How to convert a Word document to PDF

Why send a PDF instead of a Word file

A Word document is rendered by whichever program opens it, using whichever fonts that computer has. The same file can break differently on a phone, on another version of Word or in a different office suite. A PDF stores the finished pages, so line breaks, fonts and page breaks stay where you put them.

It also signals that the document is final. The reader can print and read it but not casually rewrite it, which suits applications, invoices and anything that will be archived.

Steps to convert

Word to PDF accepts .doc, .docx, .odt and .rtf files up to 50 MB.

• Finish the document. Update the table of contents, page numbers and any fields, and accept or reject tracked changes.
• Open Word to PDF and add your file.
• Start the conversion. The file is uploaded, converted and the PDF is sent back to you.
• Download the PDF and read it from the first page to the last, not just the first screen.
• If something looks wrong, fix it in the source document and convert again.

How the conversion is processed

Unlike most tools on this site, Word to PDF cannot run entirely in your browser. Your file is uploaded over HTTPS to our server and converted there with LibreOffice, in a temporary private folder. The finished PDF is streamed back and the files are deleted right after delivery, and also if the conversion fails or times out. Leftovers older than 20 minutes are swept automatically.

Logs record a job identifier, the tool name, a size class, the duration and the result, never file names or contents. Even so, if a document is extremely sensitive, prefer to export a PDF from your own word processor, where the file never leaves your computer.

Fonts: the main cause of layout changes

The converter uses the fonts installed on the server. If your document uses a font that is not available there, a similar one is substituted, and different letter widths can move line breaks, push a heading onto the next page or change the page count. Common fonts usually survive; decorative or company fonts often do not.

The reliable way to protect your layout is to use widely available fonts for documents you plan to convert, and to check the PDF for changed line breaks, especially around tables and page ends.

What may not convert perfectly

Simple text documents with headings, lists, images and basic tables convert well. Complex layouts are where differences show up. Macros are not carried into the PDF, and embedded objects, unusual text wrapping around images or heavily formatted text boxes may shift or render differently.

• Text boxes and floating shapes can move slightly.
• Fields and tables of contents show the values stored in the file, so update them first.
• Tracked changes and comments may appear in the output depending on how the file was saved, so resolve them beforehand.
• Very wide tables may split or be cut at the page edge.

After converting: size, passwords and sharing

Documents with many photos can produce a heavy PDF. If the file is too big to email, Compress PDF re-encodes embedded images at a lower resolution and keeps text sharp and selectable. If the document is confidential, Protect PDF adds an open password with AES-256 encryption, and you should store that password safely, because lost passwords cannot be recovered.

Check the document properties before sending. The author name and title stored in the file may not be what you want to show.

Checklist before you send it

A short review catches most problems: page count matches what you expect, images are sharp, headings are not stranded at the bottom of a page, and links still work. Open the PDF on a second device if it matters, such as a phone, since that is where many recipients will read it.