Updated · how we check
Convert JPG to PDF free, without uploading
JPG to PDF puts the photo on one page with only 729 bytes of PDF structure: our 1281×1600 px portrait went from 259,778 bytes as a quality 85 JPG to 260,559 bytes as a PDF, which holds a re-encoded JPEG of 259,830 bytes. The page matches the photo at 96 DPI, or pick A4 or Letter; a KB limit lowers the JPEG quality inside.
JPG to PDF
PDF · no file-size limit · original pixel size · white background
No file-size limit is set: PixelFit saves at high quality and changes only the format and any pixel size you set.
Fit, background and padding white background · page the size of the picture
Saving presets is part of Pro.
The result appears here: the exact byte count, pixel size and quality, the size before and after, a preview and a download button.
The batch kit (one ZIP for up to 500 photos, several photos merged into one PDF) is part of Pro.
What changes from JPG to PDF
2 of these 3 points lose or alter something on the way from JPG to PDF; the rest carry over.
- Lost or changed: A PixelFit PDF page holds a new JPEG of the picture, so the JPG goes through JPEG compression once more; keep the quality high unless a KB limit forces it down.
- Lost or changed: Metadata is not carried over: the JPG's EXIF, ICC and XMP data are dropped by the canvas, and EXIF orientation is applied to the pixels first so the photo stays upright.
- Kept: The PDF is a document with one page per image; the page size follows the pixel size and DPI, so the photo prints at the size you set.
Measured file size: JPG vs PDF
sharp 0.35.5 / libvips 8.18.7, 31 October 2026, long edge 1600 px; PDF saved as PixelFit's PDF writer, one page wrapping the quality 85 JPEG, JPG as quality 85, 4:2:0, white background. The PDF column is the JPG file decoded and saved again, as PixelFit does.
| Sample | JPG | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| portrait photo (1281×1600 px) | 254 KB (259,778 bytes) | 254 KB (260,559 bytes) | +0.3% |
| landscape photo (1600×1200 px) | 640 KB (655,531 bytes) | 641 KB (656,152 bytes) | +0.1% |
| scanned typed letter (1273×1600 px) | 331 KB (338,899 bytes) | 332 KB (339,730 bytes) | +0.2% |
| flat chart with a transparent background (1600×1000 px) | 39.6 KB (40,504 bytes) | 43.5 KB (44,577 bytes) | +10% |
What the numbers mean for JPG to PDF
Our portrait photo at 1281×1600 px: JPG 254 KB → PDF 254 KB (+0.3%, about the same size).
Our landscape photo at 1600×1200 px: JPG 640 KB → PDF 641 KB (+0.1%, about the same size).
Our scanned typed letter at 1273×1600 px: JPG 331 KB → PDF 332 KB (+0.2%, about the same size).
Our flat chart with a transparent background at 1600×1000 px: JPG 39.6 KB → PDF 43.5 KB (+10%, 1.1 times larger).
Per pixel, the portrait took 1.01 bits as JPG and 1.02 bits as PDF, a difference of 0.76 KB on 2,049,600 pixels.
Per pixel, the chart took 0.20 bits as JPG and 0.22 bits as PDF, a difference of 4 KB on 1,600,000 pixels.
PDF came out larger than JPG on all 4 samples, by +0.1% to +10%.
The PDF is the JPEG plus a little structure: PixelFit's one-page PDF writer added only 729 bytes around the JPEG made from the JPG, so the PDF size is decided by the JPEG quality and pixel size inside it.
How to convert JPG to PDF
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Add the JPG file
Drop the .jpg, .jpeg, .jpe file on the tool at the top of this page, tap to choose it, or paste it.
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Keep PDF selected
PDF is pre-selected. Add a maximum size in KB if a portal sets one; PixelFit lowers the JPEG quality inside the page until the PDF fits. Our JPG test portrait came out at 254 KB as PDF with no limit set.
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Download the PDF
Save the file ending in .pdf; its size in KB shows before you save.
JPG and PDF side by side
JPG (1992) next to PDF (1993); browser figures checked 31 October 2026.
| Property | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| File extensions | .jpg, .jpeg, .jpe | |
| MIME type | image/jpeg | application/pdf |
| Compression | lossy | lossy or lossless |
| Transparency | no | yes in general; PixelFit pages are JPEG, so no |
| Animation | no | no |
| Largest size | 65,535 px per side | follows the embedded image |
| Colour depth | 8 bits per channel (baseline) | whatever the embedded image uses |
| Metadata | EXIF, ICC and XMP data | document info and XMP |
| First published | 1992 | 1993 |
| Opens in | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari (every current browser) | not read as an image input |
| Good for | photos for upload forms, e-mail and the web | document uploads, printing and sending several photos as one file |
| Weak for | text, line art and anything that needs a transparent background | profile pictures and web pages, which expect an image file |
| Specification | ITU-T Recommendation T.81 (JPEG) | PDF 2.0, ISO 32000-2 (Library of Congress format description) |
When not to change JPG to PDF
- Do not upload a PDF where the form asks for a photo or signature image: those fields usually check for JPG or PNG, so upload the JPG itself there.
