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To extract images from a PDF, use an image extractor that reads the pictures stored inside the file and saves each one at its full stored resolution, instead of taking a screenshot. The free WoowPDF Extract Images tool does this in your browser: drop in the PDF, pick JPG, PNG or Best match, and download every image in one ZIP.
Below you will find the steps, four other methods and when each makes sense, how to choose between JPG and PNG, and what to do when a chart, logo or scanned page refuses to come out as a picture.
What actually counts as an image in a PDF?
A PDF can hold three kinds of visual content, and only the first is an image you can extract:
- Embedded images: photos, scanned pictures and most logos placed in the document. These are stored as pixel images and come out exactly as large as they were stored.
- Vector graphics: charts, diagrams, icons and many logos made in design software. They are drawn from lines and shapes, so there is no image file inside to pull out.
- Scanned pages: a scan is usually one big image per page, so extracting gives you the whole page as a picture.
Knowing which one you have saves a lot of frustration. If the extractor finds nothing for a chart, it is almost certainly vector art (see the fix below).
How to extract images from a PDF (step by step)
- Open Extract Images from PDF.
- Drop your PDF on the page or click to choose it.
- Choose the format: Best match, PNG or JPG.
- Leave Skip tiny images such as icons and lines on to ignore anything under 48 pixels wide or tall, or turn it off to get every element.
- Pick all pages or type a page range such as 2-5.
- Click Extract images. One image downloads on its own; several come together in one ZIP.
Files are named after the PDF and the page they came from, for example brochure-p3-1.jpg, so you can always tell where a picture belongs. An image the PDF reuses on several pages, like a logo in every header, is saved once.
The PDF never leaves your device: it is read and the images are saved in your browser, which also makes the tool work on phones and tablets.
Should you save PDF images as JPG or PNG?
For photos, JPG; for logos, screenshots, line art and anything with transparency, PNG. If you are not sure, choose Best match, which picks for each image on its own.
| Format | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Best match | Mixed documents | Large photos without transparency become JPG, everything else PNG |
| JPG | Photos, product shots, scanned pictures | Small files, saved at high quality; no transparency |
| PNG | Logos, diagrams, screenshots, text in images | Lossless and keeps transparency, but photos come out large |
Every image is saved at the pixel size it has inside the PDF. Nothing is scaled down, but nothing can be scaled up either: if a photo was shrunk to 600 pixels wide when the PDF was made, 600 pixels is what you get back.
What are the other ways to get pictures out of a PDF?
There are four more, and each fits a different situation.
| Method | Quality | Speed for many images | Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| WoowPDF Extract Images | Full stored resolution | All at once | Yes |
| Copy and paste from a PDF reader | Usually full resolution | One at a time | Yes |
| Screenshot | Limited to your screen | One at a time | Yes |
| pdfimages (command line) | Original data, byte for byte | All at once | Yes |
| Render the page as an image | Set by the DPI you choose | All pages at once | Yes |
Copy and paste. In many PDF readers, including Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can right click an image and copy it, then paste it into an image editor and save. Fine for one or two pictures.
Screenshot. On Windows press Windows+Shift+S, on a Mac Shift+Command+4, and drag around the picture. Zoom in first. The result is only as sharp as your screen, so keep this for quick previews.
pdfimages. Developers and Linux users can use this free Poppler command line tool. Its -j option writes JPEG images exactly as they are stored in the PDF, and -list shows every image with its size before you extract, as the pdfimages manual explains. Use it when you need a bit for bit copy of the original JPEG; our tool saves JPG images again at high quality.
Render the page. For vector charts and scans, see the next section.
How do you extract a chart, diagram or vector logo?
Turn the page into an image, then crop it. Because vector art has no image inside, you render the whole page at a high resolution and keep the part you need:
- Open PDF to PNG and convert only the page with the chart.
- Open the PNG in any photo app and crop around the chart.
PNG keeps the sharp edges of lines and text. If you need several pages at once or prefer JPG or WebP, PDF to images lets you pick the format and a quality of 72, 150 or 300 DPI; choose 300 DPI for print.
How do you extract images from a scanned PDF?
Extract them like any other PDF: each scanned page usually comes out as one large image, the scan itself. To get a single photo from a scanned page, extract the page image and crop it in a photo editor.
If the scan was saved at a low resolution, the extracted image will be just as low. Rescanning at 300 DPI is the only real fix.
Common problems and fixes
No images were found. The pictures are vector graphics, or the page is made of text only. Render the page with PDF to PNG instead.
Hundreds of tiny files. Some PDFs split decorations into small pieces. Keep Skip tiny images on.
The image looks blurry. It was stored small in the PDF. Ask the sender for the original file, because no extractor can add detail that is not there.
The PDF asks for a password. Open it with the password first; an extractor cannot read a locked file.
The image is cut or split into strips. Some programs store one picture as several pieces. Render the page as PNG and crop it instead.
Extract your PDF images now
Drop your file into the free Extract Images tool, choose Best match and download every picture at the resolution it was stored in, without uploading anything.
Frequently asked questions
How do I extract all images from a PDF at once?
Drop the PDF into the WoowPDF Extract Images tool, choose a format and click Extract images. Every image on the pages you picked downloads together in one ZIP file.
Can I extract images from a PDF without losing quality?
Yes. An extractor saves each image at the pixel size stored in the PDF, so it is far sharper than a screenshot. Choose PNG for a lossless copy, or use pdfimages with its -j option for a byte for byte copy of the original JPEG.
Why can't I extract a chart from my PDF?
Most charts and diagrams are drawn as vector shapes, not stored as images. Convert that page to PNG at a high resolution and crop the chart out of it.
How do I extract pictures from a PDF on my phone?
Open the WoowPDF Extract Images tool in your phone's browser and pick the PDF from your files. The images are saved in the browser, so nothing is uploaded and no app is needed.
Is it legal to extract images from a PDF?
Extracting is a technical step; whether you may reuse the pictures depends on who owns them. Use images from your own documents freely, and ask the owner before republishing photos from someone else's brochure or report.
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