How to Convert PNG to PDF: Easy Free Methods

Learn how to convert PNG images to PDF files. Free methods that work in your browser, on Mac, and on Windows. Quick and simple.

By PeacefulPDF Team•

You've probably been there: you have a PNG image (or several of them) and you need to convert them to a PDF. Maybe it's a scanned document, a contract you signed digitally, a series of screenshots, or photos you want to send as a single file instead of multiple attachments.

Whatever the reason, converting PNG to PDF is something you need to do occasionally, and it shouldn't be complicated. Let me walk you through the easiest ways to do it — all free, all simple.

Method 1: PeacefulPDF (Browser-Based, Free)

PeacefulPDF has a PNG to PDF converter that works right in your browser. Upload your PNG, and it spits out a PDF. Simple as that.

What I really like about this tool is that it handles multiple PNGs at once. You can upload 10, 20, even 50 PNG images, and it'll combine them into a single PDF — one image per page. Super handy when you have a multi-page document that's been saved as separate images.

Here's how it works:

  1. Go to PeacefulPDF's JPG to PDF converter
  2. Upload your PNG file(s)
  3. Arrange them in the order you want (drag and drop)
  4. Click "Convert to PDF"
  5. Download your PDF

Takes about 10-20 seconds for a typical document. The best part? Everything happens locally in your browser. Your images aren't uploaded to some server somewhere. That matters if you're converting sensitive documents.

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Method 2: Mac Preview (Built-In)

If you're on a Mac, you already have everything you need. No download required, no website to visit.

Here's what you do:

  1. Select all your PNG files in Finder
  2. Right-click and choose "Open With" > Preview
  3. In Preview, you'll see all your images in the sidebar
  4. Go to File > Export as PDF
  5. Choose a name and save

That's it. Preview combines all the open images into one PDF. The sidebar shows you the page order, so you can drag images around to reorder them if needed.

One thing I learned the hard way: if you have a lot of images, make sure they're in the right order before you open them all in Preview. It can get messy reordering 50 images in the sidebar. Sometimes it's easier to rename them with numbers first (001.png, 002.png, etc.) so they open in the right order.

Also, Preview has a "PDF" option in the print dialog that's even faster for single images. Just open the PNG in Preview, File > Print, and there's a "Save as PDF" button right there. One click and you're done.

Method 3: Windows (Microsoft Print to PDF)

Windows has a built-in "Print to PDF" feature that's been there since Windows 10. It's super simple to use.

For a single PNG:

  1. Open your PNG in the Photos app or any image viewer
  2. Press Ctrl+P (or right-click > Print)
  3. Select "Microsoft Print to PDF" as your printer
  4. Click Print and choose where to save

For multiple PNGs, it's slightly more work. You can either:

  • Use the built-in "Print Pictures" app — select multiple images, right-click > Print, and it lets you arrange them and print to PDF
  • Use a tool like PeacefulPDF to combine them first

The Windows approach is perfectly fine for single images, but for combining multiple images, I find a dedicated tool easier.

Method 4: Google Chrome (Web Images)

This is a handy trick if you're looking at images in Chrome and want to quickly turn them into a PDF.

If you have multiple images open as tabs in Chrome:

  1. Open the images in separate tabs
  2. Press Ctrl+Shift+P to print all tabs (or go to the print dialog)
  3. Select "Save as PDF" as the printer
  4. Chrome will print all open tabs to a single PDF

This works well for web images, screenshots you took in-browser, or any images you have open in tabs. It's a bit of a workaround, but it can be faster than uploading to a converter when you're already in the browser.

Method 5: Command Line (For the Tech-Savvy)

If you're comfortable with the terminal and want to batch convert lots of PNGs to PDF, there are command-line tools for that.

ImageMagick is the classic choice:

convert *.png output.pdf

This combines all PNG files in the current directory into a single PDF. ImageMagick is free and available on Windows (via WSL or third-party ports), Mac (via Homebrew), and Linux.

There's a catch: ImageMagick's PDF support sometimes requires additional setup (like installing Ghostscript). But once it's configured, it's incredibly fast for large batches.

Another option is img2pdf, which is designed specifically for this and tends to preserve image quality better:

img2pdf -o output.pdf *.png

This is my go-to for command-line conversion. It's simple, fast, and doesn't re-compress the images.

What About Quality?

One question I get a lot: does converting PNG to PDF reduce quality?

The short answer: it depends on the method. When done right, the PDF is essentially a container that holds your PNG image at its original quality. The image isn't recompressed or degraded.

Most of the methods I listed above (including PeacefulPDF) preserve the original image quality. The PDF is basically just wrapping your PNG in a new format — the pixels themselves don't change.

Where you might see quality loss is if a tool tries to compress the PDF or convert it to a lower resolution. That's usually not an issue with the methods I described, but it's something to watch out for with some online converters.

Common Use Cases

Let me cover some of the most common reasons people convert PNG to PDF:

Scanned Documents

You scanned a multi-page document but your scanner saved each page as a separate PNG. Now you need one PDF file to share. Combine them into one PDF — that's exactly what this tool is built for.

Screenshots

You took a series of screenshots (maybe for a tutorial, documentation, or bug report) and want to share them as one file instead of multiple attachments. PDF is perfect for this.

Signed Documents

You signed a document digitally (maybe in DocuSign or Adobe Sign) and downloaded it as PNG, but the recipient needs PDF. Easy conversion fixes that.

Photos

You want to send a bunch of photos to someone who would prefer one file instead of 15 attachments. PDF keeps them all in one place and renders consistently across devices.

PNG vs JPG for PDF

Quick side note: if you're creating images specifically to convert to PDF, should you use PNG or JPG?

PNG is better for:

  • Documents with text (screenshots, scanned docs)
  • Images with transparency
  • Graphics with sharp edges
  • When you need lossless quality

JPG is better for:

  • Photographs
  • Large images where file size matters
  • When you don't need transparency

For most document-related uses, PNG is the right choice. It keeps text sharp and doesn't introduce compression artifacts.

Quick Summary

  • Easiest method: PeacefulPDF's converter — browser-based, handles multiple images, free
  • Mac users: Use Preview — built-in, no download needed
  • Windows users: Microsoft Print to PDF — built into the OS
  • Web images: Chrome's print to PDF feature
  • Batch processing: Command-line tools (ImageMagick, img2pdf)

Pick the method that matches your workflow. For occasional use, the browser tool or built-in OS options are perfect. For power users or bulk conversions, the command line is incredibly fast.