"The image my PDF converted to is blurry" is one of the most common complaints about document tools. In most cases the tool isn't at fault — the export settings are. This guide walks you through the three parameter groups of the PDF to Image tool so you can produce consistently sharp output.
Step 1: Control Pixel Density with the Resolution Multiplier
A PDF is a vector document, so it gets rasterized at a "multiplier" when converted to an image. The tool offers four levels: 1x, 1.5x, 2x, and 3x:
| Multiplier | Best for | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 1x | Quick preview, reading on mobile | Text may look small |
| 1.5x | Everyday sharing | Balanced size and sharpness |
| 2x | Web publishing, PPT illustrations | Recommended default |
| 3x | Printing, zooming in, design assets | Sharpest, larger files |
Rule of thumb: start with 2x, and only move up to 3x if edges look soft when you zoom in. Don't use 3x by default, or the image size of large documents will multiply.
Step 2: Choose the Format by Content
| Format | Best for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | Contract text, icons, pages that need transparency | Larger files, but lossless |
| JPEG | Scanned documents, photo-based PDFs | Lossy; don't go below 0.9 quality |
| WebP | Web publishing | Smaller than JPEG with comparable quality |
For documents full of small text or fine lines, make sure to choose PNG; for pure photos/scans, choose JPEG 0.92 or WebP.
Step 3: Set the Image Quality Correctly
JPEG / WebP have an "Image Quality" slider (0–1, default 0.92). When converting a text-heavy PDF to JPEG:
- 0.9–1.0: Sharp text, ideal for formal documents.
- 0.7–0.85: Smaller files, but fine text may show noise.
- Below 0.7: Only recommended for thumbnails.
Special Note for Scanned Documents
If the source PDF is a scan at under 300 DPI, the sharpness ceiling of the output is set by the source file itself. Recommendations:
- First check the PDF's original resolution — zoom in to 150% and look for obvious noise.
- For scans, use 3x + PNG to preserve as much detail as possible.
- When you need to shrink the file size, run the result through the Image Compressor tool instead of lowering the export quality.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The text in my converted image looks blurry — what should I do?
Raise the resolution multiplier to 3x, switch the format to PNG, and for JPEG push the quality above 0.95.
The images are too large — what should I do?
Pick the multiplier you actually need (such as 2x), then optimize the exported files with the image compressor instead of sacrificing sharpness.
Can I export multi-page PDFs in a batch?
Yes. After uploading, choose "Package Download" and all pages are exported in order as a ZIP.