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USING IRONPDF FOR JAVA

How to Extract Image From PDF in Java

This article will explore how to extract images from an existing PDF document and save them in a single folder using the Java programming language. For this purpose, the IronPDF for Java library is used to extract images.

IronPDF Java PDF Library

IronPDF is a Java library designed to help developers generate, modify, and extract data from PDF files within their Java applications. With IronPDF, you can create PDF documents from a range of sources, such as HTML, images, and more. Additionally, you have the ability to merge, split, and manipulate existing PDFs. IronPDF also includes security features, such as password protection and digital signatures.

Developed and maintained by Iron Software, IronPDF is known for its ability to extract text from PDFs, HTML, and URLs. This makes it a versatile and powerful tool for a variety of applications, whether you're creating PDFs from scratch or working with existing ones.

Prerequisites

Before using IronPDF to extract data from a PDF file, there are a few prerequisites that must be met:

  1. Java installation: Ensure that Java is installed on your system and that its path has been set in the environment variables. If you haven't installed Java yet, follow the instructions at the following download page from Java website.
  2. Java IDE: Have either Eclipse or IntelliJ installed as your Java IDE. You can download Eclipse from this link and IntelliJ from this download page.
  3. IronPDF library: Download and add the IronPDF library to your project as a dependency. For setup instructions, visit the IronPDF website.
  4. Maven installation: Make sure Maven is installed and integrated with your IDE before starting the PDF conversion process. Follow the tutorial at the following guide from JetBrains for assistance with installing and integrating Maven.

IronPDF for Java Installation

Installing IronPDF for Java is a straightforward process, provided all the requirements are met. This guide will use the JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA to demonstrate the installation and run some sample code.

  1. Launch IntelliJ IDEA: Open JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA on your system.

  2. Create a Maven Project: In IntelliJ IDEA, create a new Maven project. This will provide a suitable environment for the installation of IronPDF for Java.

How to Extract Image From PDF in Java, Figure 1: Create a new Maven project Create a new Maven project

A new window will appear. Enter the name of the project and click on Finish.

How to Extract Image From PDF in Java, Figure 2: Enter the name of the project Enter the name of the project

After you click Finish, a new project will open to a pom.xml file to add the Maven dependencies of IronPDF for Java.

Next, add the following dependencies in the pom.xml file or you can download the JAR file from the following Maven repository.

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.ironsoftware</groupId>
    <artifactId>ironpdf</artifactId>
    <version>YOUR_VERSION_HERE</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.ironsoftware</groupId>
    <artifactId>ironpdf</artifactId>
    <version>YOUR_VERSION_HERE</version>
</dependency>
XML

Once you place the dependencies in the pom.xml file, a small icon will appear in the right top corner of the file.

How to Extract Image From PDF in Java, Figure 3: The pom.xml file with a small icon to install dependencies The pom.xml file with a small icon to install dependencies

Click on this icon to install the Maven dependencies of IronPDF for Java. This will only take a few minutes depending on your internet connection.

Extract Images

You can extract images from a PDF document using IronPDF with a single method called [extractAllImages](/java/object-reference/api/com/ironsoftware/ironpdf/PdfDocument.html#extractAllImages()). This method returns all the images available in a PDF file. After that, you can save all the extracted images to the file path of your choice using the ImageIO.write method by providing the path and format of the output image.

5.1. Extract Images from PDF document

In the example below, the images from a PDF document will be extracted and saved into the file system as PNG images.

import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.PdfDocument;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
import java.util.List;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        // Load PDF document from file
        PdfDocument pdf = PdfDocument.fromFile(Paths.get("Final Project Report Craft Arena.pdf"));

        // Extract all images from the PDF document
        List<BufferedImage> images = pdf.extractAllImages();
        int i = 0;

        // Save each extracted image to the filesystem as a PNG
        for (BufferedImage image : images) {
            ImageIO.write(image, "PNG", Files.newOutputStream(Paths.get("image" + ++i + ".png")));
        }
    }
}
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.PdfDocument;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
import java.util.List;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        // Load PDF document from file
        PdfDocument pdf = PdfDocument.fromFile(Paths.get("Final Project Report Craft Arena.pdf"));

        // Extract all images from the PDF document
        List<BufferedImage> images = pdf.extractAllImages();
        int i = 0;

        // Save each extracted image to the filesystem as a PNG
        for (BufferedImage image : images) {
            ImageIO.write(image, "PNG", Files.newOutputStream(Paths.get("image" + ++i + ".png")));
        }
    }
}
JAVA

The program above opens the "Final Project Report Craft Arena.pdf" file and uses the extractAllImages method to extract all images in the file into a list of BufferedImage objects. It then saves each new file image to separate PNG files with a unique name.

