How to Convert PDF Pages to JPEG Images

Converting a PDF to JPEG turns each page into a flat image. You can then attach it, post it, or insert it where PDFs aren't accepted. Each page usually becomes a separate JPEG file. Text in the result is part of the picture, so you can no longer select or search it. JPG and JPEG are the same file format; only the extension differs.

Before you start

Make a few decisions before you convert. They determine which tool fits and which settings to use.

• Keep the original PDF. Conversion creates new image files, and the PDF stays your editable, searchable source.
• Decide which pages you need: all of them, a range, or a single page.
• Find out what the destination expects, such as maximum pixel dimensions, file size or upload limits.
• Check whether the PDF is password-protected. You may need the password to open it, and permission restrictions can block export in some tools.
• Know where the conversion runs. Desktop apps and command-line tools generally process the file on your computer. Web converters upload it to a server. For confidential documents, read the service's privacy and file-retention terms before uploading, and don't assume files are deleted automatically. If you're unsure whether a desktop app sends files online, check its documentation.

Step-by-step instructions

Pick the method that matches your system and the number of pages. Menu names can change between app versions, so look for an equivalent option if yours differs. All methods write new files and leave the PDF untouched, so you can redo the export with different settings at any time.

Choose resolution and quality first

Resolution (DPI) sets the pixel dimensions of each image: page width in inches multiplied by the DPI. For example, an A4 page (about 8.27 × 11.69 inches) gives roughly 1240 × 1754 pixels at 150 DPI and roughly 2480 × 3508 pixels at 300 DPI. Suggested settings:
• 72 to 96 DPI for small on-screen previews.
• Around 150 DPI for general sharing.
• 300 DPI for printing or pages with small text.
The page's aspect ratio is kept. If you need a fixed size, resize afterwards by cropping or adding margins rather than stretching.

The quality setting controls JPEG compression. Higher quality means larger files and fewer blocky artifacts around text and lines. Lower quality shrinks files but can blur sharp edges. JPEG does not support transparency, so any transparent areas become a solid color, usually white or black depending on the tool.

On a Mac with Preview

• Open the PDF in Preview.
• If you only need one page, select it in the sidebar.
• Choose File > Export.
• Set Format to JPEG.
• Adjust the Quality slider and the Resolution value.
• Choose a name and location, then click Save.

If a multi-page document produces only one image, repeat the export for each page you need, or use a batch method described below.

On Windows

Windows doesn't include a dedicated PDF-to-JPEG exporter as standard. Use a PDF editor with image export, a command-line tool, or a converter service. A screenshot works for a quick single page, but its sharpness is limited by your screen resolution and zoom level. It isn't a good substitute when you need detail.

With a PDF editor

• Open the PDF in an editor that supports image export, such as Adobe Acrobat.
• Find the export or Save As option for images and choose JPEG.
• Open the export settings and set resolution, quality and color options if available.
• Select the pages to export, if the tool allows a range.
• Export and choose an output folder. Many editors save one numbered file per page.

From the command line (Windows, macOS, Linux)

pdftoppm, part of Poppler, converts every page locally. Example command: pdftoppm -jpeg -r 150 -jpegopt quality=90 input.pdf page
This creates numbered files such as page-1.jpg. The padding of the numbers depends on the page count. Add -f and -l with page numbers to convert only a range, for example -f 2 -l 4.

ImageMagick can also convert a PDF, but it needs Ghostscript installed. Example command: magick -density 150 input.pdf -background white -alpha remove -alpha off -quality 90 page-%d.jpg
The -density value sets the rendering DPI. The background and alpha options replace transparency with white instead of black. Older ImageMagick versions use the convert command instead of magick.

With a free online converter

• Upload only documents you're comfortable sharing with the service, per the privacy check above.
• Choose JPEG as the output and set the page selection and quality options if offered.
• Start the conversion and download the result. Multi-page output often arrives as a ZIP archive.
• Expect possible limits on file size, page count or daily conversions in free versions.

Check the output

• Count the images and confirm they match the pages you meant to convert.
• Open a few pages at 100% zoom and inspect small text and thin lines for blur or blocky compression artifacts.
• Check the pixel dimensions in the file properties or image info and compare them with the destination's requirements.
• Confirm orientation and aspect ratio, especially for rotated or landscape pages.
• Look at backgrounds. Areas that were transparent in the PDF should appear in the color you expect.
• Check that annotations, form field contents and signatures appear. Some tools omit them or render them differently.
• Compare file sizes with any upload limit.

Colors may look slightly different from the PDF, especially in documents prepared for print. If you need searchable or selectable text later, keep the original PDF or run text recognition (OCR) on the images.

Common problems and next steps

Blurry or pixelated text: Raise the resolution, not just the quality setting. Resolution controls how much detail is rendered, while quality only affects compression.

Files are too large: Lower the DPI to what the destination actually displays, reduce quality moderately, or convert only the pages you need.

Only one page was converted: The tool may export just the current page. Use its page-range option, repeat the export per page, or switch to a batch tool such as pdftoppm.

Black or unexpected background: The page had transparent areas. Set a white background in the export options or use the ImageMagick background and alpha options shown above.

Password or permission error: Open the file with its password. If the document's permissions block export and you don't have the right to change them, ask the document owner for an unrestricted copy.

ImageMagick reports that it is not authorized to read the PDF: Some systems disable PDF processing in ImageMagick's security policy. Use pdftoppm instead, or ask whoever administers the system whether that policy can be changed.

Sharp text and lines matter more than file size: Consider PNG instead of JPEG. PNG is lossless and keeps transparency, and most of the same tools offer it as an alternative file format. With pdftoppm, use -png in place of -jpeg.

Need a PDF again: You can combine the JPEGs back into a PDF, but the pages remain images. Keep the original PDF if you'll need selectable text or further edits.