Word to PDF
Upload a Word document and preserve its layout in a PDF.
Drag & drop your file anywhere in this box.
Encrypted upload, deleted right after processingFree · No sign-up · No watermarks
Supported: .doc, .docx
Convert Word documents to PDF for sharing and submission
The reason almost every form, application and employer asks for a PDF rather than a Word file is that a Word file is not finished. It reformats itself depending on which fonts are installed, which version of Word is open and what the default printer is, so the document on the reviewer screen may not be the document you wrote. A PDF fixes the pages, and nobody can accidentally edit it either.
The one thing that genuinely changes during conversion is fonts. The server has a broad set installed, but a document built around a typeface it does not hold will be laid out with a substitute, and a substitute is rarely exactly the same width. When widths shift, line breaks shift, and when line breaks shift, a page break can move. On a one page CV that is very visible, which is why the first thing to do with the downloaded file is open it and look.
A few things in a Word document simply have no PDF equivalent. Macros do not run, comments and tracked changes are not interactive, and fields that update themselves are frozen at whatever they said when the file was converted. Hyperlinks do survive and stay clickable, as do bookmarks and a table of contents built with Word heading styles.
Simple, practical guidance
How to use Word to PDF
Your document is laid out by an Office compatible engine and then printed to PDF, which is why the result is a fixed document that looks the same on every machine that opens it.
- 1
Upload the Word document and confirm its filename.
- 2
Review the source-to-PDF conversion summary.
- 3
Select Convert to PDF and follow the job progress.
- 4
Open the downloaded PDF and check fonts, page breaks, and headers.
Get a better result
The layout engine reproduces Word formatting closely. Fonts that are installed are used as they are, and anything unavailable on the server is substituted with the nearest match.
Know how your file is handled
Laying out a Word document requires an Office compatible engine that cannot run in a browser, so your file is processed on our server and deleted once the PDF has been produced.
Check before you share
Page breaks can move if the document relies on a font the server does not have, and macros, tracked changes behaviour and printer specific settings do not carry into a PDF.
Questions people ask
Word to PDF FAQ
Font substitution, page breaks, hyperlinks, and keeping the submitted document faithful.
How do I convert a Word document to PDF?
Upload the DOC or DOCX file, check the conversion summary, select Convert to PDF, then open the downloaded file and confirm the fonts, page breaks and headers look right.
Will my formatting be preserved exactly?
Very closely. The main source of difference is fonts: anything not installed on the server is substituted, and a substituted font with slightly different letter widths can move a line break and therefore a page break.
How do I stop page breaks from shifting?
Build the document with widely available fonts such as Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri or Helvetica. If a particular typeface is essential, embed it in the DOCX before converting.
Do hyperlinks still work in the PDF?
Yes. Links remain clickable, and a table of contents generated from Word heading styles carries across as working internal links and PDF bookmarks.
What happens to tracked changes and comments?
They are rendered according to how the document is set to display them, so a file showing markup converts with that markup visible. Accept or reject changes and hide comments before converting if the PDF should be clean.
Will macros work in the PDF?
No. PDF has no equivalent of a macro, so any automation in the document is simply absent from the converted file.
Is my Word file sent to a server?
Yes. Office layout cannot be reproduced inside a browser, so the file is processed on our server over a secure connection and removed once your PDF is ready.
Can I convert several Word files into one PDF?
Convert each one and then merge the PDFs, which also lets you set the final order of the sections. Merge PDF
My converted PDF is very large. Why?
Usually because the document contains high resolution images that were pasted in at full size. Compress PDF reduces that considerably without any visible change on screen. Compress PDF
Can I edit the PDF afterwards?
Lightly, in the PDF editor, or more substantially by converting back to Word. The cleanest route is always to edit the original DOCX and convert again. PDF Editor