How to use the pdf to image converter
- Choose one PDF. The tool shows how many pages it has.
- Decide which pages to convert: all of them, or a list such as 1-3, 5, 8-10.
- Choose PNG for sharp text and line art, or JPG for smaller files, and pick a resolution of 72, 150 or 300 dpi equivalent.
- Select Convert to images. One page downloads as a single image, and several pages arrive together in a zip file. A progress bar shows how far along it is, and Cancel stops the job.
How the conversion works in your browser
Each page is drawn by the pdf.js rendering engine onto a canvas inside your browser, then saved as a PNG or JPG. Pages are processed one after another and each canvas is released before the next page starts, so memory use stays flat even for a long document. Nothing is uploaded: the PDF, the images and the zip file never leave your device.
What the resolution settings mean
A PDF page is measured in points, and 72 points make one inch. The tool scales each page by the chosen dpi divided by 72. At 72 dpi a US Letter page (612 by 792 points) becomes a 612 by 792 pixel image, good for a quick look on screen. At 150 dpi it becomes 1275 by 1650 pixels, a sensible default for sharing and presentations. At 300 dpi it becomes 2550 by 3300 pixels, the usual choice for printing. The dpi value is an equivalent for scaling. PNG and JPG files made here do not carry a dpi tag you should rely on.
Size safeguards
Large pages such as posters and maps can ask for billions of pixels, which would freeze or crash a browser tab. Each page is capped at 40 megapixels and 16,384 pixels on its longest side. If a page would pass either limit, the tool lowers the resolution for that page only and tells you which pages were reduced and roughly to what dpi. The combined size of all generated images is also capped at 400 MB.
PNG or JPG
PNG is lossless and keeps small text and thin lines crisp, but photographs and full-page scans make large files. JPG is much smaller for photographic pages, with a quality slider from 40 to 100, but it can leave faint blur around small text. Pages are drawn on a white background, so the images have no transparency.
Limits and what can go wrong
The tool states its limits instead of failing silently.
- One PDF of up to 25 MB and 500 pages at a time.
- Password-protected PDFs are not opened, and passwords are never guessed.
- Some phone browsers cannot create very large canvases. If a page cannot be drawn, the message names the page and suggests a lower resolution.
- Rendering follows the PDF as pdf.js reads it. Rare features such as some blend modes or unusual fonts can look slightly different from your usual PDF viewer.
Where to go next
Reduce an image afterward with the image compressor or the image resizer. To build a PDF from pictures, use image to PDF. To keep pages as PDF but split them, use the split PDF tool.
Assumptions and limits
- The PDF is rendered on your device and nothing is uploaded.
- Resolution values are scale factors of dpi divided by 72. They are not stored as metadata in the image.
- Each page is limited to 40 megapixels and 16,384 pixels on its longest side. Larger requests are lowered automatically and reported.
- Pages are rendered on a white background, so PNG output has no transparent areas.
- Up to 25 MB and 500 pages per file, with a 400 MB cap on combined output in memory.
Frequently asked questions
What dpi should I choose for printing?
Use 300 dpi equivalent for printing at the original page size. Use 150 for sharing on screen and in documents, and 72 for quick thumbnails.
Why is one of my pages lower resolution than I asked for?
That page is physically very large, so drawing it at the chosen setting would pass the 40 megapixel or 16,384 pixel limit. The result message lists the pages that were reduced.
Is the text in the images still selectable?
No. The images are pictures of the pages. Text and links are not kept, so keep the original PDF if you need them.
Can I convert only a few pages to save time?
Yes. Choose Only these pages and type a list like 2, 4-6. Pages are saved in the order you type them.
Does a scanned PDF convert well?
Yes. A scanned page already holds a picture, so the conversion redraws it. JPG at 90 quality is usually a good balance for scans, and PNG is better if the scan is mostly black text on white.