How to Convert JPG to PDF Free (and Merge Images into One)
How to convert JPG to PDF for free on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android, and how to merge several images into one PDF. Methods re-checked in October 2026.
To convert a JPG to PDF for free, use Quick Actions > Create PDF in Finder on a Mac, Print > Microsoft Print to PDF from the Photos app on Windows, Export in the Preview app on an iPhone, or Print > Save as PDF in Chrome on Android. Browser converters from Adobe, PDF24, and iLovePDF work on any device and can merge several images into one PDF.
Checked on October 30, 2026 against the pages Apple, Google, Adobe, PDF24, iLovePDF, and Smallpdf publish. For Windows we relied on answers in Microsoft's Q&A forum, because we could not find a Microsoft support article for the Photos steps. Scholarly does not convert file formats, so none of these tools is ours.
Quick steps for each device
Windows (Photos app, nothing to install):
- Open the JPG in Photos.
- Press Ctrl + P.
- Choose Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer and adjust the layout options.
- Click Print, then name the file and pick a folder.
If you do not see that printer, Microsoft forum answers point to the Windows Features dialog, where Microsoft Print to PDF can be turned on.
Mac (Finder or Preview):
- Select one or more images in Finder, in the order you want them. Apple says the PDF follows the order you select.
- Control-click the selection and choose Quick Actions > Create PDF.
For one image, you can also open it in Preview, choose File > Export, and set Format to PDF.
iPhone (Preview app):
- Open the image in the Preview app.
- Tap the menu beside the filename and choose Export.
- Pick PDF as the format and save.
Android (Chrome):
- Open the image in Chrome.
- Go to More > Share > Print.
- At the top of the dialog, choose Save as PDF and pick where to save it.
To merge several images on a phone, use a browser converter (see below).
Which method should you use?
| Your situation | Best method | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| One JPG on Windows | Photos, then Print to Microsoft Print to PDF | Free, built in |
| Several JPGs on Windows | PDF24 Creator (offline) or a browser converter | Free |
| One or several images on a Mac | Finder, then Quick Actions > Create PDF | Free, built in |
| One JPG on iPhone | Preview app, then Export > PDF | Free, built in |
| One JPG on Android | Chrome, then Print > Save as PDF | Free, built in |
| Several JPGs on a phone | A browser converter | Free, with limits on some |
| Paper document, on a phone | Google Drive app scan | Free |
| Images plus text, or a set layout | Google Docs or Microsoft Word, then save as PDF | Free in Docs |
| Sensitive images (ID, contract, transcript) | An offline method: Finder, Preview, Photos, or PDF24 Creator | Free |
How to merge multiple JPGs into one PDF
Mac: select the images in Finder in the order you want, Control-click, and choose Quick Actions > Create PDF. Apple's guide also describes a Create PDF button in the Finder preview pane.
Windows: use PDF24 Creator. It is free, it runs only on Windows, and PDF24 says it works offline with files staying on your PC. It imports images and converts them to PDF.
Any device: upload all the images to a browser converter, drag them into order if the tool allows it, and download one PDF.
Free browser converters
| Tool | What the free version gives you | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Acrobat online | JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF, and TIFF to PDF in any browser, no watermark | Adobe's FAQ says you get one free transaction without signing in. Files are deleted unless you sign in to save them. |
| PDF24 online | No registration and no stated limits | Ad-funded. PDF24 says its servers are in Germany and remove files after an hour. |
| iLovePDF | Lets you adjust orientation and margins | The free plan has limited document processing. |
| Smallpdf | No install or account needed to start | Files are deleted after one hour. Unlimited use needs a Pro subscription. |
These tools upload your images to someone else's server, at least briefly. For an ID, a contract, or a transcript, use an offline method instead.
Other ways to make a PDF from images
- Chrome on a computer: open the image in Chrome, choose Print, and pick Save as PDF as the destination.
- Google Docs: insert the images into a document, then choose File > Download > PDF Document (.pdf). This suits images mixed with text.
- Microsoft Word: insert the images and save the document as a PDF.
- Scanning paper on a phone: the Google Drive app can scan a document with your camera and store it as a PDF. If you are holding the paper, this is cleaner than photographing it first.
Tips for a clean result
- Check the preview before saving. Print dialogs can crop or shrink a photo to fit the page, so look for cut-off edges and pick a layout that fits.
- Start with a sharp image. A PDF cannot add detail that the JPG does not have.
- Do not expect a smaller file. Wrapping a JPG in a PDF does not reliably shrink it. If an upload form has a size limit, resize the image or use a compress option. Preview on iPhone offers a few export settings that make a smaller PDF, such as Optimize Images for Screen.
- Remember that photos are not text. A PDF made from a JPG is a picture of the page unless you run OCR. Preview on iPhone has an Embed Text option, which Apple says runs OCR and makes the PDF searchable.
- Add a password if you need one. Once you have the PDF, Apple's guide shows how to protect it in Preview on Mac: choose File > Export, then click Permissions.
- Windows transparency issue. If a PNG with transparency comes out blank through Microsoft Print to PDF, forum reports suggest saving it as a JPG first.
FAQ: converting JPG to PDF
How do I convert a JPG to a PDF for free?
On Windows, open it in Photos, press Ctrl + P, and print to Microsoft Print to PDF. On a Mac, select it in Finder and use Quick Actions > Create PDF. On iPhone, use Export in the Preview app. On Android, use Print > Save as PDF in Chrome. Browser tools from Adobe, PDF24, and iLovePDF work on any device.
How do I combine several JPGs into one PDF?
On a Mac, select them in Finder and choose Quick Actions > Create PDF. On Windows or a phone, upload them to a browser converter such as PDF24 or iLovePDF, or use PDF24 Creator offline on Windows.
Can I convert a JPG to PDF without uploading it?
Yes. Finder and Preview on a Mac, Preview on iPhone, Photos with Microsoft Print to PDF on Windows, and PDF24 Creator all work on your device.
Does converting a JPG to PDF reduce quality?
It should not add much loss if you keep the original size, but a print dialog can scale the image to fit the page. Check the result, and keep the original JPG.
Can Google Drive convert a JPG to PDF?
Not with a single convert button that we could find in Google's help pages. Insert the image into a Google Doc and download that document as a PDF, or open the image in Chrome and print it to PDF.
Is a JPG the same as a JPEG?
Yes. JPG and JPEG name one file format, and only the spelling of the extension differs.
If the images are study material, you may not need a PDF
Scholarly does not convert JPGs to PDFs, so use one of the tools above for that. If you are converting photos of notes, slides, or textbook pages so you can study them, you can skip that step: image to flashcards reads JPG and PNG files directly, and if your material is already a long PDF, the PDF summarizer can condense it.
On the free plan you get one upload (8 MB, first 32 PDF pages) and one AI creation, and they never reset. No credit card is needed, and downloads need a paid plan.
Going the other way? See how to convert a PDF to JPG. It covers Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android, plus the DPI settings that keep the output sharp.
