Convert to Images

The Convert to Images tool renders PDF pages as raster images, replacing the original vector content and text with a flat image on each page. This is a secondary safeguard that ensures no extractable text or hidden content remains after redaction.

Extensions > Mapsoft Redactor > Convert to Images

Converting Pages

  1. Open a PDF document in Adobe Acrobat.
  2. Choose Extensions > Mapsoft Redactor > Convert to Images.
  3. Select the page range (all pages or a specific range).
  4. Choose the resolution (DPI) from the dropdown.
  5. Optionally enable Black & White for monochrome output.
  6. Click OK to convert the selected pages.

Options

OptionDescription
Page RangeConvert all pages or specify a From / To range.
Resolution (DPI)The dots-per-inch resolution of the raster image. Higher DPI produces sharper images but larger file sizes. Select from preset values in the dropdown (common choices: 150, 200, 300 DPI).
Black & WhiteWhen enabled, pages are rendered as monochrome (1-bit) images. This produces the smallest file size but loses all color information.

DPI Guidelines

DPIQualityUse Case
72–100Screen qualityQuick preview, on-screen viewing only.
150Draft printGood balance of file size and readability for most documents.
200Standard printSuitable for documents that will be printed at normal quality.
300High qualityArchival quality, fine detail preservation. Recommended for legal documents.
600Very high qualityMaximum detail retention. Produces large files.

Tip

For redacted documents, 200–300 DPI is usually sufficient. This provides readable output while ensuring that no text layer remains searchable or extractable.

When to Use

Converting to images is typically the final step in a high-security redaction workflow:

  1. Mark up and redact the document.
  2. Sanitize to remove metadata.
  3. Convert to images to eliminate any remaining searchable text or hidden content layers.

Warning

Converting to images permanently removes all text, form fields, and interactive content from the affected pages. The resulting pages contain only a raster image and cannot be searched or have text selected. This operation cannot be undone.

Note

Converting to images significantly increases file size compared to vector PDF content, especially at higher DPI settings. Consider the trade-off between security and file size for your use case.

See Also