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How to Convert PDF to Image in Python | IronPDF

Python PDF to Image Conversion

Curtis Chau
Curtis Chau
Updated:

IronPDF for Python enables seamless conversion of PDF documents to image formats like JPEG, PNG, and TIFF using the RasterizeToImageFiles method, with customizable DPI and dimensions for optimal image quality. This capability is essential for creating thumbnails, previews, or extracting visual content from PDF documents in Python applications.

Quickstart: Convert PDF to Images in Python

  1. Install IronPDF: pip install ironpdf
  2. Load your PDF document: pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("my-content.pdf")
  3. Convert to images: pdf.RasterizeToImageFiles("assets/images/*.png", DPI=96)
  4. Customize quality with DPI parameter (higher = better quality)
  5. Set dimensions with ImageMaxWidth and ImageMaxHeight parameters

How to Convert PDF to Image in Python

  1. Install the Python library for PDF to image conversion
  2. Use RasterizeToImageFiles to convert PDF to images
  3. Convert URLs using RenderUrlAsPdf first
  4. Apply step 2 for image format conversion
  5. Set higher DPI for improved image clarity

Why Do Developers Need PDF to Image Conversion?

Converting PDF pages to image files like JPEG, PNG, or TIFF serves multiple purposes in software development. Common use cases include:

  • Web Preview Generation: Creating thumbnail images for PDF documents displayed on websites
  • Document Processing: Extracting visual content for machine learning or OCR applications
  • Report Generation: Including PDF pages as images in other document formats
  • Archive Systems: Storing visual representations alongside original documents

Taking screenshots of each page is impractical, especially for multi-page documents or automated workflows. Traditional Python code lacks built-in PDF-to-image conversion capabilities. IronPDF for Python provides efficient, automated PDF-to-image conversion for these scenarios.

What Is IronPDF for Python and Its Key Features?

IronPDF for Python offers comprehensive PDF functionality, from creating and managing documents to modifying them without Adobe Acrobat. Developers can generate PDF files, add custom headers and footers, implement security measures, and handle attachments and signatures. The package supports multithreading and async operations for optimal performance.

Key features include:

The following sections demonstrate converting PDF pages to popular image formats like JPEG, JPG, or PNG using Python.

How Do I Convert PDF Files to Images Using IronPDF?

To convert a PDF document to images, use the RasterizeToImageFiles method provided by IronPDF for Python. This method generates image files from the PDF document. The asterisk (*) symbol represents the page number, starting from 1.

If output images appear blurry, increase the DPI (dots per inch) value. Note that higher DPI values result in longer rendering times. Standard DPI values are:

  • 72 DPI: Screen resolution (fast processing, smaller file size)
  • 96 DPI: Standard web quality
  • 150 DPI: Good print quality
  • 300 DPI: High-quality print (larger file size, slower processing)

IronPDF for Python supports more than PDF-to-image conversion. It also creates images directly from URLs and HTML sources.

How Can I Convert an Entire PDF Document to Images?

The following example converts an entire PDF document to images. This approach is useful for extracting all pages as individual image files for batch processing or archival purposes.

```python:title=Convert PDF to Images from ironpdf import PdfDocument

pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("my-content.pdf")

pdf.RasterizeToImageFiles("assets/images/*.png", DPI=96)


Output images save to the "assets/images" folder within your project. Create this folder before running the program. Image files are numbered starting from 1 and increment for each PDF page.

<div class="content-img-align-center">  
<div class="center-image-wrapper">  
<a rel="nofollow" href="/static-assets/ironpdf-java/howto/java-pdf-to-image/java-pdf-to-image-5.webp" target="_blank"><img src="/static-assets/ironpdf-java/howto/java-pdf-to-image/java-pdf-to-image-5.webp" alt="File explorer showing 11 PNG images (1.png-11.png) generated from PDF conversion using IronPDF Python library" class="img-responsive add-shadow"></a>  
    <p class="content__image-caption">PDF to Images Output</p>  
</div>  
</div>

### How Do I Convert a URL to PDF and Then to Images?

IronPDF for Python can [convert HTML to PDF](https://ironpdf.com/python/tutorials/html-to-pdf/) directly and convert each resulting PDF page into images. This feature creates visual archives of web pages or generates preview images for web-based documents.

The following example renders a page from Amazon.com as a PDF and saves each page as separate images within an "assets/images" folder.

