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Should you save PDF pages as JPG or PNG?

Last updated: 1 November 2026

Choose PNG when the page is mostly text, tables, charts or line drawings, and JPG when it is mostly photos or scans or when small files matter more than sharpness. PNG is lossless, so letters stay crisp, but the files are larger. JPG files are smaller and fine for photos.

This guide is for you if you need to share a page in a chat, put a chart on a slide, print a page, post it on social media or upload it to a portal that only accepts images. It covers which format and resolution to pick for each case, and how to convert the pages with PDF to PNG or PDF to JPG.

Open PDF to PNG

Step by step

  1. Open the right tool. Open PDF to PNG for text-heavy pages or PDF to JPG for photos. You can still switch the format later on either page.
  2. Select your PDF. Click “Select PDF file” or drop a PDF onto the page. If it is password-protected, enter the password when asked.
  3. Pick the pages. All pages are selected at the start. Click a page to leave it out, or use “Select none” and then click only the pages you want.
  4. Choose the format. Keep PNG for crisp text and drawings, or switch to JPG for smaller files and photos.
  5. Choose the quality. Pick “Normal” (150 dpi) for screens or “High” (300 dpi) for printing and small text. Tick black and white if you want gray images.
  6. Convert and download. Click “Convert to PNG” or “Convert to JPG”. Download single images, or click “Download all (ZIP)” to save every image in one file.

Which format fits your use

Base the choice on what is on the page and where the image is going.

  • Sharing in a chat: JPG at 150 dpi gives you small files that are quick to send. If the page is a dense table or a contract, use PNG so the letters stay readable.
  • Slides and documentation: PNG keeps charts, diagrams and text sharp when they are placed on a slide. A photo-heavy page works fine as JPG.
  • Printing: use 300 dpi. Choose PNG for text and line drawings and JPG for photos.
  • Social media: JPG suits brochure pages and photos, and the files are easy to upload.
  • Portals that only accept images: JPG keeps the upload small. Use 300 dpi and PNG if a certificate or form has small print.

If you are unsure, convert one page in both formats and compare the sharpness and the file sizes.

Choosing the resolution

The dpi setting controls how many pixels each page gets. More pixels make sharper images and larger files.

  • Low (72 dpi): the smallest images. Use it for previews and thumbnails.
  • Normal (150 dpi): for viewing on screens, in chats and in presentations.
  • High (300 dpi): for printing and for pages with small text. An A4 page at 300 dpi is about 2480 × 3508 pixels.

Very large pages, such as posters, are scaled down to about 16 megapixels so that every browser can handle them.

Common problems and fixes

The text looks blurry

Switch to PNG and choose 300 dpi. PNG avoids the JPG artefacts that appear around letters.

The files are too large

Switch to JPG, drop to 150 dpi, or convert fewer pages.

You want the photos, not the whole page

Choose “Only the pictures inside the PDF”. JPEG photos are saved exactly as they are stored in the file, without re-compressing. Other pictures are saved as lossless PNG. Only the pages you selected are searched.

The background is not transparent

This is expected. Pages are rendered on white, like on paper, so they look the same in every app.

Tools used in this guide

Frequently asked questions

Is PNG better quality than JPG?

For text, tables and drawings, yes. PNG is lossless, so the letters stay sharp. For photos and scans, JPG looks fine and the files are smaller.

Which dpi should I use for printing?

Use “High” (300 dpi). It also helps with pages that have small text. For screens and sharing, “Normal” (150 dpi) is enough.

Are my PDFs uploaded to a server?

No. Your browser renders the pages, and neither the PDF nor the images are uploaded anywhere. You don't need an account.

Can I convert a password-protected PDF?

Yes, if you know the password. Enter it when asked. It is used only in your browser to open the file.

How are the downloaded images named?

Each selected page becomes a separate image, and the page number stays in the file name. With “Download all (ZIP)” the images are numbered in page order.

Can I get black and white images?

Yes. Tick the black and white option before converting, and the pages are saved as gray images in either PNG or JPG.

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