Turning a PDF page into an image changes what the file can do
The page will look similar, but searchable/selectable text becomes pixels in the exported image. That is perfect for a thumbnail or slide image, but not a replacement for the original PDF.
PNG vs JPEG is mostly about the page content
Pages with text, line art and flat graphics often suit PNG. Photo-heavy pages can be much smaller as JPEG. Neither format is universally “better.”
What changes after export
- Higher resolution means larger image files.
- Text becomes part of the image.
- Sensitive information remains visible even though the file format changed.
A common workflow
Export the PDF cover as PNG for a web thumbnail, or use JPEG for a photo-heavy page where file size matters more than pixel-perfect flat graphics.