IE11 using svg as background-image fails

Question

I'm facing a weird problem with Internet Explorer 11 running on Windows 10 machine. Using an SVG image as background thats appears totally black, Edge with the same code works fine.

Here a little fiddle reproducing my problem

Using this, Edge renders SVG rightly, IE renders only a black image...and i can't understand such a different behaviour! Furthermore, on a Windows 7 machine IE11 works fine!

Some ideas? Thanks in advance guys!

.icon-user-default {
  width: 128px;
  height: 128px;
  background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,PD94bWwgdmVyc2lvbj0iMS4wIiBlbmNvZGluZz0idXRmLTgiPz4KPCEtLSBHZW5lcmF0b3I6IEFkb2JlIElsbHVzdHJhdG9yIDE5LjEuMCwgU1ZHIEV4cG9ydCBQbHVnLUluIC4gU1ZHIFZlcnNpb246IDYuMDAgQnVpbGQgMCkgIC0tPgo8c3ZnIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIiB4bWxuczp4bGluaz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMTk5OS94bGluayIgeD0iMHB4IiB5PSIwcHgiCgkgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDgwMCA4MDAiIHN0eWxlPSJlbmFibGUtYmFja2dyb3VuZDpuZXcgMCAwIDgwMCA4MDA7IiB4bWw6c3BhY2U9InByZXNlcnZlIj4KPHN0eWxlIHR5cGU9InRleHQvY3NzIj4KCS5zdDB7ZmlsbDojODI3OTc3O30KCS5zdDF7ZmlsbDojN0I3MjcwO30KCS5zdDJ7Y2xpcC1wYXRoOnVybCgjU1ZHSURfMl8pO2ZpbGw6I0Q5QTc4Qzt9Cgkuc3Qze2NsaXAtcGF0aDp1cmwoI1NWR0lEXzJfKTtmaWxsOiNGMUYyRjI7fQoJLnN0NHtjbGlwLXBhdGg6dXJsKCNTVkdJRF8yXyk7ZmlsbDojRTZFN0U4O30KCS5zdDV7Y2xpcC1wYXRoOnVybCgjU1ZHSURfMl8pO30KCS5zdDZ7ZmlsbDojRUFDMEE3O30KCS5zdDd7ZmlsbDojRjJEN0JDO30KCS5zdDh7Y2xpcC1wYXRoOnVybCgjU1ZHSURfMl8pO2ZpbGw6IzJGMzQzQTt9Cgkuc3Q5e2ZpbGw6I0EwQjJCRTt9Cgkuc3QxMHtmaWxsOiNGRkZGRkY7fQoJLnN0MTF7Y2xpcC1wYXRoOnVybCgjU1ZHSURfMl8pO2ZpbGw6I0ZGRkZGRjt9Cjwvc3R5bGU+CjxnIGlkPSJiYWNrZ3JvdW5kIj4KPC9nPgo8ZyBpZD0iT2JqZWN0c18xXyI+Cgk8Y2lyY2xlIGNsYXNzPSJzdDAiIGN4PSI0MDAiIGN5PSI0MDAiIHI9IjMyMS4xIi8+Cgk8cGF0aCBjbGFzcz0ic3QxIiBkPSJNNzIxLjEsNDAwYzAtMTc3LjMtMTQzLjgtMzIxLjEtMzIxLjEtMzIxLjF2NjQyLjJDNTc3LjMsNzIxLjEsNzIxLjEsNTc3LjMsNzIxLjEsNDAweiIvPgoJPGc+CgkJPGRlZnM+CgkJCTxwYXRoIGlkPSJTVkdJRF8xXyIgZD0iTTcyMS4xLDQwMGMwLTE3Ny4zLTE0My44LTMyMS4xLTMyMS4xLTMyMS4xQzIyMi43LDc4LjksNzguOSwyMjIuNyw3OC45LDQwMAoJCQkJYzAsMTc3LjMsMTQzLjgsMzIxLjEsMzIxLjEsMzIxLjFDNTc3LjMsNzIxLjEsNzIxLjEsNTc3LjMsNzIxLjEsNDAweiIvPgoJCTwvZGVmcz4KCQk8Y2xpcFBhdGggaWQ9IlNWR0lEXzJfIj4KCQkJPHVzZSB4bGluazpocmVmPSIjU1ZHSURfMV8iICBzdHlsZT0ib3ZlcmZsb3c6dmlzaWJsZTsiLz4KCQk8L2NsaXBQYXRoPgoJCTxwb2x5Z29uIGNsYXNzPSJzdDIiIHBvaW50cz0iNDQ3LDU4NC4xIDQwMS4xLDY5NS41IDM1Myw1ODQuMSAzNTMsNDgxIDQ0Nyw0ODEgCQkiLz4KCQk8cGF0aCBjbGFzcz0ic3QzIiBkPSJNMzUzLDU0Mi40YzAsMC0xMDAuOCwxMy4xLTExNCwyNi44Yy0xMS41LDEyLTM1LjQsMTI2LjctNDAuOSwxNTEuOWMxNTcsMCwyMDIsMCwyMDIsMHYtNjAuNUwzNTMsNTQyLjR6Ii8+CgkJPHBhdGggY2xhc3M9InN0NCIgZD0iTTQ0Nyw1NDIuNGMwLDAsMTAwLjgsMTMuMSwxMTQsMjYuOGMxMS41LDEyLDM1LjQsMTI2LjcsNDAuOSwxNTEuOWMtMTU3LDAtMjAyLDAtMjAyLDB2LTYwLjVMNDQ3LDU0Mi40eiIvPgoJCTxnIGNsYXNzPSJzdDUiPgoJCQk8cGF0aCBjbGFzcz0ic3Q2IiBkPSJNNDAwLDE4NS45YzQ1LjcsMCwxMTcuOSwyNiwxMTcuOSwxNDcuNmMwLDcwLjItMjIuOSwxMTYuMi0zMi45LDEyOWMtOS4yLDExLjctNjAuOCwzNi43LTg1LDM2LjcKCQkJCUM0MDAsMzc2LjIsNDAwLDE4NS45LDQwMCwxODUuOXoiLz4KCQkJPHBhdGggY2xhc3M9InN0NiIgZD0iTTU0MC42LDM2Mi41YzItMTkuNC03LjItMzYuNy0yMC43LTM4LjVjLTEzLjQtMS44LTI2LDEyLjQtMjgsMzEuOWMtMiwxOS40LDcuMiwzNi43LDIwLjcsMzguNQoJCQkJQzUyNiwzOTYuMiw1MzguNiwzODEuOSw1NDAuNiwzNjIuNXoiLz4KCQk8L2c+CgkJPGcgY2xhc3M9InN0NSI+CgkJCTxwYXRoIGNsYXNzPSJzdDciIGQ9Ik00MDAsMTg1LjljLTQ1LjcsMC0xMTcuOSwyNi0xMTcuOSwxNDcuNmMwLDcwLjIsMjIuOSwxMTYuMiwzMi45LDEyOWM5LjIsMTEuNyw2MC44LDM2LjcsODUsMzYuNwoJCQkJQzQwMCwzNzYuMiw0MDAsMTg1LjksNDAwLDE4NS45eiIvPgoJCQk8cGF0aCBjbGFzcz0ic3Q3IiBkPSJNMjU5LjQsMzYyLjVjLTItMTkuNCw3LjItMzYuNywyMC43LTM4LjVjMTMuNC0xLjgsMjYsMTIuNCwyOCwzMS45YzIsMTkuNC03LjIsMzYuNy0yMC43LDM4LjUKCQkJCUMyNzQsMzk2LjIsMjYxLjQsMzgxLjksMjU5LjQsMzYyLjV6Ii8+CgkJPC9nPgoJCTxwYXRoIGNsYXNzPSJzdDgiIGQ9Ik0yOTcuOCwzNjQuNmg4LjFjMCwwLTUtMzEuNyw5LjYtNDEuOWMwLTE1LjgsMC0yMC41LDAtMjAuNXMtNS42LTAuNy01LjYtMjQuN2MwLTI0LjEsMjguNy00MS4yLDkwLjEtNDEuMgoJCQljMC0zNC4zLDAtODguMSwwLTg4LjFzLTEyMS4zLDIuNi0xMjEuMyw5MC42YzAsMzYuNiwwLDg1LjIsMCw4NS4yczguOS0xLjYsMTUuMiwzLjdDMzAwLjcsMzMzLjUsMjk3LjgsMzY0LjYsMjk3LjgsMzY0LjZ6Ii8+CgkJPHBhdGggY2xhc3M9InN0OCIgZD0iTTUwMi4yLDM2NC42SDQ5NGMwLDAsNC45LTMxLjctOS42LTQxLjljMC0xNS44LDAtMjAuNSwwLTIwLjVzNS42LTAuNyw1LjYtMjQuN2MwLTI0LjEtMjguNy00MS4yLTkwLjEtNDEuMgoJCQljMC0zNC4zLDAtODguMSwwLTg4LjFzMTIxLjMtMi44LDEyMS4zLDg1LjNjMCwzNi42LDAsOTAuNiwwLDkwLjZzLTguOS0xLjYtMTUuMiwzLjdDNDk5LjMsMzMzLjUsNTAyLjIsMzY0LjYsNTAyLjIsMzY0LjZ6Ii8+CgkJPGcgY2xhc3M9InN0NSI+CgkJCTxwb2x5Z29uIGNsYXNzPSJzdDkiIHBvaW50cz0iNDAwLDY2MC42IDM2OCw1NTEuNCAzNTYuMiw2MDAuNiAJCQkiLz4KCQkJPHBvbHlnb24gY2xhc3M9InN0MTAiIHBvaW50cz0iMzUxLjcsNTMxLjEgMzY4LjQsNTUyLjkgMzU2LjIsNjAwLjYgMzMwLjUsNTY1LjkgCQkJIi8+CgkJPC9nPgoJCTxnIGNsYXNzPSJzdDUiPgoJCQk8cG9seWdvbiBjbGFzcz0ic3Q5IiBwb2ludHM9IjQwMCw2NjAuNiA0MjguOSw1NTAuMSA0NDMuOCw2MDAuNiAJCQkiLz4KCQkJPHBvbHlnb24gY2xhc3M9InN0MTAiIHBvaW50cz0iNDQ4LjMsNTMxLjEgNDI4LjYsNTUxLjYgNDQzLjgsNjAwLjYgNDcxLjgsNTY1LjkgCQkJIi8+CgkJPC9nPgoJCTxwYXRoIGNsYXNzPSJzdDExIiBkPSJNNDAwLDQ0Ni43YzIxLjMsMCwzOC41LTcsMzguNS0xNS43aC03Ny4xQzM2MS41LDQzOS43LDM3OC43LDQ0Ni43LDQwMCw0NDYuN3oiLz4KCTwvZz4KPC9nPgo8L3N2Zz4K)
}

