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Sharing PDFs

PDF vs images for sharing a document: which to send

By DeckleUpdated

Share a document as a PDF when the recipient needs to read, print, search or file it: a PDF keeps every page in one file, keeps text selectable and prints at the right size. Share page images when the page has to appear inside something else, such as a chat message, a slide or a web page. To turn PDF pages into images, open PDF to PNG or PDF to JPG, choose the pages and choose Export images.

PDF to PNG

Three different privacy tasks

Password

Controls access

Metadata

Document properties

Redaction

Selected page content

Choose the change; inspect the saved copy

Conceptual comparison · access, properties and content require separate checks. No single task certifies complete privacy.

PDF vs images for sharing

PDF PNG image JPG image
Pages All in one file One file per page One file per page
Text Selectable and searchable, if the PDF has a text layer Pixels only Pixels only
Printing Prints at the page's real size Size depends on resolution Size depends on resolution
Shows inline in chats and email Usually as an attachment icon Yes Yes
Sharp text and lines Yes, at any zoom Yes, at the exported resolution Can blur around text
File size for photos Depends on the content Large Small
Password protection Yes No No
Screen readers Can read the text Cannot read the text Cannot read the text

When to send a PDF

  • Contracts, letters, forms and reports. The recipient will print, sign, file or forward them.
  • Anything longer than one or two pages. One file keeps the order and cannot arrive half complete.
  • Documents someone will search or copy from. Images have no text to find.
  • Private documents. A PDF can be password protected with Password protect PDF; an image cannot.
  • Uploads to portals. Job sites, councils and banks often ask for PDF.

When to send images

  • A single page in a chat. Messaging apps show an image in the conversation, while a PDF usually arrives as an attachment to open.
  • A page on a website or in a slide deck. An image drops into the layout.
  • A preview. A thumbnail of a report's cover, with the PDF available to download.
  • A chart or diagram from a PDF for reuse elsewhere; see export a chart from a PDF for the web.

How to turn PDF pages into images with Deckle

  1. Open PDF to PNG for sharp text and diagrams, or PDF to JPG for photos and smaller files.
  2. Choose your PDF, or drop it onto the page.
  3. Choose the pages and the resolution. Higher resolution gives sharper images and larger files.
  4. Choose Export images.
  5. Download each image, or all of them as one ZIP.

PNG or JPG for PDF pages explains the choice between the two formats.

What you lose in an image

An image is a picture of the page. The recipient cannot select the text, follow links, fill form fields or search for a word. A signed PDF's digital signature does not carry over. If you send images of a multi-page document, the pages arrive as separate files and can be viewed or saved out of order.

What you keep either way

Both a PDF and an image show whatever is printed on the page, including names, account numbers and signatures. Converting to an image does not hide information. It does drop the PDF's metadata, such as the author property, but a cleaner way to remove that while keeping a PDF is Remove PDF metadata.

Tips

  • Send both when unsure. An image of the first page in the message, with the full PDF attached.
  • Use PNG for text. It keeps letters crisp where JPG can blur them.
  • Trim before you export. Extract only the pages you need with Split PDF so you do not send images of the whole document.
  • Check the size on phones. A 300 dpi PNG of an A4 page is large to send over mobile data.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to send a PDF or a JPG?

For documents, a PDF. It keeps all pages together, prints correctly and keeps text searchable. Use JPG for a quick photo-like view of a single page.

Does converting a PDF to an image make it more secure?

No. The image shows everything the page shows. It removes selectable text and metadata, but anyone can still read it. Use a password to restrict access.

Can I turn the images back into a PDF?

Yes, with PNG to PDF or JPG to PDF. The pages will be images, so the text will not be selectable.

Are the pages uploaded when I convert them?

No. PDF to PNG and PDF to JPG render the pages in your browser and do not upload the file.

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