PDF to JPG: which DPI, format and quality to choose
By the fullpdftools team · Updated
Quick answer: use 150 DPI JPG for sharing on screen, in chats and on websites; 300 DPI for printing or for text that must stay crisp when zoomed; and PNG instead of JPG for pages that are mostly text, line drawings or screenshots, because PNG keeps edges sharp. 72 DPI is only for small previews and thumbnails.
Turning a PDF page into an image sounds simple, but the settings decide whether the result is a crisp picture or a blurry, oversized file. A PDF page has no fixed pixel size: text and vector graphics can be drawn at any resolution. When you convert to JPG or PNG, you choose that resolution, and it affects sharpness and file size at the same time.
What DPI means for a PDF page
DPI (dots per inch) is how many pixels are created for each inch of the page. The page size stays the same; only the level of detail changes. Doubling the DPI doubles the width and height in pixels, so the image has four times as many pixels and the file is usually three to four times larger.
| Resolution | A4 page (210 × 297 mm) | US Letter (8.5 × 11 in) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72 DPI | 595 × 842 px | 612 × 792 px | Thumbnails, quick previews |
| 150 DPI | 1240 × 1754 px | 1275 × 1650 px | Screens, email, messaging apps, websites, slides |
| 300 DPI | 2480 × 3508 px | 2550 × 3300 px | Printing, small text, zooming in, OCR software |
A common laptop screen is about 1900 pixels wide, so a 150 DPI page already fills most of it. Going higher only helps when someone will print the image or zoom in on fine print.
JPG or PNG?
- JPG uses lossy compression that is excellent for photos, gradients and scanned pages. Files are small. Its weakness is sharp edges: around text, JPG can leave faint smudges (“artifacts”), especially at low quality settings.
- PNG is lossless. Every pixel is kept exactly, so text, charts, line drawings and screenshots stay perfectly crisp. For pages with large photos, PNG files become much bigger than JPG.
A simple rule: if the page is mostly words or diagrams on a white background, choose PNG; if it is mostly photos or a scan, choose JPG.
What JPG quality setting to use
When you pick JPG, a quality slider controls how hard the image is compressed. Around 85–90% is the sweet spot: visually almost identical to 100% at a fraction of the size. Drop to 70–80% only when file size matters more than appearance, such as a large batch for a website. Going below about 60% makes text edges visibly blotchy.
Recommended settings by task
| Task | Format | DPI | JPG quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share a page in WhatsApp, email or a chat | JPG | 150 | 85–90% |
| Post on social media | JPG or PNG | 150 | 90% |
| Insert a page into slides or a document | PNG | 150 | – |
| Print a page or poster | PNG or JPG | 300 | 95% |
| Run text recognition (OCR) on it | PNG | 300 | – |
| Thumbnails for a website or catalogue | JPG | 72 | 80% |
Convert PDF to JPG step by step
- Open PDF to JPG and add your PDF. It is rendered in your browser and not uploaded.
- Choose JPG or PNG, a resolution, and (for JPG) the quality.
- Optionally type which pages you want, for example
1-3, 5. Leave it blank for all pages. - Click Convert to Images and download the ZIP with one image per page.
Why an image can look worse than the PDF
- The PDF itself contains a low-resolution scan. Converting at 300 DPI cannot add detail that a 100 DPI scan never had; it only makes the file bigger.
- The viewer is scaling the image. Phones and chat apps often shrink and recompress images you send. Sending the file as a “document” rather than a “photo” avoids that.
- The JPG quality was too low. Try 90% or switch to PNG for text-heavy pages.
Going the other way? Our guide to turning photos and scans into a PDF covers page size, order and file size.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best DPI for converting PDF to JPG?
150 DPI is the best general choice for viewing on screens. Use 300 DPI for printing or when people need to zoom in on small text.
Is PNG better quality than JPG?
PNG is lossless, so it keeps text and lines perfectly sharp. JPG gives much smaller files for photos and scans with no visible difference at 85–90% quality.
Can I convert only one page of a PDF to JPG?
Yes. Type the page number in the Pages box, for example 4, and only that page is converted.
Why are my converted images so large?
High DPI and PNG both create big files. A 300 DPI A4 page has almost 8.7 million pixels. Switch to 150 DPI or JPG at 85% to cut the size sharply.
Does converting a PDF to JPG keep the text selectable?
No. An image is a grid of pixels, so the text can no longer be selected or searched. Keep the original PDF if you need the text.