Everything hinges on one checkbox: whether the AI file was saved with PDF compatibility on. If it was, and it usually is, your options are wide.

- Inkscape: free, good, handles the common case. Try this first. - Affinity Designer: handles them well. - Acrobat Reader: can display them, since they are secretly PDFs wearing a costume. - CorelDRAW: works too. - If PDF compatibility was off: you need Illustrator, or you need the file re-saved. Email now beats a rescue mission later.

For designers: save with PDF compatibility on, and send a PDF alongside the AI file. Costs nothing, kills an entire category of email threads. And for video files instead of vector files, ReelCut turns episodes into captioned vertical clips for $4.99 a video.