I needed to pull 47 product photos out of a vendor’s PDF catalog last month. Doing it one by one with screenshots would have taken an hour. So I tested every free tool I could find that claims to extract images from PDFs.
Some worked perfectly. Some mangled the resolution. One tool just converted each page to a JPG and called it “extraction.” Not helpful.
Here are the 7 tools that actually worked, ranked by how well they preserved original image quality, speed, and how annoying the free tier limitations were.
If you work with PDFs regularly, you might also want to check our roundup of the best free PDF editors – it covers editing, annotating, and more beyond just image extraction.
Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Price | File Limit (Free) | Output Formats | Batch Processing | Registration | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDF24 Tools | 100% free | No limit | JPG, PNG | Yes | No | Unlimited free use |
| iLovePDF | Free / $4/mo | ~5 files/hour | JPG, PNG | Yes | Optional | Clean UI, fast |
| Sejda | Free / $5/mo | 3 tasks/day, 50 MB | JPG, PNG | Yes | No | Privacy (2-hour auto-delete) |
| SmallPDF | Free / $9/mo | 2 tasks/day | JPG | No | Required | Beginners |
| Adobe Acrobat Online | Free / $12.99/mo | 1 file (then login) | JPG, PNG | No | Required after 1st use | Adobe ecosystem users |
| PDF Candy | Free / $6/mo | 1 task/hour | JPG, PNG, BMP | Yes | No | Extra output formats |
| PyMuPDF (Python) | Free (open source) | No limit | Any (PNG, JPG, TIFF, etc.) | Scriptable | No | Developers, bulk automation |
1. PDF24 Tools – Best Overall (Completely Free)
PDF24 has been my go-to for PDF tasks since 2024. The image extraction tool works exactly how you’d expect: upload a PDF, click extract, get a ZIP file with every embedded image.
What I liked
- No file size limit, no daily task cap, no account needed
- Extracted images at their original resolution – a 3000×2000 photo came out at 3000×2000
- Processing was fast, about 12 seconds for a 38-page catalog with 47 images
- Also offers a desktop app (Windows) if you prefer offline processing
What I didn’t like
- Interface is functional but looks dated compared to iLovePDF or SmallPDF
- No option to select specific pages before extraction – it grabs everything
PDF24 is run by a German company (Geek Software GmbH) and processes files on EU servers. Files are deleted after processing. For a tool that costs nothing and has no catches, it is hard to complain about the UI.
How to extract images with PDF24
- Go to PDF24 Tools and select “Extract Images”
- Upload your PDF (drag and drop works)
- Click “Extract Images”
- Download the ZIP containing all extracted images
2. iLovePDF – Best Interface
iLovePDF is probably the most polished PDF tool suite online. Their image extraction feature isn’t a separate tool though – it’s part of their “PDF to JPG” converter with an option to “Extract images.”
That distinction matters. If you just hit “Convert” without selecting “Extract images,” you get page screenshots instead of the actual embedded images.
What I liked
- The cleanest interface of any tool I tested
- Cloud integration with Google Drive and Dropbox – upload directly from there
- Preserved original image dimensions and quality
- Fast processing, handled my 47-image PDF in about 8 seconds
What I didn’t like
- Free tier limits you to roughly 5 operations per hour (the exact cap is unclear and seems to vary)
- Premium is $4/month for unlimited, which is reasonable but still a cost
- Extracted images default to JPG – no PNG option on the free tier
If you process fewer than 5 PDFs a day, the free tier is enough. The interface alone makes it worth trying first.
3. Sejda – Best for Privacy-Conscious Users
Sejda deletes all uploaded files after 2 hours automatically. That’s not just a claim in their privacy policy – they’ve been audited on it and it’s the shortest retention period I’ve seen among free PDF tools.
What I liked
- Automatic 2-hour file deletion (most competitors say “within 24 hours”)
- No account needed
- Clean extraction that preserves original image quality
- Also works as a desktop app (Windows, Mac, Linux)
What I didn’t like
- Free tier: 3 tasks per day, max 50 MB per file, max 200 pages
- After 3 tasks you have to wait until the next day – no workaround
- Premium is $5/month or $63/year
For sensitive documents – contracts, medical records, financial statements – Sejda’s auto-delete policy gives peace of mind. The 3-task-per-day limit is the main drawback.
4. SmallPDF – Simplest to Use
SmallPDF targets people who don’t want to think about settings or options. You upload, you click, you get results. That simplicity comes at the cost of flexibility.
What I liked
- Genuinely the simplest workflow – two clicks and done
- Works well on mobile browsers
- Good image quality on extracted files
What I didn’t like
- Only 2 free tasks per day – the stingiest limit on this list
- Requires a free account after your first task
- Pro plan is $9/month, which is expensive for what you get
- JPG output only on the free tier
Honestly, SmallPDF is fine for a quick one-off extraction. But if you need this regularly, the 2-task limit pushes you toward paid faster than any competitor. I’d recommend PDF24 or iLovePDF instead for regular use.
5. Adobe Acrobat Online – Best for Adobe Users
Adobe’s free online tools let you do one operation without an account. After that, you need to sign in with a free Adobe ID. The actual extraction quality is excellent – no surprise, since Adobe invented the PDF format.
