How Do You Convert DjVu to PDF?
You convert DjVu to PDF by adding the file to QuickCatPDF's DjVu to PDF converter, choosing a resolution, and clicking Convert to PDF. Every page of the scan is drawn at 150, 300 or 600 DPI, in colour or black and white, and placed on a PDF page of the original size.
DJVU and DJV files both work. It's free, with no sign-up and no watermark.
How to Convert a DjVu File to PDF With QuickCatPDF
Converting a DjVu scan takes four steps.
- Click Select DjVu files or drop your files on the page (up to 10 files).
- Choose the Resolution and Colour or Black and white.
- For several files, choose Separate PDFs or One combined PDF.
- Click Convert to PDF, then download each PDF, the ZIP or the combined PDF.
What Is a DjVu File?
DjVu is a format for scanned books and documents. It splits each page into layers, sharp text and line art on one and the background picture on another, and compresses each layer separately, which keeps large scans small. Many digital libraries and archives publish old books this way.
The trade-off is that few apps open DjVu files, while every device opens PDFs. QuickCatPDF uses the DjVuLibre decoder to draw each page and puts the result into a PDF with the page's original size.
Which Resolution Should You Choose?
The resolution decides how sharp the PDF pages are and how large the file gets.
| Resolution | Best for | File size |
|---|---|---|
| 150 DPI | Reading on screens, sending by email | Smallest |
| 300 DPI | Most books and documents (default) | Medium |
| 600 DPI | Printing, small text, detailed maps and diagrams | Largest |
Black and white suits text-only books: pages are stored as pure black and white, which keeps text crisp and the file small. Keep Colour for scans with photos, colour illustrations or a tinted paper you want to keep.
In our test, a two-page Letter-size DjVu converted in about 2 seconds into a 212 KB PDF at 300 DPI in colour, and into a 23 KB PDF at 150 DPI in black and white.
Is My File Safe?
Yes. DjVu files are converted on our own server, because a browser can't decode them. They're sent over HTTPS, converted in a sandboxed service with no internet access, and deleted right after conversion; the PDF is deleted as soon as your browser downloads it.
What Isn't Kept?
DjVu files sometimes contain a hidden text layer from OCR. That layer isn't copied, because each page becomes a picture in the PDF, so the PDF's text can't be selected or searched. To get editable text from the converted PDF, run it through Scanned PDF to Word, which reads the pages with OCR.
Bookmarks stored in the DjVu file aren't carried over either.
Frequently asked questions
Is DjVu to PDF free?
Yes, free with no sign-up and no watermark, with a fair-use limit of 60 files an hour.
What's the size limit?
Each DjVu file can be up to 100 MB, and you can convert up to 10 files at once. Very long books at 600 DPI may take too long; choose 300 DPI if that happens.
Can I convert DjVu to PDF without uploading?
No, DjVu files need a decoder that runs on our server, so they're uploaded. They're deleted right after conversion and never kept more than 1 hour.
Why is my PDF larger than the DjVu file?
DjVu compresses scans more tightly than a PDF of page pictures can. Choose 150 DPI or Black and white for a smaller PDF.
Can I combine several DjVu files into one PDF?
Yes, add them in order and choose One combined PDF; each file gets its own bookmark. Comics convert on CBR to PDF, and every e-book format on eBook to PDF.
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