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How to convert a PDF to JPG on a Mac
By DeckleUpdated
To convert a PDF to JPG on a Mac, open PDF to JPG in your browser, drop the PDF onto the page, choose a Resolution and JPEG quality, keep All pages or pick the pages you need, then choose Export images. You get one JPG per page, which you can download one by one or as a ZIP. The PDF itself is not changed. Preview can also export a PDF as a JPEG; see below.
How to convert a PDF to JPG on a Mac with Deckle
- Open PDF to JPG in Safari, Chrome or Firefox.
- Drag the PDF from the Finder onto the page, or choose Select a file.
- Under Resolution, choose Screen, Standard or Print.
- Under JPEG quality, choose Smaller, Balanced or Maximum.
- Under Pages, keep All pages, or choose Choose pages and type numbers and ranges such as
1, 3-5. - Choose Export images.
- Download each JPG, or choose the button that reads Download all … as a zip to get them in one file. Double-click the ZIP in the Finder to open it.
The result screen tells you how many images were made, which should match the pages you chose.
Choose the resolution
| Resolution | DPI | An A4 page becomes | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 72 | about 595 × 842 pixels | Thumbnails, quick previews |
| Standard | 150 | about 1240 × 1754 pixels | Email, slides, websites, most uploads |
| 300 | about 2480 × 3508 pixels | Printing, zooming in on small text |
Resolution sets how many pixels each image has; quality sets how strongly they are compressed. If small text looks soft, raise the resolution before the quality. Balanced saves at 92%, a good default; Smaller saves at 75% and Maximum at 100%.
What a JPG of a page contains
Each JPG is a picture of the whole page as it renders, on a white background. Text becomes pixels, so it is no longer selectable, and links and form fields are not kept. Each image is named after the PDF with the page number, such as report-001.jpg. Inside a ZIP, each name also starts with a position number and an internal ID, so rename files after unpacking if the names matter.
For pages that are mostly text, charts or diagrams, PNG keeps edges sharper. Use PDF to PNG for those. For help choosing, see how to convert PDF pages to JPG.
Convert a PDF to JPEG with Preview
Apple's page Export PDFs and images in Preview on Mac shows how to save a document in another format, and Convert image file types using Preview on Mac lists JPEG among the formats:
- Open the PDF in Preview.
- Choose File > Export.
- Choose JPEG from the Format pop-up menu.
- Name the file and click Save.
For a multi-page PDF, open the exported JPEG and check which page it shows before relying on it. To get every page as a separate image in one run, use Deckle.
Tips
- Use Standard for most jobs. It is sharp enough for screens and keeps files small.
- Export just the page you need. Type a single number in Choose pages, such as
4. - Unlock protected PDFs first. PDF to JPG cannot open a PDF that asks for a password. Use Unlock PDF with the password you were given.
- Mind the size limit. Each image can be up to 16 megapixels on a Mac. A4 at Print is about 8.7 megapixels, so most pages fit; very large posters may need Standard.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert one page of a PDF to JPG on a Mac?
Choose Choose pages in PDF to JPG and type the page number, then choose Export images.
Which resolution should I choose?
Standard for screens and uploads, Print for printing, Screen for the smallest files.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Pages are rendered in your browser and the JPGs are created on your Mac.
Why are my JPGs so large?
You chose Print or Maximum. A full A4 page at 300 DPI and 100% quality can be several megabytes. Choose Standard and Balanced for images you will email, and keep Print for pages you will print or crop a detail from.
Can I get the photos out of a PDF at their original size?
Not with PDF to JPG. It exports a picture of each page, not the images embedded in it.
Related tools
- PDF to JPG to save pages as JPEG images
- PDF to PNG for sharp text and diagrams
- Split PDF to keep pages as PDFs instead