A useful feature in ImagePrint is the ability to export your entire document to a PDF file. Whether you want to share your photo layout with a friend, send it by email, archive it for later, or take it to a professional print shop, saving your work as a PDF gives you a portable, universally compatible file that looks the same on every device.

In this tutorial, you will learn everything you need to know about the Export to PDF dialog in ImagePrint. We will start by explaining what a PDF is, then show you how to add images to your document, and finally walk through every single field and option in the Export to PDF dialog — including beginner tips for choosing the right settings.

Tip: Before you export to PDF, always make sure your page setup is correct. The page size in ImagePrint must match the size you want in your PDF. You can set the page size by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P or clicking the Page Setup button on the main toolbar.

What Is a PDF?

PDF is an abbreviation of Portable Document Format. Adobe created the PDF format in 1993, and it quickly became the world standard for sharing documents. Today, every modern device — phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers — can open a PDF without any special software.

Think of a PDF as a digital snapshot of your document. When you save your photo layout as a PDF, everything is locked in place — the images, their positions, the page size, and any text you have added. The person who receives your PDF will see exactly the same layout you designed, regardless of what device, operating system, or screen size they use.

Why Is PDF the Best Format for Sharing Photo Layouts?

There are several important reasons why PDF is the ideal format for exporting your photo layouts from ImagePrint:

• Universal compatibility: Every smartphone, tablet, and computer can open a PDF. You do not need to install any special software.
• Print-ready quality: A PDF saves your photos at the resolution you choose, making it perfect for sending to a print shop or printing at home later.
• Fixed layout: Unlike a regular image file, a PDF can contain multiple pages. Your poster, photo grid, or passport photo sheet stays exactly as you designed it.
• Small file size option: You can choose a lower resolution for emailing, which creates a much smaller file without affecting the on-screen appearance.
• Secure and professional: PDFs are the standard for professional sharing in offices, print shops, and studios worldwide.

Tip: If you plan to print your PDF at a professional print shop, always export at 300 DPI or higher. Most professional printers require at least 300 DPI to produce sharp, high-quality results.

Now that you understand what a PDF is and why it matters, let us look at how to add images to ImagePrint before you export.

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How to Add Images to ImagePrint

Before you can export your photos to a PDF, you first need to add images to your ImagePrint document. ImagePrint supports a wide range of image formats, including JPG, PNG, BMP, HEIC, AVIF, RAW, and even vector formats like PDF and EMF. There are several easy ways to add images to your document.

Method 1: Double-Click on the Page

The fastest way to add a single image is to double-click anywhere on the white page area. The Insert Image dialog opens immediately, allowing you to browse your computer and select the photo you want. After selecting the file, click Open to add it to the page. This method works best when you need to add one or two individual photos quickly.

Method 2: Use the Left Toolbox

The left toolbox contains several container shapes that help you arrange multiple photos professionally. Click the Photo Strip button to add a container that automatically arranges your images in a grid. Click the Flow Layout button for more control over photo sizes. Click the Repeat Image button to repeat the same photo multiple times — ideal for passport photos. After adding the container to the page, click the Add Images button on the context toolbar to insert your photos into it.

Tip: When you drag and drop a folder from File Explorer onto ImagePrint, the application loads all images inside that folder automatically. This is the fastest way to add dozens of photos at once.

Method 3: Drag and Drop from File Explorer

You can also open Windows File Explorer, find your photos, and drag them directly onto the ImagePrint page or into a container shape. This method works for single files, multiple files selected at once, and entire folders. When dragging images into a container shape like the Photo Strip, press the Ctrl key during the drag to ensure all images land inside the container rather than on the page background.

Method 4: Use the Insert Menu

The Insert menu on the top menu bar allows you to add images, Photo Strips, Flow Layouts, Repeat Images, and text. Right-clicking on the page also displays the same Insert options. This method gives you the most control over which type of container you want to add before inserting your photos.

Understanding the ImagePrint Document

It is important to understand that an ImagePrint document is not a single image — it is a collection of images and text arranged on one or more pages. Each photo in the document is stored as a separate shape that you can move, resize, crop, and color-correct independently. When you export the document to PDF, ImagePrint renders all of these shapes together into a single, polished output file.

Because photos are measured in pixels but printed in inches, ImagePrint handles the conversion automatically. The page resolution — measured in DPI (Dots Per Inch) — determines how large an imported photo appears. At 300 DPI, a 3000 × 2400 pixel photo becomes exactly 10 × 8 inches on the page.

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How to Open the Export to PDF Dialog

Once you have arranged your photos on the page and are happy with the layout, you are ready to export to PDF. ImagePrint gives you three ways to open the Export to PDF dialog:

• Click the Export… button on the main toolbar.
• Click File on the top menu bar, then click Export….
• Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+E on your keyboard.

