Convert PCT / PICT file to JPG

I had over a thousand outdated PCT (PICT) files I needed to convert to JPG. I wasn’t having much success with Preview, Photos, Lightroom, Photoshop, etc. I tried this Resize! app but it gave me blank images.

So, I wanted to share my method I finally came up with.

We’re going to use Automator to convert to PDF then to JPG. The main problem I ran into was that Automator would combine all the PCT files into ONE HUGE PDF. So we need the “Dispense Items Incrementally” action.

First, download the action installer “Dispense Items Incrementally” from this site. It should show up in Automator automatically (if you have Automator open, quit and re-open).

When Automator opens, select “Quick Action” (or “Service” if it’s an older version).

Search for each of this actions and drag them into your workflow in this order:

Get Specified Finder Items

Dispense Items Incrementally

New PDF from Images

Loop

Set “Loop” to Loop automatically and Stop after 30 minutes (or longer if needed — it can’t be 0). Select “Use the current results as input”

Set your Output folder in the New PDF from Images action. Keep the default settings.

Now just add the PCT files in the Get Specified Finder Items action using the “Add…” (or drag them in) and click Run at the top.

When that’s done, we need to convert the PDFs to JPGs.

First: Select New in the Automator File Menu.

Create another Quick Action/Service:

Get Specified Finder Items

Render PDF Pages as Images

Move Finder Items

Click the “Add” button or drag the PDFs into Get Specified Finder Items window (like before).

Specify where you want the images saved in the Move Finder Items box.

Click run. If Automator gives you a message, “This quick action will not receive input when run inside Automator,” just click Ok.

That’s it!