How to Turn a Screenshot into a PDF: A Step-by-step Guide

How to Convert Screenshot to PDF on iPhone

Step 1: In your iPhone Photo Stream, select the photos you want to convert.
Step 2: Click the Share button.
Step 3: Choose Print.
Step 4: Zoom in on the Image Preview.
Step 5: When the PDF viewer opens, click the Share button again.
Step 6: Select Save to Files.

How to Convert Screenshot to PDF on Android

Step 1: Save your screenshot using the Google Photos app.
Step 2: Launch the Google Photos app and locate the desired screenshot in your gallery.

Step 3: Tap on the three vertical dots located at the top-right corner of the screen. 
Step 4: From the menu, select Print to generate a preview of your PDF conversion.

How to Convert Screenshot to PDF on Mac

Step 1: Select the screenshot.
Step 2: Click File in the top left corner.
Step 3: Click Export as PDF.

How to Convert Screenshot to PDF on Windows

Step 1: Right-click your screenshot file.
Step 2: Hover your cursor over the Open With option and select items.
Step 3: Click on Print.
Step 4: In the printer dropdown menu, tap Microsoft Print to PDF.

1. Crop Unnecessary Elements

Before converting your snapshot to PDF, crop out any irrelevant or redundant elements. Removing unnecessary portions reduces the overall file size, improving loading times and enhancing the PDF's performance.

2. Organize and Merge Screenshots

If you have multiple related screenshots, organize them into a single PDF document. This reduces the number of individual files, making it easier to manage and share content.

3. Opt For the Standard Page Size

When creating PDFs, select standard page sizes like A4 or letter size. Standardizing the PDF size ensures compatibility across devices and prevents potential formatting issues.

1. Scribe

‎Scribe is an AI-powered process documentation tool that captures screenshots and text in seconds. Generate and convert SOPs to visual PDFs while saving time.

This browser extension takes screenshots and records every action on your screen to create a step-by-step guide. It functions similarly to a video recorder — but instead of videos, you get well-organized guides (a.k.a Scribes), complete with screenshots and captions. All your Scribes are available as a shareable link — which you can export as a PDF or embed into existing tools. 

Here's a Scribe in action.

Put simply, Scribe can put knowledge sharing on auto-pilot. It saves you the time and effort spent taking screenshots and converting them into PDFs later. It’s a great choice for individuals and companies who value their resources.

G2 rating: 4.8 out of 5

Capterra rating: 4.9 out of 5

Price: Basic version is free, Pro version at $23/month per user or $12/month per team member for teams of a minimum of 5 people—all billed annually. The Enterprise version has custom pricing.

Features:

• Create Scribes for multiple use cases, including process guides, training materials and customer support documentation.
• Autocapture screenshots with annotations documenting each click and keystroke. 
• High-quality screenshots are presented in the perfect sequence with customization options.
• Pair up annotated screenshots with editable text into quickly digestible guides. 
• Produce and publish rankable content for improved SEO.

2. PDFCreator

PDFCreator is a power-packed tool to convert screenshots to PDF documents. You can convert images in the PNG, JPG and TIFF formats into a PDF doc and vice versa. Besides converting screenshots into a doc, you can also save files in PDF/A format to create your archive. All you need to do is drag and drop images into the program for a quick and efficient conversion process.

The tool also has a feature to automate your workflows for documentation, like restricting access and auto-saving all changes. If you want to do more with your PDFs, PDFCreator's Actions feature lets you add a cover page to every doc, send an email or upload every file via FTP.

What's more, PDFCreator is open-source software. So, you can customize the code to match your requirements better. 

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

Capterra rating: 4.6 out of 5

Price: Free version, Professional version at $23.90/year, Terminal Server version at $380/year, Server version at $1100/year.

Features:

• Convert any image or printable document into a PDF.
• Collect digital signatures with author verification.
• Restrict PDF access or add a password to your document.
• Available in multiple languages. 
• Automatically save all new changes in a document. 

3. pdfFiller ‍

pdfFiller is a fully-featured PDF management software with diverse editing capabilities. It allows you to convert any image file into a PDF in a few clicks. Once converted, you can thoroughly edit your document using page numbering, watermark, fillable fields, encryption and e-signature. 

This browser-based tool has over 25 million templates to help you get started with any document. Plus, you can also download the pdfFiller app to download on the go from your mobile. 

4. Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat is well-known among designers, photographers, marketers and desktop publishers.

