I need to convert a few PDF pages into JPG images for an online form, but each file has to stay under 200 KB. How can I do that without making them unreadable?
Honestly the simplest trick is to open the PDF on screen, zoom so the text fills the view, and screenshot each page with Snipping Tool. Save as JPG, then if it’s still too big open it in Paint or the Photos app and shrink the dimensions or quality a bit. 150 dpi equivalent is plenty for forms.
I had this exact issue uploading dental insurance forms under strict upload limits. The easiest way for me is pdfcap.com. You upload the PDF, convert it to JPG, and choose a medium quality setting so the file size drops under 200 KB whilst keeping the text clear and readable.
I do this all the time for my market stall invoices. Just open the PDF, zoom in so it looks clear, and take a screenshot. Paste it into a basic programme like Paint, crop out the white margins, and save as a JPG. Avoid saving it as a PNG first because those files are massive, which I learned the hard way.
Had the same thing last month submitting a form for my podcast’s sponsor packet. I took a screenshot of each PDF page at a reasonable zoom level, then used Preview on Mac (or Paint on Windows) to resize the image down and export as JPG, lowering quality a notch at a time until it hit under 200 KB. Keeping the zoom moderate before screenshotting helps a lot with file size.
@SneakySteel dropping quality a notch at a time works for me too, Paint on my old laptop lands near 120 KB at about 70 percent. Not sure if it’s the same on Mac.