How to Convert PDFs to Word Documents

The PDF (Portable Document Format) is the open standard, created by Adobe in the 1990s, for presenting documents and then they look consequent across all platforms and software. DOC (or DOCX) is the format/file extension used mainly by Microsoft Discussion for its give-and-take processing documents. The two aren't anywhere about compatible. You can't open a DOC file with Adobe Reader (or any other free PDF reader like FoxIt and Sumatra).

Merely, in answer to the frequently-made query "How do I convert PDFs to Word format"—which really ways, "How do I edit a PDF in Word"—the answer these days is easy. Merely open the PDF in Word.

Equally of Word 2022 (released in 2022), Microsoft has offered a function called PDF Reflow. It does what y'all expect. In Word, you go to the File tab, select open, select whatsoever PDF File, and open it right upwardly for editing, as if it was a Word DOCX file.

There are limitations, however. The PDF you lot open in Discussion will have all the content, but it probably won't look exactly right. That's because PDFs are "fixed"—while the data is there, the file doesn't store the relationship betwixt the data (such as the position on the folio). Word documents are all virtually exacting that placement.

Here'due south a list from Microsoft of exactly what may not catechumen just right:

Tables with prison cell spacing
Folio colors and folio borders
Tracked changes
Frames
Footnotes that span more than than one page
Endnotes
Audio, video, and PDF agile elements
PDF bookmarks
PDF tags
PDF comments
Font furnishings, like Glow or Shadow (in the Word file, the effects are represented past graphics)

When you open a PDF in Word, you'll get this warning:

Convert PDFs to Word - Warning

"Word volition now convert your PDF to an editable Word document," it says. "This may take a while. The resulting Word certificate will be optimized to allow you to edit the text, and then it might not look exactly similar the original PDF, specially if the original file contained a lot of graphics."

That said, the graphics become pulled in; they are easily editable too.

Saving a file from Word 2022 to PDF is every bit simple as doing a Save every bit from the File tab. You should check the boxes on the salvage dialog box that say "Open File After Publishing" to immediately view it.

Conversion also works in Give-and-take Online, establish at Office Online. You open a PDF in Word Online and it'southward viewable, simply click the "Edit in Word" link and you'll see this:

Convert PDFs to Word - File Conversion

That's followed by some other warning well-nigh changes to the layout, etc. But the content volition be in that location and editable, even if the look went wonky. Give it a try.

That'south it, you're all gear up for using PDFs in Word. Unless y'all accept an older version of Microsoft Give-and-take.

PDF Use With Older Versions of Word

You're out of luck trying to open up a PDF directly in Word 2022 or earlier. Yous'll demand to catechumen the file first.

The ways to do this are numerous. Sites like Nitro'due south PDF to Word Converter will easily do a one-at-a-time conversion in either direction and email you the outcome. Of form, Nitro would prefer to sell you some software, which is handy if you've got hundreds or thousands of PDFs that demand conversion.

Others include: Convert PDF to Word.net, which has like features; doc2pdf, arguably the best looking site that converts PDFs to Word and back; PDFPro'due south selection to convert upward to three PDF files to Discussion a calendar month; and PDF Converter, which also converts PDF to Excel, PowerPoint, or an paradigm, or vice versa. In fact, yous can email any zipper to pdf@freepdfconvert.com and become a PDF.

For desktop software—which is the fastest manner to turn a PDF into a Word DOC—at that place is no lack of options. UniPDF or PDFMate PDF Converter Free or WPS Office'due south PDF to Discussion Converter Tool for Windows; on Mac there'south Lighten PDF to Discussion Converter for Mac or iPubsoft PDF Converter for Mac, just each only has a costless trial, they're not totally free. Smallpdf sells a $99 Windows tool called Solid PDF Converter that does a lot more than but Word output, plus handles batch conversions and OCR to make scans into editable text; it likewise offers a $6 per month service to make unlimited conversions online.

Convert PDFs to Word - FoxIt

Ultimately, nevertheless, Word makes a pretty terrible editor for PDF files. You're going to be much better off finding a full PDF editor, and you don't have to pay the big cost of getting Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. FoxIt PhantomPDF Standard is $109, Qoopa'south PDF Studio Standard goes for $89, and CutePDF is just $49.95. They've all got free trials, so if you lot've got serious PDF editing in your future, give them a try before you settle for Word conversions.

About Eric Griffith

Eric Griffith

Eric Griffith has been writing about computers, the net, and technology professionally for thirty years, more than than half of that time with PCMag. He was previously on the founding staff of publications like Windows Sources, FamilyPC, and Access Cyberspace Magazine, all of which are now defunct, and it'due south not his fault. He spent six years writing exclusively almost Wi-Fi, but don't ask him to fix your router. At PCMag he runs several special projects including the Readers' Option and Business Choice surveys, and yearly coverage of the Fastest ISPs and All-time Gaming ISPs, plus regularly writes features on all tech topics. He's the writer of 2 novels: BETA TEST ("an …