# How to convert a PDF to Word, and a Word file to PDF > From Word to PDF, "Save As" or "Print > Save as PDF" is enough, on any computer. From PDF to Word you open the PDF with Word for desktop, or with Google Docs: no unknown sites for personal documents. Source: https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/pdf-in-word Author: SimpleBuild, Build simple. Deliver value. Category: PDFs and documents Procedure verified on: 2026-09-30 **From Word to PDF** you don't need any extra program: in Word choose **File > Save As** and **PDF** as the format. On Mac, **File > Print > Save as PDF** also works, from any program. **From PDF to Word**, open the PDF with **Word** for the computer: Word creates an editable copy. If you don't have Word, you can use **Google Docs**. ## Before you start - **Avoid unknown conversion sites.** To convert a file, an online site has to receive the whole document. If it is a contract, a payslip, a medical report or an ID document, you are handing it to a service you know nothing about: where it keeps it, for how long, who sees it. The tools in this guide work on your computer or in your own account. - **Always keep the original.** When Word opens a PDF, it makes a copy and does not change the starting file. Still, it is wise to save a separate copy before experimenting. - **Don't expect a perfect copy.** A PDF is made to be read and printed as it is. Turning it into Word means rebuilding it, and something usually needs fixing by hand. - **A digitally signed PDF loses its signature**: the Word copy is a new document, without the signature. If you have to sign the finished document, see [how to sign a PDF](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/firmare-pdf). ## From PDF to Word ### With Word on the computer Microsoft states that the conversion works with Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019 and Word 2016. 1. Open **Word**. 2. Go to **File > Open**. 3. Find the PDF and open it. If you don't see it right away, select **Browse** and look for it in the right folder. 4. Word tells you it will make a copy of the PDF and convert its contents. Choose **OK**. 5. Check the document and fix what is needed. 6. To save it, go to **File > Save As** and choose the Word format in the file type menu. The conversion works best with documents made mostly of text: letters, contracts, reports. According to Microsoft, these, for example, convert poorly: - tables with cell spacing; - page colors and page borders; - tracked changes and frames; - footnotes that span more than one page, and endnotes; - bookmarks, comments and multimedia parts of the PDF. If the PDF is made mostly of images, Word may show the whole page as a single picture, and the text can't be edited. ### With Google Docs, if you don't have Word You need a Google account. The file is uploaded to your own Google Drive, not to an unknown site, but it still sits on an online service: decide for yourself whether that is fine for that document. 1. On the computer, open **Google Drive** and upload the PDF. 2. Right-click the file. 3. Choose **Open with > Google Docs**. ![Diagram of Google Drive: right-clicking the PDF shows the Open with menu and, next to it, the Google Docs option.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/pdf-in-word-google-documenti-en.svg) 4. The PDF is converted into a Google document that you can edit. 5. To get it in Word format, in the open document click **File > Download** and choose the Word file type. Google Docs also recognizes the text in **scans**, but only under certain conditions: - the file must be **2 MB** or smaller; - the text must be at least 10 pixels high, that is easy to read; - the page must be right-side up, not upside down or sideways; - it works better with common fonts and with sharp, well-lit images. Bold, italics, font size and line breaks are usually kept. Lists, tables, columns and footnotes, on the other hand, are often lost. ## From Word to PDF ### On Windows, with Word 1. Open the document in **Word**. 2. Go to **File > Save As** or **Save a Copy**. 3. In the file type drop-down list choose **PDF**. 4. If you want a lighter file, select **More Options > Options** and, under **Optimize for**, choose **Minimum size** instead of **Standard**. ![Diagram of the Save As window in Word: Save as type PDF and, under Optimize for, the Minimum size (publishing online) option.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/pdf-in-word-dimensioni-minime-en.svg) 5. Select **Save**. If the PDF is still too heavy for email, you'll find other ways in the guide on [how to reduce the size of a PDF](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/comprimere-pdf). ### On Mac, with Word 1. Open the document and select **File**. 