Sending a PDF instead of a Word file means your document looks the same on every screen and can't be edited by accident. Every recent version of Word can save PDFs directly.
In Word on Windows
- Open the document and choose File, then Save As (or Save a Copy).
- Pick where to save it.
- In the file type list, choose PDF (*.pdf).
- Choose Standard for printing, or Minimum size for email and the web, then click Save.
In Word on a Mac
- Choose File, then Save As.
- Set File Format to PDF.
- Pick Best for printing, or Best for electronic distribution and accessibility, then click Export.
In Google Docs
Open the document and choose File, Download, PDF Document (.pdf). Google Docs can also open .docx files you upload to Google Drive.
Without Microsoft Word
If someone sent you a .docx and you don't have Word, PDFJig's Word to PDF converter turns it into a PDF in your browser. The exact-layout option keeps fonts, tables, images and page breaks, and it also handles older .doc files.
- Open PDFJig's Word to PDF tool.
- Choose the .docx, .doc, .odt, .rtf or .txt file.
- Click Convert to PDF and download.
Any app on Windows: Microsoft Print to PDF
Windows 10 and 11 include a Microsoft Print to PDF printer. Choose Print in any app, select Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer, and choose where to save. Links inside the document may not stay clickable this way.
Frequently asked questions
Will my formatting stay the same?
Yes. Saving as PDF from Word keeps the layout exactly as it appears on screen. PDFJig's exact-layout converter is built to do the same for files you convert without Word.
How do I keep links clickable in the PDF?
Use Word's Save As PDF or PDFJig's converter rather than printing to PDF, which can flatten links into plain text.
How do I turn the PDF back into Word?
Use a PDF to Word converter. PDFJig's Best layout option rebuilds tables and columns as editable text.