Quick Links

Sometimes, you may want to save a picture (often a document image) as a PDF on your device. Luckily, Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and iPad offer the feature of downloading images from the internet as PDFs. We'll show you how to use those options.

On Windows, Mac, and Android, use your device's built-in PDF printer to save photos as PDFs. On an iPhone and iPad, create a shortcut with the free Shortcuts app to turn your photos into PDFs.

Related: How to Download Images From Google Image Search

Save a Photo as a PDF on Windows

On your Windows machine, first, launch a web browser and open the web page containing your photo. You can use Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or any other browser of your choice.

We'll use Chrome in the following steps, so if you use a different browser, the option names will slightly vary.

When your web page loads, right-click your picture and choose "Open Image in New Tab."

Click "Open Image in New Tab" in the menu.

Switch to the new tab that has your image. Then press Ctrl+P on your keyboard. Alternatively, select the following option in your browser:

  • Chrome: Click the three dots in the top-right corner and choose "Print."
  • Firefox: Select the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner and click "Print."
  • Edge: Select the three dots at the top-right corner and click "Print."
Select "Print."

On the "Print" window, click the "Destination" drop-down menu and choose "Save as PDF." Optionally, customize other options, like the page layout and paper size.

When you're done, at the bottom of the "Print" window, click "Save."

Configure the PDF options and click "Save."

On your PC's "Save As" window, select the folder to save your PDF in. Optionally, enter your PDF's name in the "File Name" field, then click "Save."

Save the image's PDF version on Windows.

Your selected photo's PDF version is now available in your chosen folder, and you're all set.

Related: How to Print to PDF on Windows 10

Turn a Photo on a Website Into a PDF on Mac

Like Windows, on your Mac, you can use any web browser to save images as PDFs. We'll use Safari here.

Launch Safari on your Mac and open the web page that has your photo. Then right-click this photo and choose "Open Image in New Tab."

Access the print menu by pressing Command+P on your keyboard. Alternatively, from Safari's menu bar, select File > Print.

On the print window, in the bottom-left corner, click the drop-down menu and choose "Save as PDF." Then select the folder to save your PDF in and click "Save."

Click Save as PDF in macOS

You now have your image's PDF version available in your selected folder. Enjoy!

Related: How to Print to PDF on Mac

Download an Image as a PDF on Android

On Android, you can use the Chrome or Edge browser to save photos as PDFs. Unfortunately, Firefox doesn't offer the option to save images in PDF format.

To begin, launch Chrome or Edge on your phone. We'll use Chrome.

Access the web page that has your image. Tap and hold on this image and select "Open Image in New Tab."

Tap "Open Image in New Tab."

Switch to the newly launched tab. Then, in Chrome's top-right corner, tap the three dots and choose "Share."

Choose "Share" in the menu.

From the share menu, select "Print."

Tap "Print" in the menu.

On the print screen, at the top, tap the drop-down menu and choose "Save as PDF." Optionally, adjust other options, like the number of copies and paper size. Then tap the PDF icon.

Select the PDF options and tap the PDF icon.

On the file manager screen that opens, select the folder to save your PDF in. At the bottom of your screen, type a name for your PDF and then tap "Save."

Save a picture's PDF version on Android.

Your phone has successfully saved your photo as a PDF file on your storage. You're all done.

Related: How to Find Files You Downloaded on Android

Convert a Picture to a PDF File on iPhone and iPad

To turn a photo into a PDF on an iPhone or iPad, you'll first save the image to Photos and then use a Shortcuts shortcut to make that image into a PDF. This might sound a bit complicated but it's not.

Start by opening Safari and accessing the page containing your photo. Tap and hold on the photo and choose "Save Image." This will save your picture in the Photos app.

Tap "Save Image" in the menu.

Now launch the App Store on your iPhone and download and install the free Apple Shortcuts app. When the app is installed, launch it.

In Shortcuts, create a new shortcut by tapping the "+" (plus) sign in the top-right corner.

Select "+" in the top-right corner.

Tap the "Search" box and type "Select Photos". Then choose the entry with that name in the search results.

Select "Select Photos."

Select the "Search" box again and type "Make PDF". Then select that item in the search results.

Select "Make PDF."

Hit the "Search" box once again and type "Share". Then choose "Share" from the results.

Tap "Share."

Your shortcut is now ready. To give it a descriptive name, in the top-right corner, tap the "Settings" icon (it's below the "Done" option).

Tap "Settings" in the top-right corner.

On the "Settings" page, tap the "Name" field. Then type a descriptive name, like "Make PDF" and select "Done" in the top-right corner.

Enter a shortcut name and tap "Done."

Back on the "Settings" page, in the top-right corner, tap "Done."

Select "Done" in the top-right corner.

On your shortcut screen, in the top-right corner, choose "Done."

Choose "Done" in the top-right corner.

On the "Library" screen, you'll now see your newly created shortcut. Run it by tapping its name.

Launch the newly created shortcut.

The shortcut will open your Photos app. Here, select the image you want to turn into a PDF.

Select the photo to convert to PDF.

The shortcut will make a PDF out of your selected photo. Then, you'll see your phone's share menu. Here, choose how you'd like to share your PDF file.

If you'd like to save the file in the Files app, choose "Save to Files."

Convert a photo to PDF on iPhone.

You're done.

And that's how you turn your images into PDFs on both your desktop and your handheld devices. Extremely useful!


Need to convert a downloaded PNG image to PDF on Windows? If so, there's a way to do that, too.

Related: How to Convert PNG to PDF on Windows 11 or 10