Why convert Word to PDF before sending?
Recruiters, schools and offices often ask for PDF, and for good reasons:
- It looks the same everywhere. Fonts, page breaks and spacing do not change from one computer to another.
- It opens without Word. Every phone and computer can show a PDF with built in software.
- It is harder to change by accident. A reader cannot slip a typo into your text while scrolling.
- It prints predictably. What you see on screen is what comes out of the printer.
Keep the DOCX as your editable master copy. Send the PDF whenever the document is final, such as a CV, cover letter, invoice or school essay.
What converts well, and what may change
| Usually kept | May look different |
|---|---|
| Text, headings and paragraphs | Floating text boxes |
| Bold, italic and lists | Pages with several columns |
| Tables | Footnotes |
| Images | Tracked changes and comments |
For the cleanest result, accept or reject all tracked changes in Word before converting. If your document relies on a complex magazine style layout, open the PDF and check each page before you send it.
Only the newer DOCX format is supported. If you have an old .doc file, open it in Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice and save it as DOCX first.
After converting
Need to attach the PDF to an application that has a size limit? Shrink it with Compress PDF. To add a certificate or a scanned page to your CV, join the files with Merge PDF. Want to go the other way later? PDF to Word pulls the text back out into an editable file.
Before you share the PDF, open it once and scroll through every page. Check that tables have not split awkwardly and that images sit where you expect them.