---
title: Inkscape: Path → Trace Bitmap does nothing (no preview, no error)
date: 2020-02-13
summary: Trace Bitmap silently did nothing on an image already embedded in an Inkscape 0.92 document. Opening the image fresh in its own window, tracing there, and pasting the path back worked.
tags: inkscape, linux, ubuntu
environment: Ubuntu 19.10; Inkscape 0.92
author: shaun
status: published
aliases: Solved-Inkscape-Path-gt-Trace-Bitmap-nothing-happens.html, Solved.html
---

## Symptoms

Selecting a simple black-on-transparent bitmap that was already embedded in a document and
running **Path → Trace Bitmap…** did nothing: no preview, no error message, no outline.
Plenty of people online reported the same, without a fix.

## Cause

Unknown. It seems to depend on how the image got into the document; a freshly opened copy
traces fine.

## Fix

Trace the image in a separate document and paste the result back:

1. Delete the embedded copy of the image.
2. **File → Open…** the image file in a new window. In the import dialog choose
   *Image DPI: From file* and *Image rendering mode: None (auto)*, then **OK**.
3. Select the image.
4. **Path → Trace Bitmap…**, tick **Brightness cutoff**, press **Update** (the preview now
   appears), then **OK**.
5. **Ctrl+C** the new path, switch to the original document, **Ctrl+V**.
6. Resize with **Ctrl** + a corner handle to keep proportions.