How to Convert Images to PDF: A Step-by-Step Guide
Turning images into a PDF is one of the most practical document tasks — combining receipts into one file, packaging scanned paperwork, creating a photo portfolio, or building a PDF from screenshots. This guide explains how to prepare your images, convert them cleanly, and avoid the most common problems.
Why image quality matters before conversion
The quality of the images you start with determines the quality of your final PDF. Converting a low-resolution or oversized image does not improve it — it just puts it inside a PDF container. Problems with the source image carry over directly into the output.
Common image problems worth fixing before converting:
- Too large a file size — a single 6 MB smartphone photo becomes a 6 MB page inside the PDF. If you need a compact final file, compress the image first.
- Wrong dimensions — very wide landscape photos scaled down to fit letter-size pages can look tiny and hard to read. Resize to expected page dimensions first.
- Unnecessary border or background — photos with excessive white space or dark borders look unprofessional in a document. Crop those areas before converting.
- Slightly rotated or skewed — a photo of a document taken at an angle looks tilted on the PDF page. Straighten the image before converting if presentation matters.
Prepare your images before converting
Three tools can help get images into the best shape before the PDF conversion step:
Resize Image
Scale images to a standard width (e.g., 1240px for letter-size) before converting. Keeps the file manageable and the text readable.
Compress Image
Reduce image file size before embedding. Prevents the final PDF from being unnecessarily large — especially important for email or portal submission.
Crop Image
Remove unwanted borders, dead space, or irrelevant background from photos and scans before they become PDF pages.
Step-by-step: convert images to PDF
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1
Prepare your images (optional but recommended)
If your images are very large or poorly cropped, run them through Resize Image, Compress Image, or Crop Image first. Save the processed versions and use those for the PDF step.
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2
Open the JPG to PDF tool
Go to Simply PDF Tools – JPG to PDF. This tool accepts JPG and other common image formats.
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3
Upload your images
Click the upload area or drag your image files onto the page. You can upload multiple images at once. Each image becomes one page in the final PDF.
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4
Set the page order
Drag the image thumbnails to arrange them in the correct sequence. The image at the top will be page 1 of the PDF; the image at the bottom will be the last page.
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Choose page size and orientation
Select the page size (A4, Letter, or fit to image) and orientation (portrait or landscape). "Fit to image" keeps each image at its natural proportions. Letter or A4 is better when the PDF will be printed.
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6
Convert and download
Click Convert to PDF and download the result. Open the PDF to check that all pages appear correctly and in the right order.
Common use cases and what works best for each
Receipt or invoice collection
Photograph each receipt with your phone. Crop out backgrounds, compress to reduce size, then combine all images into one PDF. Useful for expense reports and tax records.
Document submission (e.g., ID copies, certificates)
Scan or photograph each page clearly. Crop the image tightly to the document edges. Combine all pages into a single PDF so you can submit everything as one file rather than multiple image attachments.
Portfolio or photo collection
Resize images to a consistent width before converting so all pages look uniform. Avoid compressing too aggressively if image quality is the point of the PDF.
Screenshots into a report
Crop each screenshot to show only the relevant part of the screen. Resize to a consistent resolution. Combine into a PDF, then use Add Page Numbers to make it easy to reference specific screenshots.
Frequently asked questions
What image formats can I convert to PDF?
The JPG to PDF tool primarily accepts JPG and JPEG files. If you have PNG, WebP, or other formats, convert them to JPG first using your phone gallery, a basic image editor, or an online image converter before using this tool.
Why is the PDF so large after converting?
Each image is embedded into the PDF at its original resolution and file size. If you converted a 4 MB photo, that photo adds roughly 4 MB to the PDF. To reduce the size, compress the images before converting using Compress Image, or compress the finished PDF using Compress PDF.
Can I add more images to a PDF I already created?
Yes. Convert the additional images to a new PDF using JPG to PDF, then merge that new PDF with your existing one using Merge PDF.
Ready to convert your images to PDF?
Free, no account required. Upload your images, arrange the order, and download the PDF.
Open JPG to PDF Tool