Sometimes you need a PDF page as a picture — to post, share in a chat, or upload to a system that only accepts images. Sometimes you only want the pictures inside the document. Here’s how the two differ and what settings to use.
In short
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| A picture of each whole page | PDF to JPG/PNG |
| Only the pictures in the document, full size | Extract images from PDF |
| The image is too large | Compress image |
All in your browser: nothing is uploaded.
JPG vs PNG
- JPG (JPEG): MDN describes it as the most widely used lossy format, good for photographs but likely to give poor results on content that needs sharpness, such as diagrams or charts.
- PNG: the W3C specification describes lossless storage, and MDN notes full transparency support; it’s preferred when you want an exact copy of the source.
For pages full of text, PNG is sharper; for pages that are mostly photos, JPG gives a smaller file.
What resolution (dpi)?
- Screens and chat: 150 dpi is enough. Adobe says that for screen display you should focus on pixel dimensions.
- Print: Adobe calls 300 ppi the industry standard for high-quality prints, and says most printers default to 300 ppi.
Higher resolution means bigger files; if the system has a size limit, use only as much as you need.
PDF to image, step by step
- Open PDF to JPG/PNG and choose the file.
- Pick JPG or PNG and the resolution.
- Convert: every page becomes an image, downloaded together as a ZIP.
Extracting images
Extract images from PDF doesn’t take screenshots: it pulls out the images stored in the file one by one, at their stored size. Repeats, such as a logo on every page, are saved once, as PNG or JPG.
Graphics drawn with lines and shapes, such as charts, diagrams or vector logos, aren’t stored as images, so they can’t be extracted; use PDF to image for those.
Systems that accept only images
For example, a Thai National Intelligence Agency exam announcement (applications March–April 2026) required the applicant’s photo as a .jpg of at most 1 MB. If your image is too big, use Compress image. Always check the file type and size each system asks for.
On a Mac
Apple explains that in Preview you choose File > Export and pick a file type from the Format menu, such as JPEG or PNG.
Copyright
If the PDF belongs to someone else, reproducing or publishing its images without permission may infringe copyright under section 27 of Thailand’s Copyright Act B.E. 2537. Use it on your own documents, or with permission.
Note
This article is based on MDN, W3C, Adobe and Apple help pages, an announcement on the OCSC website and the Copyright Act as published by the Government Public Relations Department, read on 30 September 2026.