2. Choose **Save As** or **Save a Copy**. 3. At the bottom of the window select **File Format** and choose **PDF**. 4. Give the file a name and select **Save**. ### On Mac, from any program The Mac can create a PDF from almost any document, even without Word. 1. Open the document. 2. Choose **File > Print**. 3. Click the **PDF** button, or the arrow next to it, and choose **Save as PDF**. 4. Type a name, choose where to save it and confirm. ### With Word for the web 1. Open the document and select **File > Print**. 2. In the **Printer** menu choose **Save as PDF**. 3. Select **Save**, name the file and select **Save** again. ### Without Word, with LibreOffice LibreOffice is a free and open source office suite, for Windows, Mac and Linux. You download it from the official website [libreoffice.org](https://www.libreoffice.org/download/). It also opens Word documents. 1. Open the document with **LibreOffice**. 2. Choose **File > Export As > Export as PDF**. 3. Check the options, if you want, and confirm. ### From the phone, with the Word app **On iPhone or iPad:** 1. Open the document in the **Word** app. 2. Tap the **three dots** icon and then **Export**. 3. Choose **PDF** and save the file wherever you like. **On Android:** 1. Open the document in the **Word** app. 2. Tap the **three dots** icon, then **Print**. 3. Tap **Select a printer** and choose **Save as PDF**. 4. Tap the PDF icon, choose where to save it and tap **Save**. ## If it still doesn't work - **Word won't open the PDF or says it is protected**: if the PDF has a password, you need to know it. Don't use programs that promise to "unlock" it. - **The converted text is full of errors or strange spaces**: the PDF probably comes from a scan. If you can, ask whoever wrote it to send you the original Word file: it is almost always faster than fixing the conversion. - **You need to put several PDFs together after converting**: follow the guide on [how to merge several PDFs into one](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/unire-pdf). - **You are starting from a paper sheet**: first turn it into a PDF with the guide on [how to scan a document](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/scansionare-documento). - If you often receive PDF forms to convert, fill in and send back, a technician can prepare a ready-made template or a small automatic procedure for you: it saves you redoing the conversion every time. ## Frequently asked questions ### Why does the converted Word file have a different layout from the PDF? A PDF is not meant to be edited: Word has to rebuild headings, lists and tables. Microsoft warns that the result may not match the original page for page, especially with tables, borders, notes and frames. ### The PDF is a scan: can I edit its text? If you open it in Word, a page made only of images stays an image. Try Google Docs, which recognizes the text in scans if the file is no larger than 2 MB and the text is sharp. ### If the PDF was digitally signed, does the signature stay in the Word file? No. The Word file is a new document, rebuilt from the content of the PDF, and does not carry the signature with it. If you need a signed document, ask the signer for a new version. ### Does converting with Word change the original PDF? No. Word creates a converted copy and leaves the starting PDF as it was. ## Sources - [Opening PDFs in Word (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/opening-pdfs-in-word-1d1d2acc-afa0-46ef-891d-b76bcd83d9c8) - [Edit a PDF (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/training/edit-a-pdf) - [Save or convert to PDF or XPS in Office desktop apps (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/collab-files/save-or-convert-to-pdf-or-xps-in-office-desktop-apps) - [Save a PDF of your file on your mobile device (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/save-a-file-as-a-pdf-on-a-mobile-device-05e9cacd-bcb4-4679-a791-fb0331c92906) - [Convert PDF and photo files to text (Google Drive Help)](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/176692?hl=en) - [Create, view, or download a file (Google Docs Editors Help)](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/49114?hl=en) - [Save a document as a PDF on Mac (Apple Support)](https://support.apple.com/en-us/guide/mac-help/mchlp1531/mac) - [Export as PDF (LibreOffice Help)](https://help.libreoffice.org/latest/en-US/text/shared/01/ref_pdf_export.html) - [Download (LibreOffice)](https://www.libreoffice.org/download/)