---
name: "ps2pdf"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "ghostscript"
version: "10.08.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ps2pdf"
---

# ps2pdf(1)

Convert PostScript to PDF using ghostscript ps2pdf12 - Convert PostScript to PDF 1.2 (Acrobat 3-and-later compatible) using ghostscript ps2pdf13 - Convert PostScript to PDF 1.3 (Acrobat 4-and-later compatible) using ghostscript ps2pdf14 - Convert PostScript to PDF 1.4 (Acrobat 5-and-later compatible) using ghostscript

## NAME

ps2pdf - Convert PostScript to PDF using ghostscript\
 ps2pdf12 - Convert PostScript to PDF 1.2 (Acrobat 3-and-later compatible) using ghostscript\
 ps2pdf13 - Convert PostScript to PDF 1.3 (Acrobat 4-and-later compatible) using ghostscript\
 ps2pdf14 - Convert PostScript to PDF 1.4 (Acrobat 5-and-later compatible) using ghostscript

## SYNOPSIS

**ps2pdf**  \[options...\] {input.\[e\]ps\|-} \[output.pdf\|-\]\
 **ps2pdf12**  \[options...\] {input.\[e\]ps\|-} \[output.pdf\|-\]\
 **ps2pdf13**  \[options...\] {input.\[e\]ps\|-} \[output.pdf\|-\]\
 **ps2pdf14**  \[options...\] {input.\[e\]ps\|-} \[output.pdf\|-\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **ps2pdf** scripts are work-alikes for nearly all the functionality (but not the user interface) of Adobe's Acrobat(TM) Distiller(TM) product: they convert PostScript files to Portable Document Format (PDF) files.

If the output filename is not specified, the output is placed in a file of the same name with a '.pdf' extension in the current working directory. Either the input filename or the output filename can be '-' to request reading from stdin or writing to stdout, respectively, when used as a filter.

The three scripts differ as follows:

- –

  **ps2pdf12** will always produce PDF 1.2 output (Acrobat 3-and-later compatible).

- –

  **ps2pdf13** will always produce PDF 1.3 output (Acrobat 4-and-later compatible).

- –

  **ps2pdf14** will always produce PDF 1.4 output (Acrobat 5-and-later compatible).

- –

  **ps2pdf** per se currently produces PDF 1.4 output. However, this may change in the future. If you care about the compatibility level of the output, use **ps2pdf12**, **ps2pdf13** or **ps2pdf14**, or use the **-dCompatibilityLevel=1.x** switch in the command line.

There are some limitations in **ps2pdf**'s conversion. See the HTML documentation for more information. A large number of Adobe Distiller(TM) parameters which can be used to control the conversion are also documented there, including instructions for generating PDF/X and PDF/A documents.

## OPTIONS

The **ps2pdf** scripts use the same options as [**gs**(1)](/gs/1.md).

## EXAMPLES

Converting a figure.ps to figure.pdf:

-

  **ps2pdf** *figure.ps*

A conversion with more specifics:

-

  **ps2pdf** -dPDFSETTINGS=/prepress *figure.ps proof.pdf*

Converting as part of a pipe:

-

  **make\_report.pl** -t ps \| **ps2pdf** -dCompatibilityLevel=1.3 - - \| **lpr**

## SEE ALSO

[**gs**(1)](/gs/1.md), [**ps2pdfwr**(1)](/ps2pdfwr/1.md),\
 VectorDevices.htm in the Ghostscript documentation

## BUGS

See http://bugs.ghostscript.com/ and the Usenet news group comp.lang.postscript.

## VERSION

This document was last revised for Ghostscript version 10.04.0.

## AUTHOR

Artifex Software, Inc. are the primary maintainers of Ghostscript. This manpage by George Ferguson.