How to Convert Images to PDF — Free Guide (2026)

Converting images to PDF is one of the most common document tasks — whether you're archiving receipts, creating a photo portfolio, or compiling scanned documents. This guide covers the fastest, free ways to turn JPG, PNG, and other images into clean, professional PDFs.

When Should You Convert Images to PDF?

Images and PDFs serve different purposes. Here's when converting makes sense:

• Multiple images into one file: Combine 20 product photos into a single PDF catalog
• Sharing scanned documents: Scanned receipts or contracts are cleaner as PDFs than raw JPGs
• Preserving layout: PDFs maintain their formatting across all devices and printers
• Reducing file clutter: One PDF is easier to manage than dozens of individual image files
• Formal submissions: Many platforms and institutions only accept PDFs, not raw image files

Method 1: Online Image to PDF Converter (Recommended)

PDFLY's Image to PDF tool lets you combine multiple images into a single PDF in seconds — directly in your browser, with no uploads and no sign-up required.

Step-by-Step:

1. Open PDFLY's Image to PDF tool
2. Click "Select Images" or drag and drop your JPG, PNG, WebP, or BMP files
3. Use the arrows to reorder images — the order you set is the page order in your PDF
4. Choose page orientation: Portrait or Landscape
5. Click "Convert to PDF" — the PDF is generated instantly in your browser
6. Click "Download PDF" to save your file

Supported formats: JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, WebP, GIF, TIFF

Privacy: Images are processed locally in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to any server.

Method 2: Windows Built-In Print to PDF

Windows 10 and 11 include a built-in "Microsoft Print to PDF" printer that lets you convert any image to PDF directly from File Explorer.

Convert a Single Image on Windows:

1. Right-click the image file in File Explorer
2. Select "Print" from the context menu
3. In the Print dialog, select "Microsoft Print to PDF" as the printer
4. Choose paper size (A4 or Letter for standard documents)
5. Click "Print" — Windows will ask where to save the PDF

Limitation: Windows Print to PDF only converts one image at a time. For multiple images, use PDFLY or the Photos app method below.

Combine Multiple Images Using Windows Photos App:

1. Select all images in File Explorer (Ctrl+click or Shift+click)
2. Right-click → "Open with" → "Photos"
3. In Photos, press Ctrl+P to print
4. Select "Microsoft Print to PDF" as printer
5. Choose layout and click "Print"

Method 3: Mac Preview

Mac's Preview app can convert images to PDF natively — and it can combine multiple images into a single PDF with a simple drag-and-drop workflow.

Convert Multiple Images to One PDF on Mac:

1. Select all your image files in Finder
2. Right-click → "Open With" → "Preview"
3. All images open in Preview's thumbnail sidebar
4. Drag thumbnails to reorder if needed
5. Go to File → "Export as PDF"
6. Name your file and click "Save"

Pros: Free, built-in, handles most image formats
Cons: Mac only, limited control over page sizing and orientation

Method 4: Mobile — iPhone and Android

On iPhone (iOS 16+):

1. Open the Photos app and select your images
2. Tap the Share button (box with arrow)
3. Scroll down and tap "Print"
4. In the Print Preview, use a pinch-out gesture to turn it into a PDF
5. Tap the Share icon and "Save to Files"

On Android:

1. Open your Gallery and select images
2. Tap the three-dot menu → "Print"
3. Select "Save as PDF" as the printer
4. Tap the PDF/download icon to save

Image to PDF Comparison Table

Tips for Best PDF Quality from Images

• Use high-resolution originals: Start with at least 150 DPI for screen viewing, 300 DPI for print
• Use PNG for documents: If your images contain text (like screenshots), use PNG over JPG to avoid compression artifacts on text
• Match page size: Set page orientation (portrait vs landscape) to match your image dimensions for the cleanest result
• Compress afterward if needed: If your PDF is too large for email, use PDFLY's PDF Compress tool to reduce the file size

Common Questions

Can I convert a JPG photo to a PDF that's the same file size?

When you convert a JPG to PDF, the PDF wraps the image in a PDF container. The resulting file is usually slightly larger than the original JPG because PDF includes additional metadata and structure. You can compress the PDF afterward if file size is a concern.

Will the image quality degrade when converting to PDF?

With PDFLY, no. Images are embedded in the PDF at their original quality — there's no re-compression or quality loss during conversion. The only way quality degrades is if you separately compress the PDF afterward.

Can I convert a screenshot to PDF?

Yes. Screenshots are just PNG or JPG files and can be converted to PDF using any of the methods above. For best results, use the PNG format for screenshots since it preserves text crispness better than JPG.