PDF export from Word changes line width of thin lines in embedded SVG

Question

I have inserted some SVG files with complex plots in my Word document. The plots use different line withs, some of them quite thin.

After inserting the SVG in Word, the line widths are shown correctly. But when I export the document as PDF, thin lines become thicker. Word seems have some idea of a minimum line width during the PDF export of embedded SVG graphics.

Is it possible to convince Word to use the original line width from the SVG during the PDF export? Also, the graphic must be preserved as vector graphic, a conversion to a raster graphic is not an option. I tried the "Convert to Form" option in Word, which solves the line width problem - but completely garbles the graphic in other ways.

Answer 1

The minimum line width that Word imposes during PDF export of an embedded SVG graphic is relative to the original size of the SVG. So there is a workaround:

1. Scale up the SVG graphic e.g. to 10 times its original size.
2. Insert the SVG in Word.
3. In the "Size and Position" options, set the scale to 10 %.

In this way, the line with minimum is 1/10th of what it was before. This solved the problem for all the line widths I was using.

(The key to this answer was hidden in this Microsoft Tech Community discussion. This site is lacking the "best answers rise to the top" feature, so I'm posting it here again.)