Need to extract and save an image contained in a PDF document as a JPG file? It’s a common task many of us face from time to time. Thankfully, PDF document to JPG conversion is quick and easy on Windows, Mac, and online converters. Here’s how to do it.
PDF documents can contain everything from scanned receipts to eBook covers to CAD drawings. Often, you simply want to extract a photo or diagram from the PDF as a separate JPG image file. This gives you more flexibility to view, edit, and share the image.
For example, many print-on-demand T-shirt stores ask for shirt designs to be uploaded as PDF files. But it’s often more convenient to work with the clean vector image exported as JPG first. Similarly, you can extract a photo from a scanned PDF document for use elsewhere without all the other text and elements around it.
This guide will look at the best ways to convert PDF to high-quality JPG images on desktop platforms like Windows and Mac. We’ll also cover a handy online conversion option.
How to Convert PDF to JPG Online
Let’s start with the online method first since it’s cross-platform friendly. When you search Google for “PDF to JPG,” you’ll get pages of free converter websites. However, I don’t recommend most of these for privacy and quality reasons.
The best online PDF to JPG converter is Google Drive. It meets the criteria of being fast, free, and private and produces good quality JPG exports. Let’s look at how to use it:
Upload PDF to Google Drive
First, go to drive.google.com and upload the PDF file you want to convert. Click New and select File Upload. Find and select your PDF.
Install PDF to JPG Converter Add-on
Now, we need to enable PDF to JPG conversion powers. Go to the Google Workspace Marketplace and search “PDF to JPG.” Install the PDF to JPG Converter add-on to your Google Drive account.
Convert PDF to JPG
With the add-on installed, open your uploaded PDF in Drive. Click the Open with menu at the top and select the PDF to JPG add-on. When your PDF appears, click Convert to initiate the JPG conversion.
Download Converted JPG
Once done, the PDF to JPG Converter will preview all converted pages. Scroll down and click to download the JPG image files to your computer.
And that’s all there is to it! The Google Drive method works great for quickly converting any PDF to JPG format without compromising privacy. But let’s also look at the desktop options for Windows and Mac.
Convert PDF to JPG on Windows PC
On Windows 10 and 11, the easiest way to convert a PDF document to JPG is to use the free Microsoft Store app called Any PDF to JPG Converter. Here’s how it works:
Install Any PDF to JPG Converter
First, install Any PDF to JPG Converter on your Windows PC directly from the Microsoft Store. This handy little app makes PDF to JPG conversion a breeze.
Load PDF for Conversion
Once installed, open the app and click Load PDF. Browse your computer and select the PDF file you want to convert. The first page will load and display.
Save PDF Pages as JPG
With your PDF loaded, click Save Image. Choose the folder to export the JPG files to, select the page range and other options, then click Continue. This will save each page of the PDF as an individual JPG image.
The app also supports converting to PNG, TIFF, and other formats if needed. But for most purposes, high-quality JPG is perfect for extracting images from PDF documents.
How to Convert PDF to JPG on Mac
Mac has a handy built-in tool for converting PDF documents to JPG images. Here’s how to use it:
Open PDF in Preview
Locate the PDF file you want to convert on your Mac and double-click to open it in the Preview app. Preview allows viewing, annotating, and converting PDFs easily.
Export PDF as JPG
With your PDF open in Preview, go to File > Export To > JPEG. This will save a copy of the currently open PDF page as a JPG image file. Repeat exporting for each page you need.
Alternatively, you can go to File > Export to bring up export options for the whole document in various formats, including JPG.
Batch Convert PDF Pages
To convert multiple pages at once, select the Thumbnails panel to see page previews. Command-click pages to select them, then right-click and choose Export Selected As to batch-convert PDF pages to JPG simultaneously.
And that’s all there is to it! The built-in Preview method makes converting any PDF document to JPEG a breeze on Mac.
PDF to JPG Conversion FAQs
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about converting PDF files to JPG image format:
What’s the easiest way to convert PDF to JPG?
The easiest ways are to use Any PDF to JPG Converter app on Windows, the Preview app on Mac, or the Google Drive online converter method. All provide fast and simple PDF to JPG conversion.
Is there any software needed to convert PDF to JPG?
Not necessarily. Windows and Mac both have built-in tools. Or you can use online converters that work in any web browser without installing software.
Is any data lost when converting PDF to JPG?
JPG is an image format so that you will lose PDF text and vector data. But JPG will retain any embedded images at near full quality. The only loss is some compression artifacts from JPG.
How do I batch convert multiple PDF pages to JPG?
On Windows, Any PDF to JPG Converter lets you select multiple page ranges to convert. On Mac, use Preview’s Thumbnails to multi-select pages before exporting to JPG in one go. Online converters also support batch conversion.
How can I extract just one image from a multi-page PDF?
Open the PDF in Preview or any online converter that shows page previews. Identify the page with the image you need and convert only that specific page to JPG.
Does the converted JPG retain the full PDF image quality?
Yes, JPG is a lossy format, but compression artifacts are rarely noticeable to the naked eye when converting from PDF source files. JPG preserves images at near-full visible quality.
Can I also convert PDF to PNG or other formats?
Yes, the same tools allow converting PDF pages to PNG, TIFF, and sometimes other formats. JPG is generally recommended for photos, while PNG is better for diagrams with flat colors.
Is it possible to convert scanned PDFs to JPGs?
Scanned PDFs containing photos can be converted to clean JPG files. This works best if the scan quality is reasonably high to start with.
In summary, extracting images from PDF as JPG files is quick and easy on both Windows and Mac computers. The free web-based options like Google Drive also work very well for occasional conversions. Now you know how to convert any PDF document to JPG format for reusing images in other projects with flexibility.
