Convert PDF to PNG on Mac
Select the PDF files in Finder, press ⌥ F, choose PNG and press Return. FileFlip saves each PNG next to its original and works without an internet connection.
How to convert PDF to PNG 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 “PNG” to jump to it.
Choose PNG and press Return
The PNG files appear next to the originals with the same names. The PDF files stay as they are.
PDF and PNG
PDFs are hard to edit and awkward to reuse in other apps. PNG keeps every pixel and supports transparency, which is what you want for screenshots, graphics and further editing.
What changes when you convert
- The PNG is a picture of the page: its text can no longer be selected or searched.
| Property | PNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Portable Document Format | Portable Network Graphics |
| Made by | Adobe; an ISO standard since 2008 | PNG Development Group |
| Introduced | 1993 | 1996 |
| Best for | Sharing, printing and archiving documents | Screenshots, logos, graphics and images with text or transparency |
| Opens in | Every browser, Preview, Acrobat and every phone | Everywhere, including every web browser |
| File extension | .png | |
| 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 PNG 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 png report.pdf \
--out report.pngBuilt into macOS. Converts the first page only.
Questions about PDF and PNG
Can I still search the text in the PNG?
No. The PNG 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 PNG. Progress moves to the menu bar, so you can close the panel and keep working.
Where is the PNG file saved?
Next to the original, with the same name and the .png extension. The PDF file isn’t changed. In Settings you can choose a different folder instead.
Can I convert PNG back to PDF?
Yes, FileFlip converts PNG 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