<div class="icon-user-default">
</div>

Solution 1

Make sure to set background size width and height

background-size: 80px 60px;

Solution 2

After digging into SVG file structure I found that problem concerns the SVG' styling properties.

Adobe Illustrator give me four options to declaring style sheet properties when saving graphics as an SVG file

1. Presentation Attributes
2. Style Attributes
3. Style Attributes (Entity Reference)
4. Style Elements

Accordingly to W3C specs regarding SVG1.1' Styling

No problem using the first three ways to styling properties, but embedding style sheets into SVG content inside a <style> element cause the problem!

Here my final fiddle test results

<div class="icon-user-default-css1"></div>
<div class="icon-user-default-css2"></div>
<div class="icon-user-default-css3"></div>
<div class="icon-user-default-css4"></div> 

I hope will be of help to someone...

Solution 3

If, like me, you have inline SVG in your background

(e.g. <svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'...></svg>)

You will want to make sure your encoding is charset=utf8 (e.g. url(data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,)

Also ensure that reserved URL characters are encoded (e.g. < === %3C and > === %3E) and you use single quotes ' around attributes.

Solution 4

I had this problem too.

In my case, changing the "styling" setting didn't help, but unchecking the "responsive" checkbox in the Illustrator SVG export dialog did, even with an internal CSS element in the SVG.

The difference is that the SVG element needs a width and height attribute.

These attributes are absent when you check the "responsive" checkbox in the Illustrator SVG export dialog. If that's really all it does, then it's poorly named, I think.

If you're using inkscape, or some other tool to make your SVGs, I am sure your observations, when added here, would be of value.

So, if you want SVG background images in CSS to work properly in IE, make sure the root element of the SVG has a width and height attribute. (e.g. by unchecking the "responsive" checkbox in AI).

The width and height attribute do not have to be the correct display size (which may change anyway, via the CSS background-size property), but they do have to be the correct aspect ratio.

If you are hand-coding the SVG markup, and the first two values for viewbox are zero, then you can just use the last two values for width and height respectively. e.g.

<svg
id="Layer_1"
data-name="Layer 1"
xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
width="298.2"
height="108.8"
viewBox="0 0 298.2 108.8">

View more solutions

Comments

[Katana314]

Well, I can reproduce it, so you're not crazy. Can you include the un-base64'd SVG text? Maybe there's a sub-feature in there that is not supported in IE11.

[Jonathan Marzullo]

I tested your code link on latest IE11 on Windows 7 (64-bit) and the background-image displays OK. What browser and OS are you seeing this on?

[Katana314]

@JonathanMarzullo It's in the question. =)

[Beri75]

@Katana314 thanks for your suggestion, ill try ;)!

[Jonathan Marzullo]

take a look at the following article and the especially the comments.. others have the same issue with this not working in IE11 and Safari .. css-tricks.com/probably-dont-base64-svg

[Katana314]

Base64 seemed to work for me back in IE9, but either way that post makes a good point that base64 is an encoding, not a compression method, and should not be used for this.

[Marcel]

I have found, that my SVG's work on IE 11 (Win7), when used with Base64. When used as XML, they dont. Weird.

[Dinkheller]

Great, this really helped me. Can you add your solution here: stackoverflow.com/q/38069695/916937

[eon]

To be even more clear: Make sure to set SEPARATE background size width and height even if both numbers are the same: background-size: 20x 20px;

[Nick F]

In addition to this, you'll need to escape any # characters (by replacing them with %23, like with the < and > mentioned here)

[Empi]

This helped me with positioning problems while also using svg as a background-image. When top top was specified it came about 30px from the top in IE11. Thanks

[Mentalist]

For the record, % didn't work for me, but px did.

[Rui Lopes]

I've used this gist that provides some scss functions that do just this, encode the inline svg

[totneschap]

Sadly this hasn't helped me.