Does Create PDF work on macOS versions older than Mojave?

No. The Create PDF Quick Action is available starting with macOS Mojave 10.14. Earlier versions do not include this feature.

Can I control the image quality or compression in the PDF?

The Create PDF action does not offer quality settings. For control over quality, use the online JPG to PDF tool, which embeds images at quality 90.

What happens if I select images in the wrong order?

The PDF pages follow the order of your selection. To fix this, rename your files with numbers (01, 02, 03) before selecting them, or hold Command and click in the desired sequence.

Does Convert Image keep the original file?

Convert Image creates a new file in the chosen format and size. The original file remains unchanged in the same folder.

Make a PDF From Images With Finder Quick Actions on Mac

Make a PDF from images directly in Finder using built-in Quick Actions. The feature has been there since macOS Mojave 10.14. Select your image files, control-click, and choose Quick Actions > Create PDF. No additional app or watermark is needed. This guide covers that method, the related Convert Image action, and when to skip both in favor of an online tool.

What Are Finder Quick Actions?

Finder Quick Actions are contextual tasks that appear when you select one or more files and control-click (or right-click) them. They also show up in the Finder Preview pane. Open it with View > Show Preview or the shortcut Shift+Command+P. The two actions relevant to making a PDF from images are Create PDF and Convert Image.

These actions are part of macOS itself. Nothing to install. They work on common image formats and let you combine images into pdf finder without opening another application.

Create PDF from Images in Finder

Step-by-Step

Locate the image files you want to combine in a Finder window.
Select the files. To keep pages in a predictable order, rename your files with a numbering scheme such as 01, 02, 03 before selecting them.
Control-click (or right-click) the selected files.
From the context menu, choose Quick Actions > Create PDF.
A new PDF file appears in the same folder. The file is named after the first item you selected.

This method works with JPEG, PNG, and other common image types. The resulting PDF embeds each image as a separate page. Because the action uses the file order from your selection, renaming your images with sequential numbers helps avoid unexpected page sequences.

Convert Image Action for Format Changes

macOS Monterey 12 and later include a Convert Image Quick Action. It changes an image file to JPEG, PNG, or HEIF format directly from Finder. You can also choose a size: Small, Medium, Large, or Actual Size.

When to Use Convert Image

If you have a HEIC image from an iPhone and need a JPEG for a PDF, use Convert Image to convert heic to jpg finder first. Select the file, control-click, choose Quick Actions > Convert Image, pick JPEG and a size, then run the Create PDF action on the changed files.

This two-step workflow is useful when your source images are not in a format that the PDF action handles well, or when you need smaller file sizes before combining them.

Using the Preview Pane for Quick Actions

You can also access Quick Actions from the Finder Preview pane. To enable it, go to View > Show Preview or press Shift+Command+P. Select an image file, and the Preview pane shows a thumbnail. At the bottom of the pane, you will see the same Quick Actions (Create PDF and Convert Image) available as buttons.

This is faster if you are working with a single image or a small set, because you do not need to open a context menu. Just select the files, click the action in the Preview pane, and the task runs immediately.

When to Use Finder Quick Actions vs the Online JPG to PDF Tool

Finder Quick Actions

Finder Quick Actions are convenient for local, offline work. They require no internet connection and no uploads. However, they have limitations: the Create PDF action does not let you adjust image quality, and the order depends on your file selection. The Convert Image action offers only four preset sizes.

The Online Tool

The JPG to PDF tool on pdf-converter-mac.net accepts .jpg, .jpeg, and .png files and embeds images at quality 90. It runs in a browser, so it works on any Mac regardless of macOS version. Use the online tool when:

You need consistent image quality (fixed at 90).
Your macOS is older than Mojave 10.14.
You want to avoid renaming files to control order (the tool may offer its own sorting).
You are already online and prefer a simple drag-and-drop interface.

Use Finder Quick Actions when:

You work offline or want to avoid uploading images.
You have macOS Mojave 10.14 or later.
You want a quick, built-in method without opening a browser.
You need to combine images that are already in a logical order by filename.

Tips for Reliable Results

Control Page Order

To get consistent page order when using Create PDF, rename your image files before selecting them. A simple scheme like 01_cover.jpg, 02_page1.jpg, 03_page2.jpg works well. The resulting PDF will use the filenames to arrange the pages.

For a right click create pdf mac workflow, you can also hold the Command key while clicking to select non-adjacent files. The order of your clicks determines the page order in the PDF, so click in the sequence you want the pages to appear.

Choose the Right Size

If you use Convert Image first, note that the size options (Small, Medium, Large, Actual Size) affect the dimensions of the output image. Actual Size keeps the original pixel dimensions. Small reduces the file size significantly. Choose based on whether you need high resolution or a smaller final PDF.