Inkscape Trace Bitmap Not Working

How to fix it

Try these in order — the most common fix is first.

1. 1. Select properly

   Copy steps
   1. Click the bitmap once; the status bar should say Image
   2. Open Path > Trace Bitmap (Shift+Alt+B) and choose a mode
   3. Press Apply
   Did this fix it? Yes No

2. 2. Find the hidden result

   Copy steps
   1. After tracing, move the top object aside with the arrow keys
   2. Delete or hide the original bitmap to see the vector
   Did this fix it? Yes No

3. 3. Tune the settings

   Copy steps
   1. Try Brightness cutoff for black and white, Multiple scans for color
   2. Use the live Preview and adjust threshold, speckles and smoothing
   3. Enlarge a tiny, low-contrast image before tracing
   Did this fix it? Yes No

4. 4. Reset the dialog

   Copy steps
   1. Close and reopen the Trace dialog, or restart Inkscape if options are blank on a second trace
   2. Reset preferences if it keeps happening
   Did this fix it? Yes No

Symptoms

You click OK or Apply and nothing appears, the preview is blank, the dialog shows no options, or the trace looks nothing like the image.

Why it happens

• No image selected (status bar must say Image)
• Result created exactly over the original so it looks unchanged
• Dialog stuck after a first trace
• Threshold or color count set badly for the image
• Image is linked and missing, or vector already

This guide also covers

• inkscape trace bitmap not working
• inkscape trace bitmap nothing happens
• inkscape trace image blank
• inkscape trace bitmap greyed out

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• Inkscape Not Opening or Crashes on Launch
• Why Is Inkscape So Slow on Mac?
• Inkscape Slow or Freezing With Large Files
• Inkscape PNG Export Blurry or Low Resolution
• Inkscape PDF Export Problems
• Inkscape Fonts Missing or Not Showing
• Inkscape Extensions Not Working