How do I convert a PNG to PDF on a Mac?

A PNG converts to PDF on a Mac the same way as a JPG. Select the PNG in Finder, Control-click it, and choose Quick Actions → Create PDF. Preview also works: open the PNG, choose File → Export, set Format to PDF, and click Save to create the new file.

Why are my images in the wrong order in the PDF?

Finder's Create PDF quick action places images in the order they were selected, not by name. Apple's Mac User Guide confirms that the pages follow selection order. Click the first image, then Command-click the others in sequence, or number the file names before selecting them all.

Can I add a password to a PDF made from images?

Yes, Preview can password-protect a PDF made from images. Apple says a PDF export from Preview can be encrypted so only people with the password can open it. The Print window's Save as PDF option also has Security Options for passwords that control opening, copying, and printing.

Does converting a JPG to PDF reduce image quality?

No, converting a JPG to PDF with Finder's Create PDF or Preview's Export usually keeps the picture looking the same. Quality drops noticeably when a compression step runs, such as Preview's Reduce File Size Quartz filter. Apple warns that a compressed PDF may be lower quality than the original.

Is it safe to convert images to PDF online?

Online image to PDF tools require uploading the photos to a third-party server. That is a real risk for passports, ID cards, pay slips, and medical forms. Finder's Create PDF, Preview, and local apps like FinderBuddy build the PDF on the Mac itself, so the images never leave the computer.

How to Convert JPG to PDF on Mac (and PNG)

PDFs

Quick answer

How do you convert JPG to PDF on a Mac?

To convert JPG to PDF on a Mac, select the image in Finder, Control-click it, and choose Quick Actions → Create PDF. To combine several JPG or PNG images into one PDF, select them all first. Apple says the pages follow the order you selected the files in, and the PDF is named after the first file.

Fastest built-in way: select images in Finder, Control-click, and choose Quick Actions → Create PDF.
Pages follow the order you click the files in, so select them in the order you want.
Preview can export a single image as a PDF, or print several images into one PDF.
Big photo PDFs can be shrunk with Preview's Reduce File Size filter.

A visa portal, a landlord, or an HR form asks for "one PDF." What you have is a camera roll of JPG photos and a couple of PNG screenshots. It feels like a job for a website.

Here's the good news. Your Mac can do it right in Finder, for free, in about three clicks. Nothing gets uploaded, which matters a lot when the images are passports, pay slips, or ID cards.

The same steps work for JPG, PNG, and most other image types. So whether you search for JPG to PDF, PNG to PDF, or image to PDF, the answer is the same.

How to convert JPG to PDF on Mac with Finder

Finder has a Create PDF quick action that turns one image, or a whole selection, into a PDF. It's the quickest built-in method.

According to Apple's Mac User Guide, the steps are:

Open a Finder window, or go to the desktop.
Select the JPG or PNG files you want in the PDF.
Control-click (or right-click) the selection and choose Quick Actions → Create PDF.

Your PDF appears right away. Apple says it's created automatically with a name similar to the first file you selected. That's your first win done.

Another way to find Create PDF

Apple also mentions a Create PDF button at the bottom of Finder's Preview pane. If you don't see the pane, choose View → Show Preview in the menu bar.

How to combine multiple images into one PDF on Mac

Select all the images, then use Create PDF once. Finder builds one PDF with one image per page, in the order you selected the files.

That last part is the catch. Apple says the files appear in the PDF in the same order you select them. So if you drag a box around 20 photos, the order might not be what you expect. Here's how to get it right:

Click in order. Click the first image, then hold Command and click each of the others in the order you want.
Number the files first. Rename them 01, 02, 03 and so on. Our batch rename guide shows how to number a whole folder at once.
Check the result. Open the PDF in Preview and scroll through. If a page is out of place, drag its thumbnail to fix it.

Already have some PDFs to add as well? Create PDF accepts a mix of files. The merge PDF guide covers that in more detail.

How to convert PNG or JPG to PDF in Preview

Preview can save any open image as a PDF with File → Export. It can also put several images into one PDF through the Print window.

One image to PDF

Apple's guide to converting image file types in Preview lists PDF as one of the export formats:

Open the JPG or PNG in Preview.
Choose File → Export.
Set Format to PDF.
Choose a name and a place to save it, then click Save.

