To convert a PDF to images, turn each page into a picture file. Attach the PDF to PDF to Images, leave the page box empty for every page or type the ones you want, and click Make images. Each page becomes a PNG image, and several come together in a ZIP file. Nothing is uploaded. If you need JPGs instead, Paint on Windows and Preview on a Mac can convert the PNGs in a few clicks.
How to turn PDF pages into images
- Open PDF to Images and attach your PDF, or drop it on the page.
- To convert every page, leave Which pages empty. For some pages, type them, such as
1-3, 5. - Click Make images. The tool counts through the pages as it goes.
- Click Download images.
- If you made several images, open the ZIP file. On Windows, right-click it and choose Extract All. On a Mac, double-click it.
What you get
| Detail | What PDF to Images makes |
|---|---|
| Format | PNG |
| Size | About 1,190 by 1,683 pixels for an A4 page, and 1,224 by 1,584 for US Letter |
| Very large pages | Reduced so the longest side is no more than 4,096 pixels |
| One page | A single PNG file |
| Several pages | A ZIP file of PNGs |
| File names | Your file name plus the page number, such as report-page-3.png |
Those sizes work out at about 144 pixels for every inch of the page. That’s sharp on screens, in documents and on slides.
PNG or JPG: which to choose
Both are common image formats, and almost every app and website accepts both. They store pictures in different ways.
| PNG | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| How it saves | Keeps every pixel exactly | Throws away some detail to save space |
| Text and lines | Crisp | Edges can look soft or speckled |
| Photos | Large files | Much smaller files |
| Best for | Documents, slides, diagrams, forms | Photos, brochures, sites with size limits |
For pages that are mostly text, PNG is the better choice, and the files are usually a manageable size. For pages full of photos, a JPG can be a fraction of the size with little visible difference. Turning a PNG into a JPG is easy. Going back doesn’t restore the detail a JPG has lost.
How to turn a PNG into a JPG
PDF to Images makes PNGs only. If a website or form asks for JPG, convert them with an app you already have.
On Windows, with Paint
- Right-click the PNG and choose Open with > Paint.
- Choose File > Save as > JPEG picture.
- Pick a name and click Save.
On Windows, with Photos
Open the image in the Photos app, open the menu with the three dots and choose Save as. Recent versions let you pick JPG as the file type there. If yours doesn’t offer it, use Paint.
On a Mac, with Preview
Open the PNG in Preview, choose File > Export, set Format to JPEG, move the quality slider if you like, and click Save. To convert many at once, select them in Finder, Control-click and choose Quick Actions > Convert Image, then pick JPEG.
Sharp images for slides and posts
- Don’t stretch the image. A full page placed on a slide at or below its own size stays sharp. Stretched well beyond that, the text softens.
- Crop with care. To show one chart or paragraph, crop the image to it in Photos or Preview. A small crop has fewer pixels, so keep it modest in size rather than filling a whole slide with it.
- Keep PNG for text. Social sites often recompress the images you post. Starting from a sharp PNG gives them the best material to work with.
- For print, use the PDF. Printers often ask for 300 pixels per inch, which is about 2,480 by 3,508 pixels for A4. These images have about half that, so print from the PDF itself when quality matters.
Other ways to convert a PDF to images
- Preview on a Mac. Open the PDF, go to the page, choose File > Export and pick PNG or JPEG. You can set the resolution, but it exports one page at a time.
- A screenshot. For part of a page, press Windows key+Shift+S on Windows or Cmd+Shift+4 on a Mac. The image is only as sharp as your screen shows it.
- Adobe Acrobat Pro. Its Export PDF tool can save pages as JPG, PNG or TIFF images. The free Reader can’t.
Limits and common problems
- Password-protected PDFs won’t open. Remove the password, then attach the file again. Files that only restrict printing or copying often still work.
- Long documents take time. Each page is drawn in turn on your device. On a phone, convert fewer pages at a time if it struggles.
- The words become part of the picture. You can’t select or search text in an image. To copy the words, use Extract Text.
- Photos come out at page size. The tool draws whole pages. It doesn’t lift out the original photos inside a PDF at their own resolution.
Going the other way: images to PDF
To make a PDF from photos or scans, use Images to PDF. Attach JPG or PNG images and put them in order. Each one becomes an A4 page, turned to suit the picture, with the image as large as fits. The tool applies a phone photo’s rotation, so pictures aren’t sideways, and leaves behind hidden details such as where the photo was taken. Hidden data in PDFs explains why that matters.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a PDF to JPG for free?
Turn the pages into PNGs with PDF to Images, then save each PNG as a JPG in Paint on Windows or Preview on a Mac. PDF to Images itself only makes PNGs.
How do I save one page of a PDF as an image?
In PDF to Images, type that page’s number in the page box, such as 4. You get a single PNG rather than a ZIP.
Can I convert a PDF to images on my phone?
Yes, in your phone’s browser. The images download wherever your browser saves files. For long documents, convert a few pages at a time.
Is the image quality the same as the PDF?
Close, but not identical. A PDF’s text stays sharp at any zoom, while an image has a fixed number of pixels. At about 144 pixels per inch, these images look sharp on screen but softer when enlarged or printed large.
