About this tool
Turning PDF pages into pictures
A PDF page is a set of drawing instructions: place this glyph here, stroke this vector path, paint this embedded photograph in that rectangle. Converting to an image means executing those instructions at a chosen resolution and capturing the result as a grid of pixels — a PNG or JPG that any application, website or messaging app can display without a PDF reader.
That conversion is deliberately one-way. The output is a flat picture: no selectable text, no layers, no clickable links. What you gain is universal compatibility, which is precisely why people need it.
When an image beats a PDF
The clearest case is anywhere a PDF simply will not display. Social posts, chat apps, presentation slides, website content blocks, forum posts and email bodies all accept images inline while a PDF becomes an attachment nobody opens.
- Sharing one page of a document in a chat without sending the whole file.
- Dropping a diagram or chart from a report into slides.
- Publishing a certificate, menu or poster on a web page.
- Creating thumbnails and previews of a document set.
- Making a flattened, non-copyable version of a page for casual distribution.
Choosing resolution and format
Resolution decides everything about the result. Around 72–96 DPI is fine for on-screen thumbnails; 150 DPI is a good default for sharing a readable page; 300 DPI matches print quality and produces large files. Rendering below 150 DPI makes small body text mushy, which is the single most common complaint about converted pages.
Format is a simpler choice. PNG is lossless and keeps text edges perfectly crisp, so it is the right pick for pages that are mostly text, diagrams or line art. JPG is far smaller for photographic pages but introduces compression artefacts around sharp black-on-white lettering. As a rule: text page, choose PNG; photo page, choose JPG.
What you give up
Converting to an image discards the text layer. The result is no longer searchable, cannot be copied from, is unfriendly to screen readers, and is much larger on disk than the equivalent PDF page. It also cannot be converted straight back into editable text without OCR.
So keep the PDF as the canonical document and treat the images as derivatives for a specific purpose. If accessibility matters — a public web page, a document sent to a large audience — publish the PDF or real HTML text alongside the picture rather than replacing it.
Local rendering and privacy
Rendering happens in your browser using the same engine that displays the PDF on screen, so the file is never uploaded. Beyond privacy, that means conversion is immediate, works offline, and imposes no page limit or daily quota. Long documents are limited only by memory, so exporting a few hundred pages at 300 DPI is more comfortable on a laptop than a phone.
Tips for best results
- 01Use 150 DPI as a sensible default; go to 300 DPI only when the image will be printed.
- 02Choose PNG for text-heavy pages and JPG for photographic ones.
- 03Export only the pages you need instead of every page of a long document.
- 04Check small print at 100% zoom before sharing — if it is soft, re-export at a higher DPI.
- 05Keep the source PDF; the exported image cannot be turned back into editable text.
- 06For web use, resize after export rather than rendering at a low DPI in the first place.
- 07Batch exports of long documents run faster on a desktop than a mobile browser.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?+
No. Pages are rendered locally in your browser, so the document never leaves your device.
PNG or JPG — which should I pick?+
PNG for pages of text, diagrams or line art, because it keeps edges sharp. JPG for photographic pages, because the files are much smaller.
What resolution should I use?+
150 DPI is a good default for sharing. Use 300 DPI for print, and 72–96 DPI for thumbnails.
Can I convert only some pages?+
Yes — choose specific pages or a range instead of exporting the whole document.
Will the exported text be searchable?+
No. The output is a flat picture, so the text layer is lost. Keep the original PDF if searchability matters.
How many pages can I export at once?+
There is no fixed limit; long documents are bounded only by your device's memory, especially at high DPI.
Can I turn the images back into a PDF?+
Yes — use the Image to PDF tool, though the result will be a picture-based PDF without selectable text.