How to convert a PDF to images

For a slide, a website, or anywhere a PDF will not embed, exporting pages as pictures is the practical answer.

Each page is rendered to a picture at the resolution you choose. Useful when something needs an image rather than a document — a presentation, a forum post, a page that will not embed a PDF.

Step-by-step

1. Add your PDF.
2. Choose a format. PNG for text and line art, JPG for photographic pages.
3. Choose a resolution. See below.
4. Convert and download.

Choosing a resolution

• 96 DPI — screen use, small files.
• 150 DPI — a good default; readable on screen and acceptable printed.
• 300 DPI — print quality, and much larger files.

Going higher than 300 rarely helps, because the limit becomes what was in the PDF rather than how finely you render it. Rendering a 150 DPI scan at 600 DPI produces a large file containing no additional detail.

PNG or JPG

PNG is lossless and keeps text edges crisp, which matters because JPEG compression puts visible haze around sharp black-on-white lettering. For a page that is mostly a photograph, JPG is much smaller and the artefacts do not show.

Frequently asked questions

Which format for a text-heavy page?

PNG. JPEG compression leaves visible artefacts around sharp lettering, which is exactly what a text page is made of.

What resolution should I use?

150 DPI for general use, 300 for print. Above that you are usually enlarging the PDF's own limits rather than gaining detail.

Can I convert back to a PDF afterwards?

You can put the images into a PDF, but the text will not come back — it is a picture of text from then on.