the SVG.new skill and it can turn PNG, JPG and WebP images into clean SVG vectors, recolor and simplify SVGs, remove backgrounds and batch convert folders, all from a plain-English prompt.
Free account includes 3 vectorizations a day.
Install the SVG skill in Claude Code
Three steps, about a minute.
Create an API key
Sign in at svg.new/account and create a key. Keys start with svk_ and are shown once. Export it in your shell profile (~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc) so every Claude Code session can see it:
export SVG_NEW_API_KEY="svk_your_key_here"Install the plugin
Run these two commands inside Claude Code:
/plugin marketplace add svgnew/plugin
/plugin install svg-vectorizerThe plugin adds five skills: vectorize, recolor, simplify, remove-background and batch. Source is on github.com/svgnew/plugin.
Ask Claude to vectorize something
Vectorize ./logo.pngClaude reads the image, sends it to SVG.new, writes logo.svg next to it and tells you how many credits are left.
Other ways to add it
Same API and same credits; pick the setup you prefer.
Single skill file
Adds one skill, /svg, with no plugin or marketplace. It covers vectorize, recolor, simplify, background removal and batch through the REST API.
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/svg-new && \
curl -s https://svg.new/skill.md \
-o ~/.claude/skills/svg-new/SKILL.mdMCP server
Registers the SVG.new MCP server with Claude Code, which gives Claude ten tools instead of skills. The same server works in Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex and Windsurf.
claude mcp add svg-new \
-e SVG_NEW_API_KEY=svk_your_key_here \
-- npx -y @svgnew/mcpWhat the skill does
Call a skill directly, or just describe what you want and Claude picks the right one.
Vectorize
1 creditConverts a PNG, JPG or WebP image to SVG and saves it next to the original.
/svg-vectorizer:vectorize logo.pngRecolor
FreeSwaps colors in an SVG using an old-to-new hex map.
/svg-vectorizer:recolor icon.svgSimplify
FreeMerges similar colors down to a target palette size (1 to 256).
/svg-vectorizer:simplify icon.svgRemove background
1 creditRemoves the background from an SVG, using the original image as reference.
/svg-vectorizer:remove-background art.svgBatch
1 credit per imageSends a folder of images to the batch API (up to 10 per batch) and collects the results.
/svg-vectorizer:batch ./images/Example prompts
Things to ask Claude Code once the skill is installed.
- “Vectorize logo.png and save it as logo.svg”
- “Convert every PNG in ./assets/icons to SVG”
- “In icon.svg, change #ff0000 to #2E95FF”
- “Reduce badge.svg to 4 colors for screen printing”
- “Vectorize product.jpg, then remove the background”
Common questions
What is the SVG skill for Claude Code?
It is a Claude Code skill from SVG.new that converts raster images to SVG. Claude loads it when you ask to vectorize, trace or convert an image to SVG, calls the SVG.new API with your key, and writes the .svg file into your project.
How do I install the Claude SVG skill?
Inside Claude Code, run /plugin marketplace add svgnew/plugin and then /plugin install svg-vectorizer. For a single lightweight skill, save https://svg.new/skill.md as ~/.claude/skills/svg-new/SKILL.md instead. Both read your API key from the SVG_NEW_API_KEY environment variable.
Can Claude Code vectorize an image?
Yes, with the SVG skill for Claude Code installed. Ask Claude Code to vectorize an image and it sends the PNG, JPG or WebP file to SVG.new and saves the SVG it gets back. Without a skill or MCP server, Claude can only write SVG markup by hand, which is impractical for photos or detailed logos.
Should I use the plugin, the skill file or the MCP server?
Use the plugin for all five skills (vectorize, recolor, simplify, remove background, batch) with updates through the marketplace. Use the single skill file for one /svg command with nothing else installed. Use the MCP server if you also want the same tools in Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex or Windsurf.
What does the SVG skill for Claude Code cost?
The plugin itself is free. Conversions use SVG.new credits: a free account includes 3 vectorizations a day, and Pro is $9.99 a month for 1,000. Vectorize and background removal cost 1 credit each; recolor and simplify are free.
Which images work, and how large can they be?
PNG, JPG and WebP. Images travel as base64 and requests are capped at about 4.5 MB, so keep each source image under roughly 3 MB. The vectorize endpoint allows 10 requests a minute, and a batch holds up to 10 images.
Using another agent?
Vectorize from Claude Code
Create a free key, install the plugin and ask Claude to convert your first image.