How to Convert a Word Document to a JPG or GIF Image

Although Microsoft Word documents are compatible with other word processors, sometimes you will need to save them as JPG or GIF images. Although you cannot export your document as an image file, there are still several ways to do so. All of them are free and simple, so you can use the one that suits you best.

Convert documents to images using Paste Special

Starting with the release of Office 2007, Word added the Paste Special feature, which can be used to convert documents to png, jpg, gif and other image formats. Here are the steps:

1. Open the document you want to save in JPG or GIF format. To select all content, press CTRL+A on Windows (or Command-A on Mac). Otherwise, go to the Edit menu and choose Select All. Be aware that this method will save only one page. You will need to follow these steps for each page separately.
   
2. Copy your selection. On a PC, use CTRL+C (or Command-C on a Mac). You can also right-click the selected content and choose Copy or click the Copy icon located in the upper left corner of Word.
   
3. Open a new document and select Paste Special from the Paste menu. You can also find Paste Special in the Edit menu.
   
4. Select Image (Enhanced Metafile) and click OK. The image of the page you selected will be pasted into the document.
   
5. Right-click on the content and choose Save as Image. Select the desired image format including JPG, GIF, PNG and some others. The end result should look like this passage from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe.
   

If you get an image with a black background, you can try these solutions:

1. Save the image again, but this time using another format.
   
2. If you have secondary displays, disable them before converting documents.

Convert Word documents to PDF files

The latest versions of Microsoft Word will allow you to save your documents as PDF files, which are easier to convert to image files.

Conversion on Windows

1. Open the document you want to convert to jpg.
   
2. Click File>Save As and save as a PDF.
   
3. Open the Microsoft Store and download the PDF to JPEG app.
   
4. Open the program and click Select File.
   
5. Find your PDF and select it.
   
6. Select where to store the new file.
   
7. Click Convert.
   

Note that the PDF to JPEG app will convert multiple pages, which should work better if you need to convert a long document to images. The limitation is that there is no support for saving in GIF format or other image formats. Also, you cannot set the quality of the images.

Convert on Mac

1. Open the document you want to convert to jpg or gif.
2. Go to File>Save As and save as a PDF in Word. Quit the app.
3. Click the PDF file, choose Open With from the menu, and select Preview.
4. Click File and select Export from the drop-down menu.
5. Click on format and select to save the document as a JPEG file.
6. Use the slider to choose the JPEG quality.
7. Click Save to confirm the conversion.

Using Image Viewers/Editors

You can use Microsoft Paint or other image viewers and editors to save Word documents in JPG or GIF format.

1. Open the document you want to convert.
   
2. Using a zoom tool, size the document so that it is entirely on the screen.
   
3. Press Print Screen.
   
4. Open Microsoft Paint or a similar application, such as IrfanView or FastStone Image Viewer.
   
5. Press CTRL+V. The copied image will appear on the screen.
   
6. Use the crop tool to remove unwanted parts from the screenshot.
   
7. Click Save As and name your file.
   
8. Choose JPG or GIF as the format.
   

Use online converters

The main advantage of online converters is that they are simple to use and work on all platforms as long as you have a modern browser.

1. Go to the Word to JPEG website.
   
2. Click Upload Files. You can choose up to 20 Word documents to convert. The total file size cannot exceed 50 MB.
   
3. After the conversion is complete, download the JPGs one by one or as a ZIP archive.
   

Convert Word documents to images according to your preferences

Each of the approaches described has its advantages and disadvantages. If you need to convert a single page to JPG or GIF, using Print Screen and Microsoft Paint or Paste Special is the fastest way to do it.

However, if you are working with multiple pages, there are better solutions. It is recommended to save documents in PDF format before converting them using a third-party application on Windows or the preview tool. Alternatively, you can turn to online converters.

Which of these conversion methods best suits your needs? How often should you convert Word documents to images? Share your opinion in the comments.