Updated on
A PDF keeps every picture as a separate object, at the size it was put in, not at the size it shows on the page. Extract images reads those objects and saves each one as its own file, so you get the original pixels, not a screenshot.
How to extract the images
- Open Extract images and choose your PDF. You can add several PDFs at once. A PDF that needs a password asks for it.
- Choose JPG or PNG. JPG gives small files, and an ordinary photo that is stored as JPEG in the PDF keeps its original file, without a second compression. PNG keeps the exact pixels but gives larger files. A picture with transparency is always saved as PNG, so nothing is lost.
- Click Extract images and download. One picture comes as a single file; several come together in one ZIP, named after the PDF and in the order of the pages.
What you get, and what you don’t
- Photos, charts saved as pictures, logos saved as pictures. Each one once: a picture that is used on several pages is saved the first time it appears.
- Not: text, lines, tables and logos drawn as shapes. Those aren’t pictures in the file. Want one of them as an image? Use PDF to JPG for a picture of the whole page, or crop the page to that area first.
- A scan gives one big picture per page. That’s all a scanned PDF contains. To get the text out of it instead, use OCR.
- Tiny images are skipped. Spacers under 8 pixels, and groups of tiny black-and-white stencils (drawn letters), are left out, and the tool tells you when that happens.
Good to know
- The size can surprise you. A picture that looks small on the page can be a 4000-pixel photo in the file, and a full-page picture can be a 600-pixel thumbnail. You get what is stored, not what you see.
- Copyright stays. Being able to extract a picture doesn’t make it yours. For a report, a presentation or a website, check who owns it.
Extracting happens in your browser, so your PDF isn’t uploaded to a server. Verify that no PDF is uploaded explains how to check it yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get the images out of a PDF?
Open Extract images, add the PDF, choose JPG or PNG and click Extract images. Every picture in the file is saved as its own image, in the order of the pages.
Are the extracted images in original quality?
Yes. They are saved at the size they are stored in the PDF. With PNG every pixel is kept; with JPG an ordinary photo keeps its original file without a second compression.
Why do I only get one picture per page?
That PDF is a scan: every page is one photo. Use OCR to get the text out of it, or PDF to JPG for a picture of a page.
Why is a chart or logo missing?
It is drawn as shapes or text, not stored as a picture. Use PDF to JPG to get a picture of the page, or crop the page to that area first.
Is my PDF uploaded to extract the images?
No. It happens in your browser, so your file isn’t uploaded to a server. You can check it yourself in your browser’s network tab.