How to Convert PDF to GIF

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: January 31, 2023 Tested

You can easily convert a PDF into a GIF image using simple software or an online converter. We'll walk you through converting a PDF file into the GIF format using both Windows and macOS.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

On a Mac

1
Double-click your target PDF to open it in "Preview". "Preview" is a default picture-viewing app; the icon resembles a couple of photos with a circular viewing glass on top of them.
- If Preview isn't your default PDF-viewing app, you'll need to click and drag your PDF over to the Preview icon and drop it there to open it in Preview.
2
Click "File" in the toolbar at the top of the screen. This option is to the right of the "Preview" text.

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3
Click the "Export" option.
4
Hold down the "Option" key and click the "Format" field. The Format option won't display obscure file formats by default; holding down the Option key when clicking Format bypasses this tendency and gives you the option of saving as a GIF.^{[1]
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- The "Option" key is nestled between Control and ⌘ Command at the bottom of your keyboard.
5
Click the "GIF" option to save as a GIF. You can also rename your file and choose a save destination from here.
6
Click "Save" to save your screenshot. You have successfully converted your PDF to GIF format!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

On a PC

1
Double-click your target PDF to open it.
2
Scroll until you find the section you'd like to convert to a GIF. It helps to have your PDF in full-screen mode, since you'll have to crop the final photo before saving it as a GIF.
3
Hold down the ⊞ Win key and tap ⎙ Print Screen. Your screen should dim for a moment, indicating that the screenshot was successful. Screenshots are saved in sub-folder inside of the "Pictures" folder.
- "Print Screen" may also be stylized as "Prt Sc" or "Prt Scrn".
4
Open your "Documents" folder. This should be on your desktop.
- You can also click the File Explorer--the folder icon next to the search field in your taskbar--and then click "Documents" in the left-side toolbar.
5
Double-click on "Pictures" in the left-side toolbar. This will open your Pictures folder.
6
Find and double-click the "Screenshots" folder.
7
Right-click your screenshot and hover over "Open with". This will prompt a drop down menu of potential programs with which you can open your screenshot.
8
Click the "Paint" option. This will open your screenshot in Paint. Microsoft Paint is a default program on any PC; you can easily convert a PDF into a GIF using Paint's "Save As" feature.
- You can also use Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, or any other intermediate photo-editing programs on your PC; however, Microsoft Paint is usually the simplest solution.
9
Click the "Select" feature in the "Image" section of the toolbar. This will allow you to select a portion of your picture to save while cropping out the rest of the picture.
10
Click and drag your cursor to select the area you'd like to save as a GIF.
11
Click the "Crop" button next to "Select" when you're done. This will crop your screenshot.
- If you make a mistake, click the backwards-facing arrow in the upper left-hand corner of Paint. This will undo your mistake.
12
Click "File" in the upper left-hand corner of Paint. This will prompt a menu with options for saving your file.
13
Click "Save As".
14
Click the "GIF" option. This will save your screenshot as a GIF. Make sure you choose somewhere easily-accessible as your save point; you can also rename your picture from here.
15
Click "Save" to save your picture. You have successfully converted your PDF to GIF format!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using an Online Converter

1
Open your preferred browser.
2
Search for a free PDF to GIF converter in your preferred search engine. Zamzar and Convertio are both clean, straightforward file conversion services.
3
Click the link for your selected converter. This should take you to your converter's web page.
4
Set up your converter options. The information you need to enter for online converters will vary wildly from one converter to the next, but there are a few options you can expect to see across the board:
- Upload your PDF. This option will say something like "Upload", "Browse", or "From Computer/Dropbox/etc.".
- Select your file type. If you choose a PDF to [File Type] converter, you'll just have to choose "GIF" as the file type; a universal file converter will require you to select both "PDF" (as the original file) and "GIF" (as the conversion format).
- Enter your email address. Many conversion sites give you the option of receiving your converted file by email. Research your chosen site thoroughly before downloading or accepting any files from it.
5
Click the pertinent button to convert your PDF. Most file converters will download your file automatically, so you may just have to click the "Convert" button to download the file.
6
Click the "Download" button if there is one. Some browsers will ask for a save location; if yours asks, save your converted GIF somewhere easily accessible (e.g., your desktop).
7
Close your browser when the download is complete. You have successfully converted your PDF to GIF format!

Warnings

Once you convert a PDF page to a GIF format, you will be unable to edit the text. Resizing the file may cause you to lose image quality.

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GIF format is obsolete and should not be used for still images. A PNG has the same aspects of a GIF but with better quality.

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