SVG Thumbnail Previews in Adobe Bridge

While MacOS has the capability to preview SVG files with Quick Look in the Finder, current versions of Adobe Bridge show the generic file icon only. That is, unless SVGs are saved out with XMP compatibility. With SVG increasing in popularity, here’s how to make image selection quicker and easier with thumbnails.

Please note that by embedding a thumbnail, you will be increasing file size.

Update: With MacOS 10.12 and CC 2017, this method no longer works.

Update: With MacOS 10.13 and CC 2018, this method works again.

Update: As of Bridge 8.1.0.383, released in July 2018, Adobe Bridge now includes native support for previewing SVG and PNG files. The method described below is no longer needed, but still works for previous versions of Bridge.

SVG files in Adobe Bridge.

Highlighted above are two SVG files. One has been saved with XMP compatibility and shows the file’s thumbnail in Adobe Bridge, while the other doesn’t have XMP compatibility and has the generic icon. To fix a blank SVG, open the file with Adobe Illustrator.

SVG file open in Adobe Illustrator.

With the SVG file open, do a Save As to get to the options dialog above. Then click on the More Options button in the bottom left.

The setting which enables SVG thumbnails in Adobe Bridge.

Click the checkbox for Include XMP and hit OK.

The final result.

Enjoy visual file sorting for SVGs.