SVG vs PNG for Medium Articles
Medium's image handling has specific quirks worth knowing before choosing between vector and raster for your article graphics.
Medium's Image Upload Behavior
Medium's editor accepts image uploads including SVG in many cases, but the platform's image processing pipeline (which handles responsive sizing and lazy loading) has historically treated SVG inconsistently compared to its mature PNG/JPEG handling — verify current behavior by testing an upload, since platform capabilities evolve.
- Medium's editor accepts various image formats including SVG in many cases
- SVG handling has historically been less consistent than PNG/JPEG
- Test current behavior directly since platform capabilities change over time
Practical Recommendation for Diagrams and Illustrations
For technical diagrams and illustrations where crispness matters (code architecture diagrams, flowcharts, data visualizations), export a high-resolution PNG (2x the display size) from your vector source as the safest, most consistently-handled option across Medium's publishing pipeline, reserving direct SVG embedding for cases where you've verified it renders correctly.
- High-resolution PNG export (2x display size) is the safest default choice
- Verify SVG embedding works correctly before relying on it for a published article
- Vector-source-to-PNG-export workflow keeps diagrams sharp regardless of platform quirks
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my SVG diagram look wrong after publishing on Medium?
Medium's image pipeline may have rasterized or resized it unexpectedly — re-export as a high-resolution PNG from your vector source as a more reliable fallback if you encounter this issue.
What resolution PNG should I use for Medium article diagrams?
Roughly 2x the width you expect the image to display at within the article's content column gives a sharp result on retina displays without an excessively large file size.
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