XCF is GIMP's native format
XCF (eXperimental Computing Facility) stores GIMP's full working state — layers, masks, paths and channels. It's the GIMP equivalent of Photoshop's PSD, and GIMP is what creates it.
Looking to convert AI to XCF? Here's the honest answer — and what works instead.
Turn your file into a share-worthy AI Effect — one tap, no prompts.
AI is Adobe Illustrator’s native vector format for logos, icons and illustrations that scale to any size.
AI files open in Adobe Illustrator and many vector editors.
XCF is GIMP’s native format preserving layers, paths and channels — the open-source equivalent of PSD.
XCF opens in GIMP; export to PNG or PSD for other apps.
Not a real one. XCF is GIMP-specific; the dependable way to get an .xcf is to open your image in GIMP (free and open-source) and save it. SharkFoto can read XCF as a source, but doesn't write it.
Convert your AI to PSD. PSD is the layered format the widest range of editors — Photoshop, GIMP, Photopea, Affinity — can open.
AI converts to PSD, PNG, JPG, TIFF and more — free and instant.