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Extract Images from a PDF

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🌍 Foreign Residents in Korea Series

Step-by-step guides for foreigners living in Korea — from address registration and visa to banking, taxes, and digital certificates.

I once saved an entire PDF just for one picture—now I know how to pull it out in seconds.

Extract Images from a PDF

In short

Use an “Export Images” or “Extract” tool to pull originals at their embedded quality. For photos, keep the original format and DPI. For logos/diagrams stored as vectors, export to SVG/PDF instead of taking screenshots.

Know Your PDF Content

PDFs can contain two main types of graphics:

  • Raster images (photos/screenshots): Stored at a fixed resolution (DPI). Best exported in their original format (JPEG/PNG) without re-compression.
  • Vector graphics (logos/diagrams/line art): Resolution-independent paths. Best exported as SVG, EPS, or a single-page PDF for perfect sharpness.
💡 Tip If zooming to 800% stays sharp, it’s vector. If it becomes blocky, it’s a raster image.

Desktop Methods (Lossless First)

Method A: Export Embedded Images (Lossless)

  1. Open the PDF in a full-featured editor/viewer.
  2. Use File → Export → Images or Tools → Export → Images.
  3. Choose Original or Do not downsample/recompress. Keep the original format (JPEG stays JPEG, PNG stays PNG).
  4. Export all images, or select by page range if needed.

Method B: Save Vector Graphics (Crisp Logos/Charts)

  1. Switch to an object/selection tool if available.
  2. Select the vector object (logo, icon, chart).
  3. Export/Save selection as SVG (preferred) or EPS/PDF to keep infinite sharpness.

Method C: Render Page to Image (When Embedded Export Isn’t Possible)

  1. Choose Export → Image or Save As → PNG/JPEG/TIFF.
  2. Set a high resolution (e.g., 300–600 DPI) for print-quality crops.
  3. Crop the desired area in an image editor to isolate the graphic.
⚠️ Note Page rendering is not lossless for embedded images—it re-rasterizes the page. Use only if direct extraction isn’t supported.

Web Methods (Quick Extraction)

  1. Upload the PDF to a trusted online extractor.
  2. Pick Extract images only (skip converting each page to images).
  3. Disable options like “compress” or “resize.”
  4. Download the ZIP of images. Check that file types and sizes look similar to expected originals.
💡 Tip For confidential files, prefer offline tools. If you must use the web, delete uploads after processing and avoid storing links.

Quality Checks & File Formats

Verify You Got the Original

  • Compare file sizes: a 2 MB photo in PDF that exports to 100 KB likely got recompressed—re-extract with “original quality.”
  • Inspect EXIF/metadata when relevant (capture date, dimensions).
  • Zoom to 200–400% to confirm edges look the same as in the PDF.

Choose the Right Output Format

  • JPEG: Photos; keep original quality factor if possible.
  • PNG: Screenshots, UI, transparency, line art with few colors.
  • TIFF: Archival/scans; supports lossless compression.
  • SVG/EPS/PDF: Vectors; perfect for logos and diagrams.
⚠️ Note Screenshots of the PDF viewer reduce quality and remove vectors. Always extract or export—don’t screenshot—unless nothing else works.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Q. Can I extract images without losing quality?
    A. Yes. Use an “export embedded images” function that saves the original files and disables recompression or resizing.
  2. Q. How do I get a vector logo out of a PDF?
    A. Select the object and export as SVG/EPS/PDF. If your tool can’t select it, print to PDF page range 1 or use a vector-capable editor to open and save the object.
  3. Q. The extractor saved tiny images—why?
    A. Some PDFs contain thumbnails or low-res previews. Check other pages or use a tool that distinguishes embedded originals from preview images.
  4. Q. Can I extract from a password-protected PDF?
    A. Only after unlocking with the correct password and permissions. Respect copyright/licensing before extracting or reusing images.

Notes

Note. Keep an untouched original PDF. Name exported sets clearly (e.g., project-images_original-embed.zip, project-vectors_svg/).

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