```python
from ironpdf import ChromePdfRenderer

# Instantiate the PDF renderer
renderer = ChromePdfRenderer()

# Create a PDF from a URL or local file path
pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://www.amazon.com/?tag=hp2-brobookmark-us-20")

# Extract all pages to a folder as image files
pdf.RasterizeToImageFiles("assets/images/*.png", DPI=96)
File explorer showing 5 PNG files (1.png-5.png) created from PDF conversion using IronPDF Python library

PDF to Images Output

To adjust image size, specify the desired width and height using ImageMaxWidth and ImageMaxHeight parameters (measured in pixels). This feature creates thumbnails or ensures images fit within specific layout constraints.

The aspect ratio maintains based on the height parameter, preventing stretched or distorted images.

# Generate images with specified maximum dimensions and DPI
pdf.RasterizeToImageFiles("assets/images/*.png", ImageMaxWidth=500, ImageMaxHeight=500, DPI=200)
# Generate images with specified maximum dimensions and DPI
pdf.RasterizeToImageFiles("assets/images/*.png", ImageMaxWidth=500, ImageMaxHeight=500, DPI=200)
PYTHON

What Are the Next Steps After Converting PDFs to Images?

This guide covered converting PDFs into images using IronPDF for Python. The resulting images include page numbers, as shown in the examples. IronPDF supports various image formats, including JPEG, JPG, TIFF, and more.

IronPDF allows customizing image resolution based on specific requirements. For advanced image processing needs, consider:

  • Batch Processing: Convert multiple PDFs in a single operation
  • Selective Page Conversion: Extract only specific pages as images
  • Format-Specific Options: Use format-specific parameters for JPEG quality or TIFF compression
  • Integration with Image Libraries: Combine with PIL or OpenCV for further image processing

Learn more from the Get Started with IronPDF for Python Guide, which includes additional guides on working with PDFs using Python.

Please noteFurther Reading: Converting PDFs to Images

IronPDF for Python is free for development purposes. Commercial use requires a license. For detailed licensing information, visit the IronPDF licensing page.

Download the software product.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert a PDF to image formats in Python?

IronPDF for Python provides the RasterizeToImageFiles method to convert PDF documents to image formats like JPEG, PNG, and TIFF. Simply load your PDF with PdfDocument.FromFile() and then call RasterizeToImageFiles() with your desired output format and quality settings.

What image formats are supported when converting PDFs?

IronPDF supports conversion to major image formats including JPEG, PNG, and TIFF. You can specify the format through the file extension in the RasterizeToImageFiles method, such as '*.png' for PNG or '*.jpg' for JPEG format.

How can I control the quality of converted images?

IronPDF allows you to control image quality through the DPI parameter in the RasterizeToImageFiles method. Higher DPI values (like 150 or 300) produce better quality images, while lower values (like 96) create smaller file sizes suitable for web previews.

Can I set custom dimensions for the converted images?

Yes, IronPDF provides ImageMaxWidth and ImageMaxHeight parameters in the RasterizeToImageFiles method to set custom dimensions for your converted images, allowing you to create thumbnails or specific-sized images for your application needs.

Is it possible to convert web pages to images via PDF?

Absolutely! IronPDF can first convert URLs to PDF using the RenderUrlAsPdf method, then convert those PDFs to images. This two-step process allows you to capture web content as high-quality images for archiving or processing.

What are the common use cases for PDF to image conversion?

IronPDF's PDF to image conversion is commonly used for web preview generation, creating thumbnails for document management systems, extracting visual content for OCR applications, and including PDF pages as images in reports or other document formats.

Does the conversion support multi-page PDFs?

Yes, IronPDF's RasterizeToImageFiles method automatically handles multi-page PDFs, converting each page into a separate image file with automatic numbering, making it ideal for batch processing and automated workflows.

What performance features are available for large-scale conversions?

IronPDF supports multithreading and async operations for optimal performance when converting multiple PDFs or large documents to images, ensuring efficient processing even in high-volume applications.

Curtis Chau
Curtis Chau
  Chat with engineering team now
Technical Writer

Curtis Chau holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (Carleton University) and specializes in front-end development with expertise in Node.js, TypeScript, JavaScript, and React. Passionate about crafting intuitive and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces, Curtis enjoys working with modern frameworks and creating well-structured, visually appealing manuals.

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