How to Extract Image From PDF in Java, Figure 4: Image Extraction from PDF Output Image Extraction from PDF Output

Extract Images from URL

This section will discuss how to extract images directly from URLs. In the below code, the URL is converted to a PDF page and then toggle navigation to extract images from the PDF.

import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.PdfDocument;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
import java.util.List;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
        // Render PDF from a URL
        PdfDocument pdf = PdfDocument.renderUrlAsPdf("https://www.amazon.com/?tag=hp2-brobookmark-us-20");

        // Extract all images from the rendered PDF document
        List<BufferedImage> images = pdf.extractAllImages();
        int i = 0;

        // Save each extracted image to the filesystem as a PNG
        for (BufferedImage image : images) {
            ImageIO.write(image, "PNG", Files.newOutputStream(Paths.get("image" + ++i + ".png")));
        }
    }
}
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.PdfDocument;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
import java.util.List;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
        // Render PDF from a URL
        PdfDocument pdf = PdfDocument.renderUrlAsPdf("https://www.amazon.com/?tag=hp2-brobookmark-us-20");

        // Extract all images from the rendered PDF document
        List<BufferedImage> images = pdf.extractAllImages();
        int i = 0;

        // Save each extracted image to the filesystem as a PNG
        for (BufferedImage image : images) {
            ImageIO.write(image, "PNG", Files.newOutputStream(Paths.get("image" + ++i + ".png")));
        }
    }
}
JAVA

In the above code, the Amazon homepage URL is provided as an input, and it returns 74 images.

How to Extract Image From PDF in Java, Figure 5: Image Extraction from PDF Output Image Extraction from PDF Output

Conclusion

Extracting images from a PDF document can be done in Java using the IronPDF library. To install IronPDF, you need to have Java, a Java IDE (Eclipse or IntelliJ), Maven, and the IronPDF library installed and integrated with your project. The process of extracting images from a PDF document using IronPDF is simple and it requires just a single method call to extractAllImages. You can then save the images to a file path of your choice using the ImageIO.write method.

This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to extract images from a PDF document using Java and the IronPDF library. More details, including information about how to extract text from PDFs, can be found in the Extract Text Code Example.

IronPDF is a library with a commercial license, starting at $749. However, you can evaluate it in production with a free trial.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I extract images from a PDF using Java?

To extract images from a PDF using Java, you can use the IronPDF library. Load the PDF document and use the `extractAllImages` method to extract the images, which can then be saved using the `ImageIO.write` method.

What are the prerequisites for using a Java library to work with PDFs?

Before using IronPDF, ensure you have Java installed and configured, a Java IDE like Eclipse or IntelliJ, Maven, and the IronPDF library set up as a project dependency.

How can I install a library for Java to handle PDFs?

To install the IronPDF library, create a Maven project in your IDE. Add the IronPDF dependency to your `pom.xml` file and install it via Maven.

Can I extract images from a URL using a Java library?

Yes, you can render a URL as a PDF using IronPDF's `renderUrlAsPdf` method and then extract images using the `extractAllImages` method.

Is there a free trial for a PDF handling library in Java?

Yes, IronPDF offers a free trial for you to evaluate its features in production.

What Java IDEs are recommended for using a PDF library?

The recommended Java IDEs for using IronPDF are Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA.

How do I save extracted images from a PDF?

Extracted images can be saved to the filesystem using the `ImageIO.write` method, specifying the desired file path and format.

What is a method to extract images from PDFs in Java?

The `extractAllImages` method in IronPDF is used to extract all images from a PDF document. It returns a list of images that can be processed or saved as needed.

What file formats can extracted images be saved as?

Extracted images can be saved in various formats, such as PNG, using the `ImageIO.write` method.

What is the purpose of a library for PDF management in Java?

IronPDF is a Java library designed to help developers generate, modify, and extract data from PDF files, providing features like text extraction, merging, splitting, and applying security measures.

Darrius Serrant
Full Stack Software Engineer (WebOps)

Darrius Serrant holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Miami and works as a Full Stack WebOps Marketing Engineer at Iron Software. Drawn to coding from a young age, he saw computing as both mysterious and accessible, making it the perfect medium for creativity and problem-solving.

At Iron Software, Darrius enjoys creating new things and simplifying complex concepts to make them more understandable. As one of our resident developers, he has also volunteered to teach students, sharing his expertise with the next generation.

For Darrius, his work is fulfilling because it is valued and has a real impact.

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