How to Convert a PDF Into a GIF File

Adobe Systems' Portable Document Format (PDF) files are a convenient way to exchange electronic files because they can be read by anyone, on any machine, no matter what programs the recipient has installed, by simply downloading a royalty-free Adobe® Reader® program. The downside to PDFs, however, is that they are often so large that they are cumbersome to open on slower or older computers or they get caught in a spam filter during the email process. In this instance, CompuServe's Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) is a great solution, as it compresses the file for sharing without destroying the level of quality.

Things You'll Need

• Adobe® Photoshop®

Instructions

1. Locate, on your computer, the PDF file that you would like to convert to a GIF file.

2. Open the PDF in Photoshop by right-clicking on the PDF file. A pop-up box will appear. Scroll down this box until you see the words "Open With." Click on the arrow to the right of these words and then select "Choose Program." If Photoshop is loaded on your computer, that program will come up as one of your choices and you can click on it. Depending on the speed of your computer, it could take a minute or two for the program to open.

3. Go to "File" in the top-left corner of the PDF document, once it is opened in Photoshop. From here, scroll down and choose "Save As." A pop-up window will open that will allow you to save your document in a specific location and as a specific file type.

4. Choose where on your computer you would like to save your GIF document by clicking on the drop-down menu at the top of this pop-up window where it says "Save in." Go down to "File name," where you can change the name of the GIF file or keep it the same name as the PDF.

5. Click on the last drop-down menu in this pop-up window, where it says "Format." This is where you will convert your PDF to GIF, which should be one of the selections in this window. Once you have made this selection, click "Save." It's a good idea at this point to check that the process was successful by going to the location on your computer where you saved the GIF file and making sure you see it.