Opening and importing PDF files

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a versatile file format that can represent both vector and bitmap data and can contain electronic document search and navigation features. PDF is the primary format for Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Acrobat. For more information on the PDF format, see PDF.

Some PDF files contain a single image. Other PDF files (called Generic PDF files) may contain multiple pages and images. When you open a Generic PDF file, you can choose which page to open and specify rasterization options. If you want to open an image (versus a page) from a PDF file, you can use the File > Import > PDF Image command.

You can also bring PDF data into Photoshop or ImageReady using the Place command, the Paste command, and the drag-and-drop feature. (See Placing files, Using drag and drop to copy between applications, and Using the Clipboard to copy between applications.)

To open a PDF file:

1. Choose File > Open.
2. Select the name of the file, and click Open. You can change which types of files show by selecting an option from the Files of Type (Windows) or Show (Mac OS) pop-up menu.
3. If you are opening a Generic PDF file, do the following:
• If the file contains multiple pages, select the page you want to open.
• Indicate the desired dimensions, resolution, and mode. If the file has an embedded ICC profile and Preserve Embedded Profiles is selected for Color Management Policies in the Color Settings dialog box, you can choose the profile from the mode pop-up menu.
• Select Constrain Proportions to maintain the same height-to-width ratio.
• Select Anti-aliased to minimize the jagged appearance of the artwork's edges as it is rasterized.

To import images from a PDF file:

1. Choose File > Import > PDF Image, select the file you want to import images from, and click Open.
2. Select the image you want to open:
• To open a specific image, select it and click OK. You can use the arrows to scroll through the images, or click Go to Image to enter an image number.
• To open each image as a separate file, click Import All Images.

Press Esc to cancel the import operation before all images are imported.

To create a new Photoshop file for each page of a multiple-page PDF file (Photoshop):

1. Choose File > Automate > Multi-Page PDF to PSD.
2. Under Source PDF, click the Choose button, and select the file you want to import images from.
3. Under Page Range, specify a range of pages to import.
4. Under Output Options, specify a resolution, choose a color mode, and set the Anti-alias option for rasterizing each page of the PDF file. (To blend edge pixels during rasterization, select the Anti-alias option. To produce a hard-edged transition between edge pixels during rasterization, deselect the Anti-alias option.)
5. Under Destination, enter a base name for the generated files. (When Photoshop creates the new files, the base name is appended with a number that corresponds to the page number of the PDF file.) Then click the Choose button, and select the location where you want to save the generated files.