Whether it's for personal records or team collaboration, Adobe Acrobat ensures an exceptional user experience for various use cases. Aside from converting images, the tool easily creates PDFs from almost any file type — from Microsoft files to Google documents.

Adobe Acrobat also offers an add-on for Google Drive. Users can easily view, annotate, sign, convert or organize pages into a single PDF file without leaving Google Drive. For Firefox users, Adobe Acrobat provides the Acrobat Create PDF extension.

G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Capterra Rating: 4.7 out of 5

Price: Adobe Acrobat offers two pricing plans—the Standard plan at $12.99/month and the Pro plan at $19.99/month

Features:

• Create, edit and review PDFs.
• Add text or hyperlinks to your PDF files (only in Pro).
• E-sign documents and collect signatures.
• Team collaboration features.
• Advanced file protection.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader to read, leave comments and share PDFs from mobile devices.

5. DocFly

DocFly is a PDF editor for creating PDFs from scratch or converting different formats into PDFs. The tool allows you to upload one image and convert it into a PDF — limiting its functionality to some extent. However, you can convert screenshots into PDFs within seconds and store them on the cloud to access your files from any device. 

DocFly also allows you to encrypt your documents and restrict access via password protection. All files upload to Amazon Cloud for added security. 

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

Capterra rating: 4.3 out of 5

Pricing: Free version, Pro version at $6.99/month (or $3.49/month billed annually).

Features:

• Convert JPG and PNG files into PDFs within seconds. 
• Add passwords to encrypt your PDFs and restrict access. 
• Convert unlimited screenshots to PDF in the free version. 
• Access all files from anywhere simply by logging into your DocFly account.
• Powerful in-app editor to customize your documents. 

6. Nitro PDF Pro

Nitro PDF Pro is an advanced editor fit for converting screenshots into PDFs. The software allows users to perform all the standard edits to a document, like adding fillable fields, including page numbers and modifying the text. Beyond that, you can also use Nitro to convert images to customizable PDFs—thanks to its OCR capabilities. 

Even though the tool offers several advanced features, it doesn't require a long learning curve. You can quickly get the hang of its simple user interface and convert images. 

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

Capterra rating: 4.5 out of 5 

Pricing: One-time license for Windows at $179.99/user—up to 20 users, for Mac at $179.99/user — up to 20 users.

Features:

• A wide variety of editing features to make your PDFs perfect.
• Create and convert PDFs from any device using the app. 
• Make PDF forms and merge them with emails to automate your processes. 
• Combine two or more documents into one in just one click. 
• Flexible licensing options to suit your needs. 

7. PDF4Me

PDF4Me is a multi-functional PDF editor with the feature of converting images to documents. You can also convert a Word doc, a PowerPoint presentation and an Excel sheet into a PDF. Besides conversions, the tool allows you to compress documents and optimize them for faster loading on the web. 

PDF4Me also has an OCR function to search and edit the text in scanned images. You can set up workflows to streamline the documentation process and remove any friction points. 

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

Capterra rating: 4.5 out of 5

Pricing: Free version, Basic version at $3.00/month, Pro version at $6.00/month, API subscription at $35/month—all billed annually.

Features:

• Solid PDF converter to batch convert images into files at once. 
• Text recognition feature to modify any text on the image once converted into a PDF.
• Optimize PDFs for the web and prepare files for printing. 
• Merge, split and reorganize PDFs with easy recovery options. 
• API integration is available to go with no-code platforms.

8. SmallPDF

SmallPDF is one of the most popular tools for editing, converting and managing PDF documents. The browser-based tool offers 21 features: compress, merge, split, sign and convert. You can use the Convert PDF function to transform screenshots into PDF files. 

SmallPDF works as an end-to-end PDF management platform, bringing all the features needed to edit PDFs. Its neat and user-friendly interface makes it easier to convert your files. 

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

Capterra rating: 4.7 out of 5

Pricing: Free version, Pro version at $9/month, Team at $7/month for every user — all billed annually. 

Features:

• Convert JPG and PNG files into PDF with the option to reverse the conversion. 
• Create forms or contracts using the e-signature and fillable field features 
• Use text recognition to extract text from scanned pictures. 
• Protect any file with an easy locking feature that restricts access. 
• Cloud-based platform with mobile apps to manage PDFs from anywhere. 

9. Soda PDF

Soda PDF is a feature-packed PDF management tool with a desktop and mobile version to edit PDFs anytime, anywhere. You can create a PDF from scratch or modify a scanned document. It also allows you to convert multiple images simultaneously. 