When you trigger the export, a Save As dialog appears first. Here, you choose where to save your file and what to name it. In the Save as type dropdown, select Portable Document Format (*.pdf). Then enter a descriptive filename — for example, FamilyPhotos_2026 — and choose a folder on your computer where you can easily find the file later. Click Save to proceed.

After clicking Save, the Export to PDF dialog opens. This is the main settings panel where you configure exactly how your PDF will look. The dialog divides into a settings panel on the left and a live preview panel on the right. The action buttons — Publish, Apply, and Cancel — appear at the bottom.

Tip: Always check the filename and folder before clicking Save. A clear, descriptive filename like Birthday_Photos_A4_300dpi.pdf makes it much easier to find and identify your file later.

The Export to PDF Dialog: A Complete Field-by-Field Guide

The Export to PDF dialog contains several sections: Page Range, Layout, and Quality. Each section controls a different aspect of the exported PDF. Let us explore every field in detail.

Section 1: Page Range

The Page Range section determines which pages of your ImagePrint document get exported to the PDF. If your document contains many pages — for example, a multi-page poster or a large batch of photos — you can choose to export all pages or only specific ones.

Selection

This dropdown lets you choose All Pages to export the entire document, or Custom to specify individual pages. For most users who are exporting a single photo layout, All Pages is the correct choice.

Custom Pages

When you select Custom in the Selection dropdown, the Custom Pages field becomes active. You can type individual page numbers separated by commas — for example, 1, 3, 5 — to export only those pages. You can also specify a range using a dash, such as 1-5 to export pages one through five. You can even combine both: for example, 1, 3, 5-7, 12 exports pages one, three, five through seven, and twelve.

Tip: If you have a large document with many pages and want to test your export settings, export only the first page by typing 1 in the Custom Pages field. Once you are happy with the result, export all pages for the final version.

Changing the page range causes the live preview to regenerate. On documents with many pages, this regeneration can take several seconds. To save time, uncheck the Auto-refresh Preview button above the preview panel while you configure your settings. You can then click Refresh Preview or press F5 to update the preview manually when you are ready.

Section 2: Layout

The Layout section controls the physical appearance of the pages in your exported PDF, including orientation, page size, scale, and mirroring.

Content Size

This read-only label shows the total size of the content in your document — for example, 8.27 × 11.69 in for an A4 page. It helps you confirm that the layout matches your intentions. The unit displayed here matches the unit selected in the Unit dropdown above the live preview panel. You can change the displayed unit to Inches, Centimeters, Millimeters, Points, or Pixels without affecting the actual export.

Orientation

The Orientation dropdown lets you choose between Portrait and Landscape. Portrait orientation means the page is taller than it is wide — like a standard letter or an upright photo. Landscape orientation means the page is wider than it is tall — ideal for wide panoramic photos or horizontal photo grids. Changing the orientation swaps the width and height of your pages in the PDF. Always make sure the orientation in the Export dialog matches the orientation you set in the Page Setup dialog before exporting.

Tip: Portrait mode works best for single portraits, passport photos, and vertical layouts. Landscape mode works best for wide group photos, panoramas, and horizontal photo grids.

Page Size

The Page Size dropdown sets the paper size for each page in your exported PDF. This should always match the page size you set in the ImagePrint Page Setup dialog. Common sizes include A4 (210 × 297 mm), Letter (8.5 × 11 inches), Legal (8.5 × 14 inches), and many photo print sizes like 4 × 6 in or 5 × 7 in. ImagePrint supports more than 150 standard page sizes. If the page size in the PDF does not match the ImagePrint document, your photos may appear cropped, offset, or surrounded by unexpected white borders.

Browse…

Instead of scrolling through the long Page Size dropdown to find the right size, click the Browse… button to open a searchable size browser.

Type a paper name — such as A4 or Letter — in the filter field to narrow the list instantly. You can also search by dimensions, like 8.5 in. The dialog shows columns for Name, Width, Height, and Area. Click any column header to sort the list in ascending or descending order. Double-click a size to select it, or click it once and press OK.

Scale

The Scale field controls how large or small the content appears in the PDF relative to its original size. At 100%, the content exports at its exact original dimensions. Reducing the scale — for example, to 75% — shrinks the content and fits more onto each page. Increasing the scale above 100% makes the content larger and may cause it to span additional pages. The Scale field includes a slider for quick adjustments, and plus (+) and minus (−) buttons for fine-tuning. For final exports, always keep the Scale at 100%. If you need photos of a different size, resize them directly on the ImagePrint canvas before exporting.

Tip: Use the Scale field only for quick test exports when you want to check the overall layout. For final, high-quality PDF exports, always set Scale to 100% and resize photos directly on the page instead.

