What Is a PDF?
Portable Document Format or PDF files were independently developed by Adobe using PostScript language. It was made to function irrespective of the application, device, or operating system the file is run in. PDFs are fixed-layout flat documents that host not just text but also images and other graphics formats.
PDFs are often a combination of text, multimedia objects, vectors, and raster graphics. They merge three technologies:
- A PostScript subset for generating the layout and graphics.
- A font-embedding/replacement system that allows fonts to travel with the documents.
- A structured system that stores and unifies the many layers of the file into a single-layered document.
What Is JPEG?
JPEG or Joint Photographic Experts Group is a commonly used method for irreversible compression for digital images. The compression degree can be adjusted, allowing a selectable tradeoff between image size and storage size. The compression achieves a 10:1 ratio with very little perceptible loss in image quality. Since its introduction in 1992, JPEG has been the image compression standard across the globe.
JPG Vs JPEG
Here are the main differences between JPG and JPEG:
- Both file extensions are raster images and not Vector images. That means that they are bitmaps of the image. A grid of individual pixels, when combined, will create an image.
- Both terms mean the same thing and are abbreviations of Joint Photographic Experts Group.
- They are used for digital photographs and lose some quality when saved.
In short, there isn’t any difference between the two, and you can save both in the same process.
Converting PDFs to JPEGs
You don’t need to learn how to code or build your mobile application in order to change one file format to another. Here we have compiled for you the simplest techniques to convert PDF files to JPEGs on any device whether or not you have an internet connection!
The Easiest Way
The easiest way to convert PDF to JPEG is to head online and find a website that does it for you. You won’t have to deal with downloading offline applications, executing, and running them, nor will you risk downloading potentially harmful programs. There are a lot of online websites that convert PDFs to JPEGs, but only a handful retains the quality of the image. Pdf.io is one of the few reliable websites online that give you a high-resolution output. And here is how to use it.
- Go to pdf.io and choose your desired file. The website offers you a choice between files stored on your device, Google Drive, Dropbox, and online URLs.
- If the PDF has more than one image, you will have to choose between converting the entire page into an image or extracting individual images from the file.
- Wait for your choice to be processed by the website and download!
In three simple steps, you have a converted pdf with a jpeg extension. And what makes it better? It’s free!
Use The Source
PDFs were created by Adobe, and using Adobe Acrobat is always a safe option.
- Open the PDF in Acrobat.
- On the right pane, you will find the Export PDF tool; click on it.
- Choose Image as your format and select .jpeg as your extension.
- Export the file to your desired location, and you will have a new file along with the original, untouched.
The only limitation to this method is that you will have to pay to subscribe for an annual subscription that allows you to convert multiple files without any hassles.
Offline Conversion Methods
Downloading files from websites you do not trust may lead to malicious files on your computer. To avoid the security pitfalls of online methods, we move on to try the offline, safer route.
On MAC
The Apple devices come with a built-in preview program that converts PDF pages to images. The only limitation to this method is that you can only convert one page at a time.
- Go to the PDF file’s location and click to select it.
- On the top-left corner of the screen, find File in one of the menu items, and a drop-down will appear.
- Select Open With and click on Preview or Preview. app
- Find and select your desired page.
- Go to File again and click Export.
- When a new prompt window opens, click the Format drop-down menu and select your desired extension; .jpeg in this case.
- Click Save and enter a name for the file and the location.
- Repeat the process for as many files as you need.
It is a lengthy process, in character for an Apple device, but it works, it’s free, and it does not need the internet!
On Windows
It is very similar to the process on a Mac. All you need is a Windows computer that can access PDF files. This shouldn’t really be a problem since PDFs are made to be opened on any device and software application.
- Open your PDF on your PDF reader.
- Go to File, and in the drop-down, select Save As or Export.
- This opens up a new pop-up window where you will have to give the file a name, choose the location and pick the desired extension.
- Click on Save, and voila! You have your pdf saved as a jpeg document!
Conclusion
The PDF and JPEG file formats hold specific kinds of data, making the conversion process a little tricky. Since JPEG’s transformations are irreversible, a PDF needs sufficient pixel coverage to have a decent converted raster file. The pixel bitmaps compromise on the quality of the file but compress them for safer and longer storage. Irrespective of why you need to convert PDFs to JPEGs, you can always find a way to do so, online and offline! It takes less than a minute, and you can do it on the go. So go forth and convert away!