How to Convert a PDF to an Image File

How Do I Convert PDF to JPEG Format?

By default, rasterizeToImageFiles converts documents according to the file type specified in the destination path. This automatic format detection allows easy switching between image formats without code changes.

To convert our sample PDF to a JPG file, change the file extension in the destination path:

// Convert PDF to JPG (not to PNG)
pdf.rasterizeToImageFiles("./images/pdf-to-jpeg.jpg");

Alternatively, specify an ImageType option. An ImageType value overrides the image file type declared in the destination path. This forces rasterizeToImageFiles to ignore the filename when performing conversion, providing explicit control over the output format.

The next example includes a JSON options argument with our call to rasterizeToImageFiles that declares an ImageType.

import { PdfDocument, ImageType } from "@ironsoftware/ironpdf";

// Convert PDF to JPEG Format using ImageType.JPG
const options = {
   type: ImageType.JPG,
   dpi: 300  // High quality output
};
PdfDocument.fromFile("./sample-pdf-file.pdf").then((pdf) => {
    pdf.rasterizeToImageFiles("./images/pdf-to-jpeg.png", options);
    return pdf;
});

This program creates a JPG image. Notice the destination filename still uses the PNG file extension. rasterizeToImageFiles ignores the .PNG extension, following the ImageType.JPG value instead. This approach is similar to how IronPDF handles other conversion operations where explicit type specification takes precedence.

You can adapt this example to convert PDFs to other image types, including GIF and Bitmap formats.

Tip: This approach is useful when changing filenames to specific types isn't feasible, such as when working with automated file naming systems or maintaining consistent naming conventions across different output formats.

How Do I Convert Multi-Page PDFs to Images?

To convert documents with multiple pages, use the rasterizeToImageFiles method in the same manner. The method creates each page as a separate image in the specified type, automatically appending page numbers to filenames. This functionality is useful when creating image galleries or working with multi-page documents.

A two-page sample PDF document.

The next block of sample code generates two PNG files from the two-page PDF file example shown above.

import { PdfDocument } from "@ironsoftware/ironpdf";

// Convert PDF with two pages to a set of images.
PdfDocument.fromFile("./multipage-pdf.pdf").then((pdf) => {
    pdf.rasterizeToImageFiles("./images/multipage-pdf/multipage-pdf-page.png");
});

The result of using the rasterizeToImageFiles method on a two-page PDF file. The method creates an image for each page of the original file.

How Do I Convert Only Specific Pages?

Use a JSON object with the fromPages property to rasterize specific pages from a multipage document. This selective conversion is useful when dealing with large PDFs where you only need certain pages, similar to how you might remove specific pages from a PDF.

The following code example only converts the first, fourth, sixth, and ninth page of this large sample file into bitmaps.

import { PdfDocument, ImageType } from "@ironsoftware/ironpdf";

// Convert PDF containing many pages to BMP images.
const options = {
    type: ImageType.BMP,
    fromPages: [0, 3, 5, 8],  // Select only the desired pages (0-indexed)
    dpi: 150  // Balance quality and file size
};
PdfDocument.fromFile("./sample-pdf-with-images.pdf").then((pdf) => {
    pdf.rasterizeToImageFiles("./images/multipage-selective-pdf/multipage-pdf-page.bmp", options);
}).catch((error) => {
    console.error("Failed to convert pages:", error);
});

IronPDF performed the PDF-to-Image operation on only the pages that we specified in the options argument.

The selective page conversion feature works with all supported image formats and maintains the quality settings you specify. For more complex page manipulations, explore the comprehensive API reference which details all available options and methods.

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Where Can I Find the API Documentation?

Read the API documentation on the PdfDocument class and its rasterizeToImageFiles methods for more insights on how to adapt the method to suit your needs. The documentation provides detailed information about all available parameters and options.

What Other Code Examples Are Available?

• Convert a PDF to Images using IronPDF: See rasterizeToImageFiles used in a slightly different way with additional configuration options.
• Convert Images to PDF Files using IronPDF: Learn how to convert one or more images into a single PDF file, essentially the reverse operation.
• Multi-Frame TIFF to PDF Conversion: Explore how to handle multi-page image formats when converting to PDF, which shares similar concepts with multi-page PDF to image conversion.