It can be surprisingly difficult to figure out how to export images from a PDF document using Adobe Acrobat DC. Many users find themselves lost in the menus, wondering why such a seemingly simple task is so convoluted. If you’ve been struggling to extract images, you’re not alone. This guide will walk you through the 15 steps required in 2023 to get the “Extract images from PDF” function working in Adobe Acrobat DC. What was once a straightforward, single-command operation has become a multi-stage process, but with these instructions, you’ll be able to navigate it successfully.
Step-by-Step Guide to Exporting Images from PDF in Acrobat DC
Here’s how to access the “Extract images from PDF” feature in the latest version of Adobe Acrobat DC:
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Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat DC: Ensure you are using the full version of Adobe Acrobat DC, not just the free Acrobat Reader. The easiest way to guarantee this is to right-click on your PDF file and select “Edit with Adobe Acrobat”.
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Access “More Tools”: Forget the top menu bar for now; it’s not very helpful for this task. Look to the right-hand sidebar menu, which features colorful icons. Click on “More Tools”.
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Browse All Tools (Not Really All): You will be presented with a page displaying various tools. However, don’t expect to find “Extract Images from PDF” here. Despite being labeled “All tools,” this page is incomplete.
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Scroll to “Create Custom Tool”: Navigate to the very bottom of the tools list. Locate and click on “Create Custom Tool”, indicated by an orange icon. If you see your name under an icon instead, you might need to disable the new user interface first.
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Custom Tool Menu: The “create custom tool” menu will now appear, providing further options.
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Find “Save & Export”: In the left-hand menu of the “create custom tool” window, scroll down and find “Save & Export”.
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Expand “Save & Export”: Click to uncollapse or expand the “Save & Export” options.
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Select “Export All Images”: Within the expanded “Save & Export” section, highlight and select “Export All Images”.
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Add “Export All Images” to Custom Tool: Click the plus sign (+) symbol with an arrow pointing to the right. This action adds “Export All Images” to your custom tool set.
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Save Custom Tool: Click the “Save” button to finalize your custom tool creation.
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Name Your Custom Tool: Give your newly created tool a recognizable name. “Extract images from PDF” is a logical choice, making it easy to identify later.
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Locate Your Custom Tool Icon: An orange flower icon (part of the “teletubbies icons” as some users call them) representing your custom tool will appear in the right-hand sidebar menu.
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Click the Custom Tool Icon: Click on the newly created “Extract images from PDF” icon in the sidebar. In theory, this should directly open the “Extract images from PDF” menu.
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Hidden Text Link: You might find that clicking the icon seemingly does nothing. This is a common point of confusion.
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Click the Text Link at the Top: Instead of a pop-up menu, a subtle text link with the name you gave your custom tool (e.g., “Extract images from PDF”) will appear at the very top of the page, often easily overlooked. Click this text link. Finally, the “Extract images from PDF” menu will open, allowing you to export the images contained within your PDF document.
This lengthy process illustrates why many users find extracting images in Adobe Acrobat DC frustrating. What should be a simple function is buried deep within menus and custom tool creation. Hopefully, this step-by-step guide clarifies the process and helps you efficiently export the photos you need from your PDF files.
While this method focuses on using Adobe Acrobat DC directly, it’s worth noting that alternative, albeit less efficient, workarounds exist. For instance, converting the PDF to a Word document can allow for easier image extraction within Microsoft Word. However, this approach is generally impractical for large PDF files or when dealing with numerous images. For most users, mastering the custom tool method in Acrobat DC, as outlined above, will be the most direct solution to export photos from PDF.
