Convert PMD to PSD

A program or production workflow may require a Photoshop document, while the source artwork remains in an older PageMaker file. Because PMD and PSD use different document models, the practical route is to export the layout to PDF and rasterize each page in Photoshop.

What the PMD format is

PMD most commonly identifies an Adobe PageMaker document, usually created with PageMaker 6 or 7. It can contain text frames, placed graphics, vector objects, columns, master pages, and multipage layouts used for brochures, newsletters, books, and advertisements.

The extension is not unique; other applications use PMD for unrelated data, including some 3D formats. Confirm that the file is an Adobe PageMaker document before using this process. Renaming .pmd to .psd does not convert it.

What the PSD format is

PSD is Photoshop's native document format. It can preserve Photoshop layers, masks, channels, paths, transparency, text layers, and adjustment layers when those elements are created in Photoshop or another compatible workflow.

PSD is suitable for retouching, compositing, and image editing, or when a receiving application specifically requires a Photoshop document. It is not a direct replacement for PageMaker: a PSD normally represents one canvas, so a multipage PMD project generally produces one PSD per page.

How to convert PMD to PSD

Using PageMaker and Photoshop

1. Open the file in Adobe PageMaker 7, the most appropriate application for PageMaker PMD files. PageMaker is discontinued and may require an old, compatible operating system. Current versions of InDesign generally do not open PMD directly; an older InDesign release with PageMaker import support may help, but it should not be assumed to support every file.
2. Resolve missing fonts and linked graphics, then check page size, bleeds, colors, and image links. Use PageMaker's packaging or collect the source fonts and graphics if the document must be moved to another computer.
3. Export a PDF through File → Export → Adobe PDF. Depending on the PageMaker installation, PDF creation may require Adobe Acrobat Distiller or its associated printer description. Choose a print-quality setting for print output, retain the original page dimensions, and include bleed marks only when the production specification requires them.
4. Open the PDF in Photoshop through File → Open. In the PDF import dialog, choose a page, set the required resolution, select RGB or CMYK, and enable anti-aliasing. Photoshop rasterizes the selected page rather than importing PageMaker objects as editable Photoshop layers.
5. Save the imported page through File → Save As or File → Save a Copy, choose Photoshop (PSD), and use separate names such as project-page-01.psd. Repeat for every page. Keep the original PMD and exported PDF as editable-layout and archival files.

Photoshop does not convert a multipage PDF into one multipage PSD document. Import and save pages individually, or automate repeated imports only after checking page order and output settings.

Using an online converter

Major online conversion services do not consistently support legacy Adobe PageMaker PMD files. CloudConvert, Convertio, or another service should be used only if its current upload page explicitly lists Adobe PageMaker PMD as an input and PSD as an output. Do not upload confidential, unpublished, or rights-restricted files unless the service's retention and privacy terms are acceptable.

Open the downloaded PSD and verify page count, dimensions, resolution, text placement, images, transparency, and color mode. A service that accepts the upload but silently treats it as an unknown or generic file has not performed a reliable conversion.

Quality and compatibility limits

The PDF-to-PSD step normally creates a flattened raster image. PageMaker text does not become editable Photoshop text, and PageMaker frames, master pages, links, columns, and layout rules are not preserved as Photoshop objects. Any layers offered by a converter may be newly generated image layers rather than the original PageMaker structure.

Choose the Photoshop import resolution for the final use: 300 ppi is a common print setting, while lower resolution may be sufficient for screen use. Low resolution can make small type and fine rules appear soft. Check the document's final pixel dimensions and Photoshop's file-size limits when importing large pages.

CMYK conversion can change colors, particularly spot colors, transparency, and overprints. Use the ICC profile specified by the print provider and inspect critical pages after conversion. If the layout must remain editable, retain the PMD and PDF and migrate it to a supported page-layout application; PSD should be treated as an image-editing output, not the working master.