Mirror — Flip Horizontally

Checking the Flip Horizontally checkbox mirrors the entire page horizontally during export. This reverses all content from left to right, as if holding the page up to a mirror. This feature is particularly useful when exporting iron-on transfer designs or tattoo templates, where the printed image must be the mirror image of the intended result. For standard photo exports, leave this option unchecked.

Mirror — Flip Vertically

Checking the Flip Vertically checkbox flips the entire page upside down during export. Like horizontal flipping, this feature is mainly used for specialty printing purposes. In addition to flipping each page individually, checking either mirror option also reverses the page order of the exported PDF. For standard photo exports, leave this option unchecked.

Section 3: Quality — Resolution

The Resolution field is one of the most important settings in the Export to PDF dialog. It directly affects both the visual quality of your PDF and the file size. Understanding how resolution works helps you make the right choice for your specific need.

Resolution measures how many tiny dots of color are packed into each inch of your image. The unit is DPI — Dots Per Inch. A higher DPI means more detail, sharper edges, and smoother color transitions — but also a larger file size. A lower DPI produces a smaller file that looks fine on screen but may appear blurry when printed.

72 DPI — Screen Quality

A resolution of 72 DPI is suitable for viewing on screen only. The exported PDF looks sharp and clear on monitors, tablets, and phones. However, if you print a 72 DPI PDF on paper, the result will look soft and blurry, especially on larger paper sizes. Choose 72 DPI when you need to email the PDF or share it online and file size is a concern.

150 DPI — Basic Print Quality

A resolution of 150 DPI produces a moderate-quality PDF that looks acceptable on most home printers for casual or draft printing. Colors appear reasonably vibrant, and the images look decent from a normal viewing distance. Choose 150 DPI when you want a smaller file than 300 DPI but still need a printable result.

300 DPI — High Print Quality (Recommended)

A resolution of 300 DPI is the professional standard for photography printing. At 300 DPI, photos appear crisp, colors are rich, and fine details are sharp. Professional print shops, photo labs, and most home photo printers all produce excellent results at 300 DPI. This is the recommended setting whenever you plan to print the exported PDF. For most users, 300 DPI is the best balance between file size and quality.

600 DPI — Very Fine Detail

A resolution of 600 DPI produces extremely sharp images with very fine detail. This setting is best for commercial reproduction, professional art prints, or situations where the PDF will be viewed at very close range. The resulting file size is significantly larger than at 300 DPI. For standard home photo printing, the difference between 300 DPI and 600 DPI is rarely visible.

Tip: For most users printing at home, 300 DPI is the sweet spot. It produces professional-quality results without creating an unnecessarily large file. Only use 72 DPI for email sharing, and only go above 300 DPI if you are creating prints for professional or commercial display.

An important technical note: the Resolution field scales down photos whose original resolution is higher than the selected DPI. However, it does not upscale photos. If a photo has a native resolution lower than the selected DPI, it will not become sharper — the export simply uses the photo as-is. This means that choosing a very high DPI on a low-resolution photo does not improve quality; it only increases the file size.

The Live Preview Panel

The right side of the Export to PDF dialog shows a live preview of how your document will look in the exported PDF. As you change settings on the left, the preview updates automatically to reflect your choices. This instant feedback helps you catch problems before you commit to the full export.

Keep in mind that the preview always renders a low-quality version of the output. This is intentional — rendering a full-quality preview for a large document would take too long. At large zoom levels or with large paper sizes, the preview will always look blurry. Do not judge the final quality of your PDF based on the preview. Instead, check the overall layout, page count, and composition.

You can navigate through the preview pages using the left and right arrows below the preview panel, or by typing a page number in the page index field. You can zoom the preview in and out using the zoom dropdown, the slider, or the plus (+) and minus (−) buttons. If your mouse supports it, press and hold the scroll wheel to activate panning — a hand cursor appears, and you can drag the view in any direction without using the scrollbars.

Click the Show Page Numbers button on the toolbar above the preview to display page numbers in the upper-left corner of each preview page. This helps you confirm the correct page range when using the Custom Pages field. The same toolbar contains buttons to show or hide the page margins and the non-printable print area.

Tip: Disable Auto-refresh Preview when working with large documents. This prevents the preview from regenerating after every single change and makes the dialog much faster to use. When you are ready to check your settings, click Refresh Preview or press F5.

Saving Your Export Settings

ImagePrint remembers the export settings you configure in the Export to PDF dialog. Each time you open the dialog, it displays the settings from your last export session for that specific document. Furthermore, if you click the Save button on the main toolbar after exporting, the export settings are saved inside the .cipx document file. This means the next time you open that document and click Export…, all your preferred settings are already selected.

