Inspiring

Answered

How to extract and export Images from PDF??

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
July 4, 2023
8 replies
77862 views

I am trying to extract only images and export them to JPG (from a PDF document). I am not trying to save PDF pages as images.

In 2023, this seems to have become an impossible task. I actually need to ask for help in the forum, just to export images. Is this a bad joke? I have over 30 years of computer science experience and am struggle to export images from DC? Is it just me???

I have searched past forum entries, but they all seem to relate to menu items I don't even see in the UI any longer. DC has been changed so many times, it has become very difficult to use.

I finally figured out how to deactivate the "new" Adobe DC UI (which I found to be a terrifying experience). But after the switch, I still can't find that command?!?

If I remember correctly, there used to be a feature "Extract images". Has Adobe removed that? If so why?

Does anyone know why Adobe keeps changing things around? Is it company policy to confuse people? At Microsoft the basic commands have stayed the same in the UI since a decade. That's what I call consistency. In Adobe apps, everything changes constantly.

Anyway, any help appreciated (how to export / extract images only).
Thanks.

PS: If Adobe would at least update their help pages / manuals. Most of the entries pertain to versions that arent in use any longer or refer to commands that I don't see in my apps.

Correct answer BruceKoe

Yep - this eight step solution worked for me by following the steps. This is correct if you want to export/extract the individual images that are embedded in a PDF file. I exported these nine JPG images indiviually from one single PDF page. See screenshot.

lorenzo126

New Participant

I completely understand your frustration, and no, it’s not just you. Adobe Acrobat DC still allows image extraction, but the feature has been moved and buried under different tool sections, which makes it feel like it was removed. The most reliable way today is through Tools → Print Production → Preflight, where you can run the “Extract all images” fixup to export embedded images directly. Otherwise, Acrobat often only exports full pages as images instead of the original pictures. Adobe’s frequent UI changes have definitely made simple tasks harder than they should be, and many help articles are outdated, so your confusion is very valid. Hopefully this points you to the right place and saves you more time.

josephjames8

New Participant

You’re definitely not alone Adobe has buried or moved that feature so many times it’s frustrating even for experienced users. Tools like “Export PDF” or third-party extractors seem to be the only reliable workaround now. Clear answers in threads like this are a lifesaver, much like having a smooth JJ77 Game Login when you just want things to work.

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ErinJP

Participating Frequently

If you click on “More Tools” on the bottom left of the tool bar, scroll down to the bottom under “Customize” you will see an “Export all Images” tool.

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ecabral

New Participant

I'm reading this thread in July 2024 as I've also trying to extract individual images (as in "illustrations" and/or photos) from a PDF on Adobe Acrobat Pro for Mac. I followed everyone's instructions and I could not make it work. I believe the reason why is in the small text in a help page previously shared by Amal:

Note:

You can export raster images, but not vector objects.

https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/exporting-pdfs-file-formats.html

This makes all the difference. When I tried to export vector images all I got was an export of whole individual pages as PDF. When I tested the same with a different file, with photos (raster images) they all got exported as separate individual JPG files.

Unfortunately, my file only has vector images... Hope this helps clear up some confusion!

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Rebecca31523946n92j

New Participant

Open the PDf in photoshop.

In Import PDF settings, select images not pages.

Select all images.

Make a script that saves and closes in the folder you want.

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Red PointAuthor

Inspiring

I finally found a third party post on the web (non-Adobe) that explained how to do it (I have no clue why Adobe is making it so difficult) and why so many in the forums dont even understand the question???

This is what you need to do in 2023, to get "Extract images from PDF" to work again in Adobe Acrobat DC (What previously was achieved in one simple menu command "Extract images from PDF" in 2023 will take 15 steps with multiple hurdles along the way):

1.) First hurdle: Make sure PDF opens in Acrobat DC not Acrobat Reader. In Windows its probably best to right click file and choose "Edit with Adobe Acrobat)
2.) The top menu has become pretty much useless in Adobe Acrobat . Instead check right menu sidebar (with colorful teletubbies icons) and choose "More Tools"
3.) All tools will be shown. However, you will still not find "Extract Images from PDF". Although this page is called "All tools", it does not show "All tools".
4.) You need to scroll all the way down to "Create Custom Tool" (Orange Icon). If you don't see it, but instead only see your name under the icon, you propably have to deactivate the new UI first (most likely).
5.) The "create custom tool" menu appears.
6.) Scroll down until you see: "Save & Export" (on the left side)
7.) Uncollapse "Save & Export"
8.) Highlight "Export All Images"
9.) Click the plus + symbol with the arrow pointing to the right
10.) Click save.
11.) Name your custom tool "Extract images from PDF"
12.) An orange (teletubbies) flower icon appears in the right menu side bar.
13.) Click on it. In theory you should now see the "Extract images from PDF menu"
14.) When I click on the symbol, nothing happens. It took me some time to figure this out:
15.) When you click the icon, nothing happens, but a new Text link will open up at the top of the page (displying the name you gave your custom tool). Click that and voila, you have finally managed to open the "Extract images from PDF" menu, which will only export images in your PDF (hence "Extract images from PDF).

Seriously, if I paid a dev team a million dollars to make it extremly difficult to find this menu, they would not have been able to surpass this cumbersome process above. But it did help me understand better why Adobe has 29,000 employees, as you need that many smart people to figure out how to make things so incredibly difficult!

I really regret having ever updated to DC, this app is a real productivity killer!!

Again: I WAS NOT TRYING TO EXPORT PDF PAGES AS IMAGES. I was trying to extract images from PDF. Yes.... there is a difference!

This is the correct answer.

Cheers!

PS: It is also possible to export a PDF as a WordDoc and you can then export images individually from your newly created Word Doc. Good 'ol Microsoft actually lets you extract images fairly easily (unlike Adobe Teletubbies DC). This workaround solution is time consuming and will work for small files, but it's not a viable solution for larger PDFs.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

You keep repeating that you "don't want to extract pages as images". We read it the first time and every response has given the correct instructions for extracting the separate images - not extracting pages as images. We do understand the difference. But you don't want to believe us, so it's hard to imagine how we can help.Did you even once try the "Extract all images" option that was recommended to you? I think what you really want is evidence that Acrobat is hard to use, rather than any actual advice. Certainly, I won't be wasting any more of my time, or yours.

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alicias68875729

New Participant

I also miss this step. I tried all the things you suggested and it did not give me the separate images as it used to do.

I don't know why this was taken out but it is very, very, frustrating.

Also your snide comment doesn't sit well with me.

Amal.

Community Manager

Hi @Red Point

++ Adding to the correct suggestion by Test Screen Name

Pease go through the help page https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/exporting-pdfs-file-formats.html for more information about exporting and extracting the images in a PDF .

Regards

Amal

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Red PointAuthor

Inspiring

I appreciate your suggestion and your URL link to the help file. But your link is incorrect. If you would have read my post, I did menion that the help page does not mentioned how to extraxt images from PDF. Also, I am not trying to export PDF pages as images (as I have written in my initial post in the FIRST SENTENCE!!) Not sure why you post the link then? If you dont have the time to read a post, maybe don't bother answering? It just confuses people, when you post an answer which is not related to the question....

Bernd Alheit

Community Expert

Use Export PDF:

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Red PointAuthor

Inspiring

This is not the correct answer! Please read my post. I actually added the first sentence to my initial post so that even people who only read the first sentence of a post don't miss the fact that I am NOT TRYING TO EXPORT PDF PAGES AS IMAGES. I am trying to extract images from PDF. There is a difference!!!

Please uncheck "Correcr Answer" and re-read the post as this is misleading and also not correct.