How to export or compress PDFs and images in Preview on iPhone

You can export a PDF or image in Preview on iPhone as HEIC, JPEG, PDF, PNG, or TIFF, and compress it to a smaller file.

By Chris Smith - Senior Editor
1 Min Read

On iPhone, you can export a PDF or image as a HEIC, JPEG, JPEG-2000, PDF, PNG, or TIFF file. You can also compress the file.

Depending on the format you selected, you’ll be able to choose a smaller file size or higher quality, flatten transparency or keep transparency editable, and set the resolution. For a PDF, you can optimize the PDF for fast web loading, make the PDF searchable, or save embedded images as JPEG for a smaller file.

  1. Start the Preview app on your iPhone.
  2. Open a PDF or image.
  3. Tap the Actions Menu button next to the filename. Then tap Export.
  4. Select a file format. Available formats are HEIC, JPEG, PDF, PNG, and TIFF.
  5. Depending on the format you selected, adjust any of the following:
    • Size (HEIC, JPEG): Drag the slider left for a smaller file size or right for higher quality.
    • Alpha (PNG, HEIC, TIFF): Turn off to flatten transparency, or leave on to keep transparency editable.
    • Resolution (available when exporting a PDF to an image format): Enter a value and choose pixels per inch or pixels per cm. Higher values produce larger, more detailed images.
    • Create Linearized PDF (PDF): Turn on to optimize the PDF for fast web loading.
    • Embed Text (PDF): Turn on to run OCR on images and make the PDF searchable.
    • Optimize Images for Screen (PDF): Turn on to reduce image resolution for screen viewing. (This creates a smaller file.).
    • Save Images as JPEG (PDF): Turn on to save embedded images as JPEG for smaller file size.
  6. Tap the Done button.
  7. Choose a location for the file.
  8. Optionally, tap the Save As field and then rename the file.
  9. Tap Save.
TAGGED:
Senior Editor
Follow:
Chris Smith is a senior editor at GeeksChalk based in Canada. He likes to think of himself as a jack of all trades (and a master of at least a few), though he mainly focuses on iPhones and Macs. Often covering both at the same time. When not surrounded by various Apple devices while putting them through their paces, Chris can be found streaming the latest movies or series, gaming on his PS5, or getting fresh air on a hike in the beautiful wilderness of British Columbia.
Leave a Comment