What I liked
- Best extraction quality in my testing – pixel-perfect at original resolution
- Handles complex PDFs with layered graphics better than any other tool
- If you already pay for Creative Cloud, this is included
What I didn’t like
- The free online version is extremely limited – basically one task as a demo
- Adobe ID is required immediately after the first operation
- Acrobat Pro is $12.99/month, overkill if you just need image extraction
- The online interface is slower than competitors, lots of loading screens
If you already have an Adobe subscription, use this. If you don’t, the free tier is too restrictive to recommend over PDF24 or Sejda.
6. PDF Candy – Best for Unusual Formats
PDF Candy supports BMP and TIFF output alongside the standard JPG and PNG. That matters if you’re working with print-ready files or archival documents where format matters.
What I liked
- BMP and TIFF output options that other free tools don’t offer
- No registration needed
- Desktop version available for offline use (Windows)
- Straightforward extraction process
What I didn’t like
- Only 1 free task per hour on the web version
- Processing speed was the slowest in my testing – about 25 seconds for the same 38-page test file
- The website has more ads than competitors
The 1-task-per-hour limit is annoying. But if you specifically need BMP or TIFF output and don’t want to install software, PDF Candy is your best free option.
7. PyMuPDF – Best for Developers and Bulk Processing
If you need to extract images from 500 PDFs, no web tool is going to cut it. PyMuPDF (imported as fitz in Python) is an open-source library that gives you full control.
I used this to process an entire archive of 312 product catalogs in about 4 minutes. Try doing that with a web tool.
Basic extraction script
import fitz # pip install PyMuPDF
doc = fitz.open("catalog.pdf")
for page_num in range(len(doc)):
page = doc[page_num]
images = page.get_images(full=True)
for img_index, img in enumerate(images):
xref = img[0]
base_image = doc.extract_image(xref)
image_bytes = base_image["image"]
ext = base_image["ext"]
with open(f"page{page_num+1}_img{img_index+1}.{ext}", "wb") as f:
f.write(image_bytes)
What I liked
- No file limits, no daily caps, no upload to external servers
- Extracts images at native resolution and original format (PNG, JPG, JPEG2000, etc.)
- Can filter by image dimensions – skip tiny icons, only grab photos above a certain size
- Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Active development and good documentation
What I didn’t like
- Requires Python and command line comfort
- Setup takes 5-10 minutes if Python isn’t already installed
- No GUI – strictly code-based
PyMuPDF is overkill for extracting images from one PDF. But for batch jobs or automation, nothing else comes close.
Which Tool Should You Pick?
Here’s how I’d decide:
- For most people: PDF24 Tools. Free, no limits, no account. Just works.
- For the best experience: iLovePDF. Prettier interface, slightly faster, but has a soft free-tier cap.
- For sensitive documents: Sejda. 2-hour auto-delete gives real privacy assurance.
- For developers: PyMuPDF. Scriptable, local, zero limits.
- For Adobe subscribers: Acrobat Online. You’re already paying for it.
Whichever tool you pick, make sure you’re actually extracting embedded images and not just converting pages to JPG. The difference matters for quality. Look for an “Extract images” option specifically.
For more PDF tools and features like editing, merging, and converting, check our full guide to the best free PDF editors. And if you need to pull text instead of images, our best free PDF OCR software roundup covers that.
Tips for Getting Better Results
Check the PDF type first
PDFs come in two flavors that matter here. Native PDFs (created from Word, InDesign, etc.) contain actual embedded images that tools can extract cleanly. Scanned PDFs are just page-sized photos – you’ll get the whole page as one image and need to crop manually.
Watch out for DRM-protected PDFs
Some PDFs have extraction restrictions set by the creator. Most free tools will refuse to process these, or they’ll only extract low-resolution thumbnails. If you own the document and need to bypass this, tools like our PDF unlocking guide can help you remove restrictions legally for your own files.
Batch processing saves real time
If you have more than 10 PDFs to process, don’t do them one by one through a web tool. Use PDF24’s desktop app or PyMuPDF. I wasted 40 minutes doing web uploads before switching to PyMuPDF and finishing 300+ files in under 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I extract images from a PDF for free?
Yes. PDF24 is completely free with no limits. iLovePDF and Sejda have free tiers that handle most everyday tasks – iLovePDF allows several files per hour, and Sejda gives you 3 tasks per day with files up to 50 MB.
How do I extract images from a PDF without losing quality?
Use a tool that extracts the original embedded image rather than converting the page to a screenshot. PDF24, Adobe Acrobat, and PyMuPDF all pull the actual image data at its native resolution. Avoid tools that simply render the page as JPG – that downgrades quality. Look for an “extract images” option rather than “convert PDF to image.”
Can I extract images from a scanned PDF?
A scanned PDF stores each page as one large image rather than individual graphics. You can extract those full-page images with any tool on this list. But if you need to isolate a specific photo or chart within the scan, you’ll need to crop it manually afterward using a photo editor.
Is there a way to extract images from PDF using Python?
Yes. PyMuPDF (also called fitz) is the most popular free library for this. Install it with pip install PyMuPDF, then use a short script to loop through pages and extract embedded images. It gives you full control over output format, resolution, and filtering by image size. See the code example above.
What format are extracted images saved in?
It depends on the tool and the original image format inside the PDF. Most web tools default to JPG. PyMuPDF preserves the original format (which could be PNG, JPG, JPEG2000, or even TIFF). If you need PNG specifically, PDF24 and Sejda both support it.