With a strong OCR engine, you can easily extract the text from images and edit it within your PDF files. The best part is that you can create your own workflows to manage documentation seamlessly and create an archive of resources in the PDF/A format. 

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

Capterra rating: 3.4 out of 5

Pricing: Standard Plan at $7/month, Pro Plan at $10.42/month, Business Plan at $16.50/month—all billed annually, Enterprise Edition at $159 (Perpetual). 

Features:

• A complete suite of editing tools to simplify PDF management for you.
• Ease of collaboration and advanced safety features for business teams. 
• Options to try any feature online or download the app directly. 
• Mobile and desktop versions for well-rounded PDF editing. 
• Full-fledged resource center to help you navigate through the tool quickly. 

10. Foxit PDF Editor

Foxit PDF Editor is a multi-device PDF management software with advanced functionality to create, modify, sign and convert PDFs. This easy editing tool converts your screenshots into a single doc or more. It also offers live collaboration features with cloud storage to manage all files in real time. 

A feature unique to Foxit’s PDF editor is the option to enable accessibility and deliver all the information using assistive technology. You can also scan any images or printed documents and convert them into editable text format with the OCR engine. 

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

Capterra rating: 4.3 out of 5

Pricing: PDF Editor Suite Pro for Teams from $10.75 /month (billed annually) and PDF Editor Cloud for Individuals from $9.17/month.

Features:

• Convert multiple images simultaneously and automate workflows to merge, split or reorganize files. 
• Create interactive PDF forms using fillable fields and e-signature. 
• Keep your docs secured with password encryption. 
• Make your PDF more accessible by leveraging assistive technology. 
• Easily migrate to the tool with a user-friendly UI enabling quick adoption. 

1. Ease of Sharing Information

PDF, a.k.a. Portable Document Format, has become the gold standard for information exchange. Whether you want to share a step-by-step guide or create extensive procedures, a PDF makes it easy to compile as many resources into a single document as possible. 

2. Maintaining Consistency

You can easily share and view a PDF across different devices, operating systems and apps. This high level of standardization for the PDF format can help you maintain consistency in your resources and documentation.  

3. Adequate Documentation

Compared to an entire library of screenshots, a single PDF can do the job of documentation more effectively. You can embed rich media alongside visuals and text to make your PDFs more dynamic and produce value-packed documentation. 

4. Safe and Confidential

There’s almost nothing you can do to secure your designs or content in the image file format. PDF solves security problems and gives you greater control over your documents by preventing unauthorized access through encryption. This makes it easy to share and manage PDFs without compromising confidentiality. 

PDFs have become more than a nice-to-have for anyone exchanging information online. They can easily replace hundreds of images and deliver the right message. So, let's look at ten tools to help you convert screenshots to PDF and move past the struggle. 

What is the best way to take a screenshot and save it as a PDF?

Using a Google Chrome extension like Scribe is the best method to take and save screenshots as PDFs. With this extension, you can screen capture on the go, watch Scribe turn separate screenshots into step-by-step guides and export the resulting instructions as PDFs. 

Scribe is more than screenshot software — it’s your go-to solution for process documentation.

What are the benefits of converting a screenshot to a PDF?

One key benefit is that PDF files are universally compatible, ensuring smooth viewing on various devices, including Apple’s MacBook Pro, Microsoft’s Windows 11 OS and other types of computers.  Additionally, PDFs can efficiently compress large image data, reducing file sizes for easy sharing via email or online platforms. 

PDFs are also more convenient for walking end-users through the processes captured with screenshots. 

Are there any limitations to taking screenshots and converting them to PDFs?

With the right snipping tool and PDF converter, you shouldn’t have any problems or limitations associated with taking screenshots and converting them to PDFs. 

How can I ensure that my screenshots are high quality when converted to PDFs?

Consider using PNG or BMP file formats to ensure high-quality screenshots when converted to PDFs. These formats offer lossless image compression, preserving image clarity and detail. 

Avoid excessive resizing or dragging of screenshots, which may reduce image resolution. Utilizing professional tools will ensure optimal results and consistent quality across devices.

What file formats can be converted to PDFs?

PDF conversion supports various file formats, including JPEG, BMP, PNG, HEIC and even GIFs. Whether you take screenshots on your phone or computer, these formats can be seamlessly converted to PDFs using tools like Adobe Acrobat or other PDF conversion programs. These PDF screenshots can then be easily shared or stored on multiple pages or platforms for reference.