Apple notes that PDF exports can also be encrypted, so only people with the password can open the file. That's handy for ID scans.

Several images to one PDF

Open all the images in one Preview window. Choose View → Thumbnails, then select every thumbnail with Edit → Select All. Next, choose File → Print. Apple's guide to saving a document as a PDF says to click the PDF button, or its menu, and choose Save as PDF.

The Print window has one bonus. You can pick a paper size, such as US Letter or A4 (210 × 297 mm), which some forms require. If the images open in separate windows, Apple's guide to showing several files in one Preview window explains the setting to change.

A faster way: Images to PDF in FinderBuddy

FinderBuddy's Images to PDF tool turns a stack of images into one PDF, and it shows you the order before it builds the file.

Select the images in Finder.
Right-click and choose FinderBuddy → Images to PDF.
Check the order. Images are added in the order shown, and your originals are kept.

This helps most when you have a lot of photos and don't want to Command-click 30 files in perfect order. Everything is processed locally on your Mac, so private documents are never uploaded.

Some iPhone photos are HEIC rather than JPG. If a portal also wants the photos as separate JPG files, the HEIC to JPG guide shows how to convert them first.

FinderBuddy needs macOS 14 or later on a Mac with Apple silicon. The free download includes a limited set of tools, and a one-time license unlocks everything, including Images to PDF.

Which method should you use?

All three methods make a good PDF. The best one depends on the job in front of you.

Method	Best for	Watch out for
Finder Create PDF	One image, or a handful of images	Page order follows your clicks
Preview Export or Print	Setting a paper size or a password	More steps for many images
FinderBuddy Images to PDF	Large batches you do often	Needs a license for this tool

What this means for you

For most people, Finder's Create PDF is all you'll ever need. It's built in, it's fast, and it keeps your files on your Mac.

Two quick checks before you send the PDF:

File size. A handful of full-size phone photos can easily push a PDF past an upload limit, such as 2 MB (2,048 KB). Apple's guide to reducing a PDF's size says to choose File → Export in Preview and pick Reduce File Size from the Quartz Filter menu. For more control, see the reduce PDF size guide.
Sideways pages. If a photo comes out sideways, rotate that page in Preview before you send the file.

My take: I'd start with Create PDF every time. Only move to Preview when you need a paper size or a password, and only bother with a dedicated tool if you make image PDFs every week.

The takeaway

Converting JPG to PDF on a Mac is much easier than most people expect. Select your images, Control-click, and choose Quick Actions → Create PDF. PNG files and mixed batches work the same way.

Click the files in the order you want, check the result in Preview, and shrink it if it's too big. Once you've done it once, it becomes second nature. Need to go the other way? The PDF to JPG guide has you covered.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert a PNG to PDF on a Mac?: A PNG converts to PDF on a Mac the same way as a JPG. Select the PNG in Finder, Control-click it, and choose Quick Actions → Create PDF. Preview also works: open the PNG, choose File → Export, set Format to PDF, and click Save to create the new file.
Why are my images in the wrong order in the PDF?: Finder's Create PDF quick action places images in the order they were selected, not by name. Apple's Mac User Guide confirms that the pages follow selection order. Click the first image, then Command-click the others in sequence, or number the file names before selecting them all.
Can I add a password to a PDF made from images?: Yes, Preview can password-protect a PDF made from images. Apple says a PDF export from Preview can be encrypted so only people with the password can open it. The Print window's Save as PDF option also has Security Options for passwords that control opening, copying, and printing.
Does converting a JPG to PDF reduce image quality?: No, converting a JPG to PDF with Finder's Create PDF or Preview's Export usually keeps the picture looking the same. Quality drops noticeably when a compression step runs, such as Preview's Reduce File Size Quartz filter. Apple warns that a compressed PDF may be lower quality than the original.
Is it safe to convert images to PDF online?: Online image to PDF tools require uploading the photos to a third-party server. That is a real risk for passports, ID cards, pay slips, and medical forms. Finder's Create PDF, Preview, and local apps like FinderBuddy build the PDF on the Mac itself, so the images never leave the computer.