EPS to PDF
Turn EPS and PostScript files into PDFs that open anywhere, without Illustrator. Ghostscript runs right in your browser, keeps the artwork as sharp vector shapes, and crops each page to the EPS bounding box or fits it on a Letter or A4 page.
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The PDF page is exactly as big as the %%BoundingBox of each EPS.
Only affects raster images; vector shapes and text stay vector.
One page per EPS, in the order shown below.
Conversion uses Ghostscript compiled to WebAssembly. It is downloaded once (a few MB) the first time you convert.
How to use the EPS to PDF
- Add EPS or PS files by dropping them on the box or choosing them, or press Try it with a sample EPS.
- Check the details shown for each file, such as the artwork size from its bounding box.
- Pick the page size: Crop to artwork gives a PDF exactly the size of the bounding box.
- Tick Combine all files if you want a single multi-page PDF.
- Press Convert to PDF. The first run downloads the Ghostscript engine; then download each PDF, open it, or download all as a ZIP.
What is an EPS file?
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) is a single-page PostScript program with a few extra rules, published by Adobe in the late 1980s so that artwork could be placed inside other documents. The file is plain PostScript code that draws the image, plus comments that describe it, most importantly the %%BoundingBox that tells other programs how big the artwork is. Because PostScript is a programming language, an EPS needs an interpreter such as Ghostscript to be displayed or converted.
| Header comment | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| First line | %!PS-Adobe-3.0 EPSF-3.0 | PostScript file that follows the EPS rules |
| %%BoundingBox | 0 0 360 240 | Lower-left x, y and upper-right x, y in points (1/72 inch) |
| %%HiResBoundingBox | 0.25 0 359.8 240 | The same box with decimals for more precision |
| %%Creator / %%Title | Adobe Illustrator | Program that wrote the file and its title |
| %%LanguageLevel | 2 | PostScript language level the code needs |
| %%BeginPreview | hex data | EPSI bitmap preview for programs that cannot run PostScript |
Bounding box size in inches and millimeters
The bounding box is measured in PostScript points: inches = points ÷ 72 and millimeters = points ÷ 72 × 25.4. A box of 0 0 360 240 is 360 × 240 points, which is 5 × 3.33 inches or 127 × 85 mm. With Crop to artwork, the PDF page gets exactly this size.
| Page option | Ghostscript setting | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Crop to artwork (bounding box) | -dEPSCrop | Logos, figures and illustrations you will place in other documents |
| Fit on US Letter / A4 | -dEPSFitPage with a fixed page size | Printing the artwork as large as possible on a standard sheet |
| US Letter, original position | Fixed page, no scaling | Checking where the artwork sits on the page it was designed for |
Tips
- Need an image instead? Convert to PDF here, then use PDF to PNG or PDF to SVG for web-friendly formats.
- Illustrator .ai files saved with PDF compatibility are already PDF inside; open them with AI to PNG or any PDF viewer.
- Many logos at once? Tick Combine all files into one PDF to get a single proof sheet with one logo per page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert an EPS file to PDF?
Add the EPS file, choose Crop to artwork (or a Letter or A4 page) and press Convert to PDF. Ghostscript interprets the PostScript code in your browser and writes a PDF, which you can download or open right away. No software installation or account is needed.
Will the PDF still be vector?
Yes. Ghostscript's pdfwrite device turns PostScript paths, fills and text into PDF paths and fonts, so logos and drawings stay sharp at any zoom. Raster images that were placed inside the EPS remain images; the quality setting only controls whether they are downsampled.
What does Crop to artwork (bounding box) mean?
Every EPS file declares the rectangle its artwork occupies in a %%BoundingBox comment. With cropping on, Ghostscript uses that rectangle as the PDF page size (the -dEPSCrop option), so there are no empty margins. The fit options instead scale the artwork to fill a Letter or A4 page (the -dEPSFitPage option).
Can I convert PS (PostScript) files too?
Yes. Regular .ps documents, including multi-page files printed to PostScript, are converted page by page into one PDF. Bounding-box cropping applies only to EPS files; a PS document keeps the page size it requests.
What is a DOS EPS file with a TIFF preview?
Some programs save EPS files with a small binary header that bundles the PostScript code with a TIFF or WMF preview picture for page-layout software. The converter reads that header, extracts the PostScript part and converts it; the low-resolution preview is not needed for the PDF.
Why did my EPS fail to convert?
The most common causes are files that are not really PostScript (for example an Illustrator .ai file saved with PDF compatibility, which you can open as a PDF directly), damaged files, or fonts and features the EPS expects from the printer. The Ghostscript messages shown under the file usually name the problem.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The Ghostscript engine is downloaded to your browser once and all conversion happens on your device. Your EPS files and the resulting PDFs never leave your computer.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.