If you want to save your export settings without actually exporting the document right now, click the Apply button at the bottom of the dialog. The settings are stored in memory and will be saved with the file when you click Save on the main toolbar. After clicking Apply, click Cancel or the X button to close the dialog without exporting. If you change your mind and want to discard the new settings, press Ctrl+Z to undo — this restores the previous export settings.

Action Buttons: Publish, Apply, and Cancel

Three buttons appear at the bottom of the Export to PDF dialog. Understanding what each button does prevents confusion and accidental exports.

Publish

Clicking Publish starts the export process immediately using all the current settings. ImagePrint generates the PDF file and saves it to the location you specified in the Save As dialog. A progress indicator appears while the export runs. When complete, the dialog closes and your PDF file is ready to open, share, or print.

Apply

Clicking Apply saves the current settings to memory without exporting the document. The dialog stays open. This is useful when you want to fine-tune settings progressively without triggering an export after each change. After clicking Apply, you can click Cancel to close the dialog while keeping the settings saved.

Cancel

Clicking Cancel closes the Export to PDF dialog and discards any unsaved changes. If you had already clicked Apply before clicking Cancel, those applied settings are retained. If you want to fully revert to the previous settings, press Ctrl+Z (undo) after closing the dialog.

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Step-by-Step: Exporting Your First PDF in ImagePrint

Now that you understand every option in the Export to PDF dialog, let us walk through a complete export from start to finish. Following these steps ensures a smooth, error-free export every time.

1. Set the Page Size first. Before opening the Export dialog, press Ctrl+Shift+P to open the Page Setup dialog. Set the Page Size and Orientation to match the paper you plan to print on – if you plan to print the generated PDF document. Click OK to apply.
2. Add your images. Double-click the page to add individual photos, or use the Photo Strip container for multiple photos in a grid. Arrange and color-correct your photos as needed.
3. Open the Export dialog. Press Ctrl+E or click the Export… button on the toolbar. In the Save As dialog, choose a folder, enter a descriptive filename, select Portable Document Format (*.pdf), and click Save.
4. Set the Page Range. Choose All Pages for a complete export, or use Custom Pages to select specific pages.
5. Check Orientation and Page Size. Confirm that both match your Page Setup settings. Use the Browse… button to find the right paper size quickly.
6. Set the Scale to 100%. For all final exports, the Scale should always be 100%.
7. Choose your Resolution. Select 72 DPI for email sharing, 150 DPI for basic home printing, or 300 DPI for high-quality photo printing.
8. Check the Preview. Review the live preview panel to confirm the layout looks correct. Use the page navigation arrows to check every page.
9. Click Publish. ImagePrint exports your document to PDF. The file is now saved at the location you specified and is ready to open, share, or print.

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Common Beginner Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced users make mistakes when exporting PDF files. Here are the most common errors beginners encounter — and exactly how to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Page Size Mismatch

The most common mistake is exporting with a page size that does not match the ImagePrint document. This causes photos to appear cropped, shifted, or surrounded by unexpected white space in the PDF. Always verify that the Page Size in the Export dialog matches the page size in your Page Setup dialog before clicking Publish.

Mistake 2: Exporting at 72 DPI for Printing

Many beginners accept the default resolution without checking it. A 72 DPI PDF looks fine on screen but prints blurry. Always set the resolution to 300 DPI when you plan to print the PDF.

Mistake 3: Using Scale to Resize Photos

Some users change the Scale field to make photos appear larger or smaller in the PDF. This approach works for quick tests but causes problems for final exports — it changes the effective DPI and can distort the layout. Instead, resize photos directly on the ImagePrint canvas before exporting, and keep Scale at 100%.

Mistake 4: Forgetting to Save the Document After Exporting

After exporting, the export settings are stored in memory but not yet saved to the .cipx document file. If you close ImagePrint without saving, those settings are lost. Always click the Save button on the toolbar after a successful export to preserve your settings for next time.

Tip: After exporting, always open the PDF in a PDF viewer to verify it looks exactly as expected before sharing or printing. On Windows 11, Microsoft Edge opens PDF files automatically when you double-click them.

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Summary

The Export to PDF dialog in ImagePrint gives you precise control over how your photo layouts are saved as PDF files. You have learned what a PDF is and why it is the best format for sharing and printing photo documents. You have also learned how to add images to ImagePrint using double-click, the left toolbox, drag and drop, and the Insert menu. Most importantly, you now understand every field in the Export to PDF dialog — from the page range and orientation to the critical resolution setting.

To recap the most important tips: always match the page size in the Export dialog to your Page Setup, always use 100% scale for final exports, and always choose 300 DPI when you plan to print the PDF. For email sharing and online viewing, 72 DPI produces a compact, fast-loading file that looks great on any screen.

With these skills, you are now ready to export beautiful, professional-quality PDF files from ImagePrint — ready to share, archive, or take to any print shop in the world.