How to Save a Screenshot as PDF on Mac
Best for
One screenshot: Preview
1 image, built into macOS
Preview can export any image as a PDF. Nothing to install.
Several screenshots: free PDF tool
2 to 60 images you already have
Drop the files into Image to PDF, set the order, page size and margins, and download one PDF. It runs in your browser.
Repeated captures: Temposhot
Pages you still have to capture
Auto Capture saves a page, presses the page-turn key, and repeats. Export the run as one searchable PDF.
Save one screenshot as PDF with Preview
For a single image, macOS already has what you need.
- Step 1
Open the screenshot
Double-click the screenshot in Finder. It opens in Preview unless you changed the default app.
- Step 2
Choose PDF
Choose File > Export as PDF. To combine images, select them all in Finder first, open them together, and use File > Print > Save as PDF.
- Step 3
Save the file
Name the file, pick a folder, and press Return. Preview writes one PDF page per image.
Capture a sequence and export it with Temposhot
When the pages are still on screen, capture them in a run. A 300-page book with the Kindle preset settings takes about two and a half minutes of capture time at 500 ms per page.
Settings for a page archive
- Stop after
- 300 screenshots
- Interval
- 500 ms
- Key press
- Right Arrow
- Countdown
- 3 s
- Source
- Custom Area
Review the sequence before it becomes a document
Frames appear in the results panel while the run is going. Untick the cover, blank pages or anything you do not need. The selection decides what goes into the PDF.
Choose PDF settings with a real preview
The session PDF keeps frame order and adds searchable text. For a guide with titles and notes, turn the session into a Document and export it with paper size, orientation and image quality settings.
Explore next
- Image to PDFCombine screenshots into one PDF in the browser.
- Merge PDFJoin PDFs you already exported.
- Compress PDFMake a large page archive smaller.
- Auto CaptureIntervals, key presses and stop conditions.
- DocumentsTitles, annotations and PDF layout for guides.
- Screenshot to Searchable PDFAdd text recognition to existing images.
Related guides
FAQ
Can a Mac save a screenshot as a PDF without extra software?
Yes. Open the screenshot in Preview, choose File > Export as PDF, name the file and save it.
How do I put several screenshots into one PDF?
Use the free Image to PDF tool on this site. Add the images, drag them into order, choose page size and margins, and download one PDF. The files are processed in your browser.
How do I save a whole ebook or long document as a PDF?
Use Temposhot Auto Capture with a page-turn key such as Right Arrow, then export the frames as one searchable PDF. Only capture content you own or are allowed to copy.
Is the PDF from Temposhot searchable?
Yes. The session PDF runs text recognition on each frame, so text can be searched in PDF viewers that support it.
Are my screenshots uploaded?
No. Preview, the browser tool and Temposhot all process the files on your Mac.
Ready to automate screenshots on your Mac without scripts?
Set the capture area, the interval and the page-turn key once. Temposhot runs the session and you export the PDF.
Free download. Apple Silicon, macOS 14 or later.