How to convert PDF to JPG on a Mac

There are at least three ways to convert a PDF to JPEG on macOS: using built-in tools like Preview and Automator, third-party apps, and online services. Each method has its pros and cons, which I’ll break down for you. Read on to learn how to convert a PDF to JPEG, how to edit PDF files on your Mac, and explore a few PDF to JPG converter apps I really like.

How to change PDF to JPEG: Quick overview

To save you time, I've organized key solutions from this article into this handy table. Scroll down for more insights on how to convert PDF to JPG.

Let’s compare!	Pros	Cons
Preview	✓ Free, built-in macOS tool ✓ Supports multiple image formats (JPEG, PNG, TIFF, etc.) ✓ Allows basic edits	x Converts only one page at a time
Permute	✓ Converts all pages at once ✓ Extremely fast ✓ Supports multiple file formats (audio, video, and more)	x Paid (included in Setapp for $9.99/mo, along with 250+ other apps)
Automator	✓ Free, built-in macOS tool ✓ Supports multiple actions	x Fixed settings (must reconfigure before running) x No real-time preview
Online tools	✓ Free and easy to use ✓ No installation required	x Potential security risks for sensitive files

#1. Convert PDF to image using Preview: One page at a time

macOS Preview is a pretty powerful tool that can handle many of your needs. It allows you to convert PDF documents not just to JPEG, but also to HEIC, PNG, TIFF, OpenEXR, and more. You can also make basic edits, combine pages, and perform other useful tasks.

Here’s how to convert a PDF to JPEG using Preview:

Open the PDF in Preview.
Click File in the menu bar > Export.
In the Format drop-down, choose JPEG.
Adjust the Quality and Resolution if needed. The higher they are, thelarger the file size is.
Click Save.

The main drawback of this is that it only allows you to convert one page at a time. So, if you have a 10-page document, you’ll need to repeat steps 2–5 for each page, saving them with different names.

#2. Convert PDF to JPG images on Mac: All pages at once

To convert all PDF pages to JPEG images, you’ll need a third-party tool. My go-to recommendation is Permute. The app claims it “can convert anything into anything (almost),” which is true. I use it for almost all my conversion needs — including video, audio, and documents — because it works almost instantly. Extracting and converting a 10-page PDF takes less than 2 seconds.

So, here's how to convert a PDF to JPG using Permute:

Download and open Permute.
Open Permute Workshop by clicking the robot face in the lower-left corner.
Select PDF to Images and choose JPEG from the drop-down menu.
Drag and drop the PDF you want to convert.

That’s it! Your PDF will be split into separate high-quality images and saved in Downloads as individual JPEG files. All pages will be clearly numbered: PDF name + page number (e.g., "Finance report - 1", Finance report - 2", etc.).

#3. Convert PDF to JPG with Automator: Free with fixed settings

Automator is a built-in macOS tool that lets you create custom workflows for repetitive tasks that aren’t automated on your Mac. Here’s how to convert a PDF files to JPEG using Automator:

Step 1/3

Open Automator. You can find it with Spotlight (F4) by typing "Automator"
Click Workflow.
In the Library pane on the left side, select Files & Folders.
In the neighboring column, double-click Ask for Finder Items. It should appear in the Workflow area.
Select the destination in the “Start at” drop-down menu. This is where the file selection window will open when running the workflow. I set mine to Downloads.

Step 2/3

In the Library pane, select PDFs.
Double-click Render PDF Pages as Images. It should appear in the Workflow area.
Set a color model, image format, resolution, and compression.

Step 3/3

In the Library pane, select Files & Folders again.
In the neighboring column, double-click Move Finder Items.
From the top drop-down menu, select a destination to save converted files.
From the upper menu, click File > Save and give the workflow a clear name, such as Convert PDF to JPEG. For easier access, I saved the workflow on the desktop.

The workflow is ready. Now, whenever you need to convert a PDF, just open the workflow (I can do it from my desktop), click Run, and select the file. The PDF will be split into separate image files and saved to your chosen destination.

If you have repetitive PDF-to-JPEG conversion needs and want a free and fast solution, Automator is a great choice.

However, keep in mind that the settings are fixed, and if you need to adjust them, you must do so before clicking Run each time. Also, there are no real-time previews, so check the output before sharing files.

#4. Online tools: For non-sensitive files

If you search for PDF to JPEG on Google, you’ll find a long list of free PDF converters. I recently tried ilovepdf.com, and it did a great job. There are plenty of similar tools out there.

However, I do have one important thing to mention. I strongly advise against uploading sensitive files to online converters. While desktop tools like Permute process files locally, online tools upload them to third-party servers. You never know whether they are secure — they may be or may not be.

If I were you and needed a free and quick online converter, I’d use it only for random files or photos. But for anything work-related, legal, financial, or personal, I’d stick to offline tools.

How to save JPG as PDF on a Mac

When you need to know how to change a JPG to PDF on Mac, the workflow will sound eerily similar to doing the same thing as converting PDFs to JPGs.

Use Preview for one-page conversion

To convert JPEG to PDF, follow these steps:

Open your image with Preview.
Click File > Export as PDF.

It's really quick and easy, but it has the same drawback as converting PDFs to JPEGs — you can only convert one image at a time. So, if you need to convert images in batch, it can be time-consuming.

Use Prizmo for batch conversions

Prizmo is an app for editing and converting JPG files that works both on macOS and iOS. For me, it’s one of the best simple editing tools around. It lets you easily re-crop and resize images, adjust coloration and saturation, apply filters, OCR, and batch-process images.

Though Prizmo has a ton of great features for everyone, I’ll focus on its ability to convert JPG files to PDFs. The app lets you create a PDF from any JPG or JPEG file format with ease. Just follow these steps for how to change JPG to PDF:

Download and open Prizmo.
Select "new" from the menu.
Drag and drop the files, photos, or screenshots you want to convert.
Select the "share" icon from the top right of the screen.
Select the file type you want to save your JPG as: PDF (Image) or PDF (Image + Searchable Text).
Name the new file, and choose where you want to save to, then click Save.

And remember, Prizmo allows for batch processing; you can convert a ton of JPGs to PDFs in seconds! Another huge time-saving feature I really enjoy.

Try these apps to change PDF to JPG for free

Your Mac’s Preview app is basic enough to do perfunctory tasks; that’s all it was meant for. If all you need to do is view a PDF someone sends you, then Preview is fine. Power users will definitely want more from their Mac, especially if they’re using it to edit or convert PDFs and need granular control over the resolution and image quality.

To me, Permute and Prizmo are two of the best tools to convert PDF files. Each has an exhaustive list of features. For converting, editing, and saving PDFs and JPG files, there are no better options.

Both are free with a seven-day trial of Setapp, a great productivity suite for the Mac. Setapp allows you access to 250+ apps with a wide range of use cases.

Once your free trial is over, Setapp is only $9.99 per month. There are tons of apps that ask for more than that – and that’s only for one app!

We think you’ll love Permute and Prizmo, and the ease of Setapp. Rather than hunt and peck your way through the internet for apps to help you do things, Setapp’s curated list almost assuredly has one (or more!) you’ll really enjoy. Try it today!