My PDF conversion went wrong: find the cause before trying again

The page is sideways or upside down

Open the source image or PDF and check whether its orientation was already wrong. Correct a copy of the source or use the rotation option in a PDF tool. When pages have different orientations, inspect them one by one: applying one rotation to the whole file may fix one page and spoil another.

The text is visible but cannot be selected

A photo placed inside a PDF is still an image; creating a PDF from photos does not automatically turn letters into selectable text. If you have the editable source, export from it. Otherwise, use optical character recognition (OCR) to recognize the text, then proofread the result because recognition can make mistakes.

The converted file became larger

Changing file format does not guarantee a smaller file. Check whether the result has more pages or contains large source images. Combining documents adds their contents; merging is not compression. For photo-based pages, try a copy with smaller image dimensions and compare readability. Keep the original until the result is checked.

A page edge or detail disappeared

First check whether the information was outside the crop in the original photograph. Conversion cannot recover content that was never captured; take the photo again if needed. If the complete image is present, inspect the page size, margins and orientation settings. Test only the troublesome page before repeating a whole batch.

The pages are correct but in the wrong order

Compare file names with the intended sequence. Names such as image1, image10 and image2 can make sorting harder. Numbered names such as 01, 02 and 03 help, but check the order shown by the tool before creating the file. If you are merging PDFs, arrange the document list and inspect the downloaded result.

A form field or signature changed

A PDF can contain interactive fields, attachments, links and digital signatures in addition to page artwork. A conversion that preserves the visible appearance does not guarantee those features will survive. Return to the original and check the recipient’s requirements. Do not rely on a transformed copy until the required features have been verified.

A small test can prevent rework

Suppose the first page of a twenty-photo batch is cropped. Test only that photo and change one setting at a time, such as orientation or margin. Note what changed, then apply the successful setting to the batch and review every page; different images may have different proportions.

If you ask for help, describe the operation, input format and visible symptom. Use a fictional sample that reproduces the issue instead of sending personal or confidential documents.

A quick review checklist

• Compare the result with the original.
• Name the specific symptom.
• Test one page and change one setting at a time.
• Review every page after the next attempt.
• Keep the original until the final file is checked.

Continue with a related task

If you need to combine files and check their sequence, see our PDF tool. Merge PDF files (Portuguese).

Frequently asked questions