- If the destination already accepts JPG, upload the original: every change of format re-encodes the pixels.
Browser support for JPG and PDF (October 2026)
Reading JPG (.jpg, .jpeg, .jpe): Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari (every current browser).
Writing the PDF: PixelFit's own PDF writer (JPEG page images), every browser. The JPEG inside each page comes from canvas.toBlob, which Chrome 50+, Firefox 18+ and Safari 11+ support (MDN compatibility data, checked 31 October 2026).
Very large JPG files: with no pixel size set, PixelFit keeps up to 16,777,216 pixels (16.7 megapixels, 4096 × 4096 worth) and scales bigger pictures down to that, because Safari on iPhone and iPad will not create a larger canvas. A 12-megapixel 4032 × 3024 photo keeps its full size.
Upload forms that ask for PDF
3 of the 61 application portals we checked accept PDF photos, 1 of them with a limit of 50 KB or less. A few of them, for this JPG file (verify with the official notice before you upload):
- ICSI student: PDF photo, 20–50 KB (also takes JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP).
- Canada G5 sponsorship: PDF photo, up to 4 MB, 420 × 540 px (also takes JPG, PNG).
- Oman eVisa: PDF photo, up to 512 KB (also takes JPG, PNG).
Where JPG files come from
JPEG is the format phone cameras, scanners and most upload forms use, so a JPG usually only needs changing when the destination asks for something else: a PDF for a document upload, a PNG for an editor or WebP for a faster web page. This page covers the PDF case.
The .jpg and .jpeg extensions are the same format; PixelFit reads both, plus .jpe and .jfif.
Sources
- ITU-T Recommendation T.81 (JPEG), ITU, checked 31 October 2026: itu.int/rec/T-REC-T.81
- PDF 2.0, ISO 32000-2 (Library of Congress format description), Library of Congress, checked 31 October 2026: loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000474.shtml
- MDN Web Docs, Image file type and format guide (which browsers decode JPG), checked 31 October 2026: developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Media/Guides/Formats…
- Test photo “President Barack Obama.jpg” by Pete Souza (Official White House photo), public domain, measured by PixelFit with sharp 0.35.5 / libvips 8.18.7 on 31 October 2026: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_Barack_Obama.jpg
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert JPG to PDF for free?
Yes. The JPG to PDF change runs free on your device, with no sign-up and no upload, one file or up to 25 at a time; Pro raises the batch to 500 with one ZIP download.
How do I convert JPG to PDF?
Drop the JPG on the tool above, keep PDF selected, and download the .pdf file. Add a KB limit if the destination has one.
Does converting JPG to PDF reduce quality?
A PixelFit PDF page holds a new JPEG of the picture, so the JPG goes through JPEG compression once more; keep the quality high unless a KB limit forces it down. In our test a 1281×1600 px portrait went from 254 KB as JPG to 254 KB as PDF (+0.3%).
What page size will the PDF have?
By default the page is the picture's own size at 96 DPI, so our 1281×1600 portrait makes a 13.34 × 16.67 inch page; type 300 in the DPI field and it becomes 4.27 × 5.33 inches. Choose A4 or Letter under PDF page to place the photo on paper with a 0.5 inch margin.
Is my JPG compressed again inside the PDF?
Yes, once. PixelFit decodes the photo and stores a new JPEG in the page, at quality 85 when no KB limit is set, so the PDF can come out smaller or larger than your original file. With a KB limit it picks the highest quality that fits, so keep the limit as high as the portal allows.
Can I put several JPG files into one PDF?
Free use makes one PDF per JPG, each under the KB limit you set. Merging several images into one PDF under a size limit is part of PixelFit Pro, and it also runs on your device.
Related
More JPG format changes
- JPG to PNG same JPG input
- JPG to WebP same JPG input
Other files to PDF
- JFIF to PDF also ends as PDF
- BMP to PDF also ends as PDF
- HEIC to PDF also ends as PDF
- PNG to PDF also ends as PDF
- WebP to PDF also ends as PDF