In this tutorial, we share 5 easy ways to export the pages of a PDF as individual JPEG or PNG images on Mac for free.
Changing a PDF into one or more images is easy on a Mac. The built-in macOS Preview and Shortcuts apps, as well as third-party apps and websites, make it easy to do this.
1. Use Preview to export PDF as JPG, HEIC, or PNG
1) Control-click or right-click a PDF and choose Open With > Preview.
2) From the left sidebar, select the PDF page you want to convert into an image. If you don’t see the sidebar, click the sidebar display icon from the top left corner and select Thumbnails.
3) Click File > Export.
4) Click the Format dropdown menu and choose HEIC, JPEG, JPEG-2000, or PNG.
5) Finally, click Save.
Important: This method may not support exporting all or multiple PDF pages as several individual images. Watch this and read the video description to understand what happens when you select all the pages of the PDF and export them as PNG images.
2. Use the Shortcuts app to convert a PDF to image
This method lets you convert all pages of a PDF into individual images.
1) Open the Apple Shortcuts app on your Mac and click the plus button to build a new shortcut.
2) Search for “Make Image” and double-click Make Image from PDF Page to add it to the shortcut.
3) Optional: You can click the blue “PNG image” word and set it as JPEG or set it to Variables > Ask Each Time.
4) Click the blue “PDF” word and set it to Shortcut Input.
5) Recommended: Under ‘If there’s no input’, click the word “Continue” and choose Ask For > Files.
6) Type Save File in the search box on the top-right and double-click to add this action to the shortcut.
7) Click the info button ⓘ or the settings icon from the top right and check Use as Quick Action. Below that, check Finder and other services as desired.
8) Give your shortcut a name from the top right. You can also customize the icon.
9) Finally, click the tiny red button to save and close the window. You have successfully built the shortcut to convert all pages of a PDF to images on Mac.
10) Open Finder and right-click on a PDF. Now, choose Quick Actions > Shortcut name.
All the pages of the PDF will be saved as individual images.
3. Use third-party Mac apps to convert a PDF into images
I tried over 10 PDF apps, and the majority of the well-rated ones that convert PDFs to JPG or PNG images in the Mac App Store are free to download but require payment to work. Some also offer a trial period.
Free to use without adding a watermark
- PDF to Image Converter Expert: The best and easiest app to convert PDF pages into individual images.
- Recasto – Convert PDF to Images and Images to PDF: Saves two folders of images. One is empty, while the other one has the PDF pages as images.
Need payment to work (but offer a free trial)
- PDF Converter & Reader
- PDF Converter: Editor & Reader
- The Vector Converter
- PDFElement
- PDF to Image Converter Lite (Free version adds a big, unpleasant watermark)
If a purchased app doesn’t work as intended, learn how to request a refund from Apple.
4. Take a screenshot to convert PDF to images
I’m sure you might have thought of this, but I have a tip to share.
When you press Command + Shift + 4 and select a page of the PDF to take a screenshot, the size of the various screenshots might differ, as you may not be able to make the perfect area selection each time.
To address this, open a PDF in Preview and adjust the page by pressing Command + + (plus) or - (minus). You can also open Preview in full screen by clicking the tiny green button in the top left.
Once you have the PDF opened properly in full screen, press Command + Shift + 5 and use this method to select an area to take the screenshot. If you have to take screenshots of several PDF pages, pressing Command + Shift + 5 will remember the screen area selection. So, all the screenshots you take will be of the same size.
5. Use online websites to convert a PDF to images
I listed this way to convert the PDF to images at the end because you’re uploading the PDF to the website’s online servers. If the PDF is sensitive, I use the methods mentioned above. However, for all other general purposes, I have been using iLovePDF for the last four years. The site is great and offers several PDF editing tools, including converting a PDF to JPG or extracting the individual images inside a PDF.
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