Convert PDF to JPEG on Mac
Select the PDF files in Finder, press ⌥ F, choose JPEG and press Return. FileFlip saves each JPEG next to its original and works without an internet connection.
How to convert PDF to JPEG with FileFlip
Select the PDF files
In Finder or on the Desktop. One file, or a whole folder with ⌘ A.
Press ⌥ F
FileFlip opens next to the selection and lists the formats it can make from PDF. Type “JPEG” to jump to it.
Choose JPEG and press Return
The JPEG files appear next to the originals with the same names. The PDF files stay as they are.
PDF and JPEG
PDFs are hard to edit and awkward to reuse in other apps. JPEG opens everywhere, from email and websites to Windows PCs and photo printing services.
What changes when you convert
- The JPEG is a picture of the page: its text can no longer be selected or searched.
| Property | JPEG | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Portable Document Format | Joint Photographic Experts Group |
| Made by | Adobe; an ISO standard since 2008 | Joint Photographic Experts Group |
| Introduced | 1993 | 1992 |
| Best for | Sharing, printing and archiving documents | Photos you want to send, upload or print anywhere |
| Opens in | Every browser, Preview, Acrobat and every phone | Every computer, phone, browser and photo app |
| File extension | .jpg, .jpeg | |
| In FileFlip | Opens and saves | Opens and saves |
Other ways on a Mac
For one file now and then you may not need FileFlip. These work with what’s already on your Mac.
Preview
Open the PDF in Preview, choose File → Export, pick JPEG from the Format menu and click Save. Preview exports one page at a time.
Good for a few files now and then.
Terminal
The sips command converts images in place or into a new file.
sips -s format jpeg report.pdf \
--out report.jpgBuilt into macOS. Converts the first page only.
Questions about PDF and JPEG
Can I still search the text in the JPEG?
No. The JPEG is an image of the page. Keep the PDF if you need selectable text.
Can I convert many PDF files at once?
Yes. Select them all in Finder, press ⌥ F and choose JPEG. Progress moves to the menu bar, so you can close the panel and keep working.
Where is the JPEG file saved?
Next to the original, with the same name and the .jpg extension. The PDF file isn’t changed. In Settings you can choose a different folder instead.
Can I convert JPEG back to PDF?
Yes, FileFlip converts JPEG to PDF as well.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. FileFlip converts files on your Mac and works with the internet turned off.
Convert a stack of PDFs at once
FileFlip also handles images, camera raw files, video, audio, documents and data files. Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
Coming soon for Mac