A PNG or SVG map image can have a transparent background — areas with no artwork let whatever is behind show through. Used well it makes a map sit neatly on your chosen colour; used by accident it can leave odd gaps. Here's how to control it.
Which formats can be transparent
Transparency by format
| Format | Transparent background? |
|---|---|
| SVG | Yes — anywhere you don't draw a shape is see-through |
| PNG | Yes — supports a proper transparent background |
| JPG | No — always fills with a solid colour (usually white) |
What shows through
Where your image is transparent, the visitor sees the map's background colour instead. So a floor plan exported with a transparent background sits directly on your background colour — no white box around it — which looks cleaner, especially for irregularly shaped sites or buildings that aren't rectangular.
The background colour is part of your map's colours (set on the map's Settings tab, and shaped by your team brand). Pick a background that flatters your artwork and gives pins and highlights something to stand out against.
When to use a transparent background
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Irregular shapes
A campus footprint or an L-shaped floor looks far better sitting on the background colour than boxed inside a white rectangle.
-
Matching your brand
Let your background colour surround the map instead of a mismatched white, so the map blends into the page.
-
Layered look
Transparency lets the map read as a shape on your colour, rather than a photo pasted onto the page.
When to avoid it
If your artwork relies on a specific background colour to look right — say, white rooms that need a white surround — bake that colour into the image, or set the map's background to match. And watch for accidental transparency: a plan exported with no background can look broken if you expected white. If in doubt, add a deliberate background rectangle in your design tool before exporting.
A tip on exporting PNGs
When you export a PNG "with transparency", make sure your design tool isn't quietly adding a white background layer. Check the exported file on a coloured backdrop before uploading, so you know exactly what will show through in Mapvera.