How to extract images from PDFs on Mac

After learning these few ways to save images from PDFs, you’ll never have to deal with blurry photos and winding paths of image extraction. Some methods are pretty limited, but others let you extract images from PDF files easily. 

Summary of the best ways to extract images from PDF on Mac

macOS doesn’t have a built-in feature to extract embedded images from a PDF. You can take a screenshot of the image you need or save a PDF page as an image and then crop it, but these methods can result in poor image quality, especially if you need to zoom in.

If you need to truly extract an image from a PDF, you’ll have to use a third-party app. These are the key tools — both built-in and third-party — for extracting images from a PDF. For more information, instructions, and tips, keep reading.

Tool / Method	What it does	Best for	Speed & Quality
BetterZip	Bulk extracts embedded images	PDFs with many photos or graphics	Very fast / Excellent
Permute	Converts entire pages to images	Brochures, reports, presentations	Fast / Excellent
macOS Preview	Exports page as image (crop needed)	Quick single images, no extra apps	Medium / Good
Online tools	Converts PDF pages to images	Occasional use without installing apps	Fast / Variable

Extract all images from the PDF at once on Mac

These days, some PDF viewers let you copy an image from the PDF manually. The problem is that repeating the steps for dozens of images is very tedious. As I had little patience or time to spare for repetitive tasks, I sought apps to help me do the heavy lifting. 

If your document has more than five images, I’d recommend saving time by extracting images from PDF in bulk. It saves you a lot of time and reduces manual effort.

BetterZip for extracting images without losing quality

After searching for a while, I found out that the tool that I already use can extract images from PDFs on Mac without losing quality. I’m talking about BetterZip.

While BetterZip is great for archiving and securing files from unauthorized access, its image-extraction feature deserves special attention. It lets you preview all the image files discovered in PDF before you extract them. And it’s pretty easy to use, really. Plus, image extraction with BetterZip has a lot of benefits:

• Bulk extraction of all images in seconds.
• Preview all discovered images before exporting to confirm selections.
• Maintains full resolution without any compression.

This approach is faster and more reliable than manually copying images one by one. The interface is intuitive and fully compatible with the latest macOS.

Here’s how to extract images from PDF in bulk:

1. Download and launch BetterZip.
2. From it, navigate a PDF file that has images. 
3. Click Extract and follow the instructions. 

In a second, BetterZip's PDF image extractor will download and save all the images to your Mac. If it doesn't, go to Settings > Archive Types. At the bottom, you'll see the line "Files with these extensions will not be treated as archives (although they technically are)". If you see "pdf" there, delete it and try extracting again.

Convert PDF pages to high-quality images with Permute

What if you want to turn the PDF into a series of images? Let’s say you have a brochure sent to you in PDF format, but you need to turn all pages into JPEG or PNG format. To do that, I’ll suggest Permute.

Permute is a media converter that exports digital assets into different formats. I use Permute to convert my YouTube videos into audio before uploading them to podcast sites. entire PDF pages into image files such as PNG, JPEG, or HEIF.

Here’s how to convert PDF pages to images:

1. Install and open Permute.
2. Click the Permute’s Workshop (robo-face in the lower left corner).
3. Select PDF to Images.

   

4. Choose the image format (PNG, HEIF, or JPEG). 
5. Open or drag a PDF file to the app.
6. Convert the PDF. 

You’ll get every single PDF page in PNG, HEIF, or JPEG format.

Use this approach for:

• Turning brochures or reports into shareable images.
• Preparing multi-page documents for presentations.
• Creating editable assets from scanned materials.

You can select your preferred file format and process in batch while keeping excellent image resolution.

How to extract images from PDF online for free 

Search “free online PDF extractor” on Google, and you’ll find plenty of hits. All online PDF image extractor tools work in a similar way: they upload your file and process it on their servers. This approach has its benefits and risks:

• No need to install software
• The extraction process is usually pretty quick
• Basic use is typically free
• Potential issues include quality loss, privacy, or malware on untrusted sites.

So, before you use any online PDF editor or free PDF extractor site, make sure it won't infect your Mac with malware or sell your data to third parties.

Is there a trustworthy free PDF image extractor online? Probably, if you spend enough time trying a few, you’ll find. Otherwise, it’s better to stick to the popular ones like Adobe Acrobat. 

There are two versions of Adobe Acrobat. The downloadable Mac version lets you copy a specific image from the PDF by clicking the image > Copy. Then, paste it into the file you’re working on. However, if you want to extract multiple images, Adobe Acrobat online is better. 

Here’s how to extract images from PDF online with Acrobat.

1. Go to Adobe’s online PDF page extractor.
2. Sign in with your accounts.
3. Open a PDF file.
4. Click Convert at the top menu.
5. At the expanded side panel, select image format.
6. Click on the JPG text to switch between different image formats.
7. Then, click Convert to save the PDF as images to your Mac.

   

The caveat with this method is that it doesn’t really extract images from the PDF. What Acrobat does is turn the PDF into image files. You’ll still need to crop the specific image you want with an image editing app. 

Also, the PDF extractor tool isn’t free either. You’re allowed to try it once. After that, you can only use it after signing up for Adobe’s premium subscription. 

See our guide on how to extract PDF pages for more options.

How to save images from PDF with macOS tools

If you’re using a MacBook, you already have access to a few tools for extracting images from PDFs.  

 They often require manual cropping for embedded images, but also have lots of benefits:

Pros:

• Completely free and always available.
• Simple for occasional single-page use.

Cons:

• Not efficient for bulk.
• May lose some quality or need extra editing.

If you later want to extract text from images, we have a dedicated guide.

Preview: Convert PDFs to images

For example, you can use the Preview app to extract an image from a PDF. Here’s how.

1. Open the Preview app.
2. Open the PDF file.
3. Click View > Thumbnails.
4. Select the page containing the image. 
5. Click File > Export and choose the JPEG file format. Make sure to select the JPEG format, not PNG. Otherwise, instead of extracting a single page, the entire PDF will be converted into PNG pages. 

   

6. Adjust the quality of the future image and click Save.
7. Open the saved image with Preview again to crop it. 

Read also:

Automator and Shortcuts: PDF to image conversion (cumbersome)

Other macOS native apps that you can use to export images from PDFs are Automator and Shortcuts. However, they don't extract an image from the PDF, but turn a PDF page into a single image, and you still have to crop the file. Exactly the same as with the simple Preview method. Also, the process of setting up Shortcuts and Automator actions is quite cumbersome. That's why I strongly recommend that you use the Preview method if you're okay with all this converting, cropping, and saving.

Extract photos from PDF using Adobe Photoshop 

Adobe Photoshop is a powerful app for creative design work. But it also lets you copy images from PDF. The problem is that subscribing to the app just to extract a few pictures is expensive. But if you’re already using Adobe Photoshop in your work, you can use it to extract images from a PDF into separate files. 

Here's how to save images from PDF with Adobe Photoshop. 

1. Launch Adobe Photoshop.
2. Open the PDF file.
3. Select the desired images in the import window.
4. Click OK.

Adobe Photoshop will extract and load the image into individual tabs. You can then export the images using Photoshop's range of tools. 

Save images from PDF effortlessly on Mac

Now you can extract images from PDF effortlessly on Mac. With the methods I shared, you don’t have to copy and save every image in the PDF manually. Trust me, repeating something so mundane isn’t enjoyable. Instead, you can be more productive by using apps like BetterZip to export all images to your Mac or Permute to convert PDF pages to images. You can download these apps, along with dozens of others, on Setapp. Try them without cost for 7 days, then stick to the ones that best fit your workflow.