Convert a text document to pdf. How to convert a Word document to PDF and vice versa in different ways? Save to PDF in WordPad

Greetings, readers of the site. More and more often in everyday life we ​​have to deal with electronic documents of various formats and less and less often work with paper. Unfortunately, there is no one standard type of electronic document that would fit all occasions.

It often happens that you need one file format (for example, pdf), but another is available (for example, doc or docx). We have to think about how to convert them. Today I will show you several ways to convert word to pdf for free and without any problems, using 3 different approaches: Standard office programs, a special application and online services for conversion.

What are Word and PDF formats for?

Different types of files, which at first glance perform the same functions, are rarely created out of the blue; more often than not, each of them has unique features and is used to perform its own range of tasks. Word and PDF are no exception - despite the fact that both provide text and graphic information in the same perceptible form, they are intended for different purposes.

This article is not an educational program on the purpose of doc, docx and pdf files, so I will convey the essence in a short form, and we will move directly to the topic of conversion.

Word with its doc (old versions) and docx (new versions) is intended to create text documents from scratch, that is, by typing text and inserting the necessary graphic elements into it. Saving to files with standard doc and docx extensions allows you to edit the created document at any time by any user using Microsoft Word.

Word documents are needed to create files from scratch with the ability to edit them later.

PDF format (Portable Document Format) was originally created as an electronic analogue of printed publications (books, magazines). That is, this is a file that can be read and printed, but cannot be changed - a kind of protection against adjustments.

PDF is considered universal, as it is supported by any device, regardless of operating systems and versions, in addition, its content looks the same on every device and in every program.

Of course, there are ways to correct it; using special programs (such as Foxit Phantom, etc.) you can make minor changes to the finished pdf document, but it cannot be seriously changed in structure.

Files in PDF format are the final product, which does not imply any changes after they are created (only view and print).

A pdf is not created from scratch, like a doc, but by converting documents created using other editors (text or graphic).

From all this the following follows:

• Word to PDF conversion is easy;
• Converting PDF to Word is significantly more difficult.

Now let's get back to the conversion. Since pdf files are created not by typing text and inserting pictures, but by converting them from other types of documents, the procedure for obtaining them from sources is quite simple and accessible to anyone.

Convert using Microsoft Word

Since the 2007 version of Word, Word can create files in pdf format without outside help. Previously, there was no such feature and we had to resort to other programs or add-ons.

The presence of the pdf saving function has significantly simplified the process of creating e-books and other important documents that require copyright preservation. We simply work with any test document (rtf, doc, docx), write, insert pictures, format as needed and, when the process is completed, save not in a Word file, but in pdf.

You can see that you can choose one of two quality options - better or smaller in size.

If you have an older version of Microsoft Word (2003 or even earlier), then read on. Although, in 2016, it is rare to see such old programs and I would advise their owners to switch to something more modern. If you don’t want to spend money on paid Microsoft, then free OpenOffice will be better - it weighs little, supports all new formats, including docx.

Saving to PDF via OpenOffice Writer

If you use this free document program, then you have the opportunity to convert Word documents to pdf in a similar way to new versions of Microsoft Office. Just open a file of any supported type and export it to pdf. Unlike Word, here the export occurs in a separate menu, and not in the general “Save As” heap.

In terms of various settings for the created pdf document, OpenOffice is head and shoulders above its competitor. There is also a manual adjustment of the quality of images inside the file and a security tab that allows you to set passwords for the created file, as well as allow/deny/impose restrictions on printing. It is possible to set the initial window parameters when opening a document through the “user interface” tab and much more. Naturally, most of these functions are rarely used, but you never know - and they are there.

Click the “Export” button and the document is ready.

doPDF conversion program

Probably, in 99% of cases, what is described above will be enough, but if you were unable to solve the task using standard office applications, special programs come to the rescue.

The free Word to pdf converter program I recommend is doPDF.

Download doPDF from the official website – dopdf.com

They also have a paid version, called novaPDF, which can also do reverse conversion, extract from pdf - if anyone needs it, keep that in mind.

How to use doPDF

Download the distribution from the site I wrote above. Install the program on your computer. If you leave the checkbox during installation, a special add-in will be added to your Microsoft Office that allows you to make some general conversion settings. To be honest, I didn’t see the point in installing it, since it doesn’t increase the level of convenience - everything works already simply. So, you can uncheck the box during installation.

As a result, you will have another device in your list of equipment - a virtual printer called doPDF8.

Now, to receive a pdf document, we need to open the Word file, then go to the “Print” tab (note – not “save”, but “print”).

Select “doPDF 8” from the list of printers. If you do not need to translate the entire document, then specify a range of pages. Click “Print”

A window for setting up the future PDF file will open. The path where to save it is indicated at the top. Next you need to choose the quality - the higher it is, the greater the volume. I recommend checking the “Embed fonts” checkbox; this option includes in the file all the fonts used by the document; it is useful if the file is opened on a device where the necessary fonts are not installed - there will be no different hieroglyphs instead of letters.

That's all the settings, the application is very simple.

Online services for conversion

Sometimes there is a need to convert a text document to pdf using online services. For example, when using someone else’s computer, where the version of Office is old, and you cannot install additional programs. This raises the question of how to turn a doc into a pdf using some publicly accessible means.

There is a solution for such cases too. Here are several services that convert Word files into pdf directly on the Internet, and you download ready-made versions to your computer.

1. ConvertOnlineFree.com

Required page – convertonlinefree.com/WordToPDFRU.aspx

We upload the necessary files, and the output is a pdf. It can convert not only Word, but also other formats, it supports working with several documents simultaneously - you can download a whole bunch.

Required page – smallpdf.com/ru/word-to-pdf

This service supports downloading source files not only from a computer. You can directly convert your Word files located on Google Drive or Dropbox to pdf, and you can also save the result there.

Converter page – ilovepdf.com/ru/word_to_pdf

This service is practically the twin brother of the previous one in terms of implemented functionality; it also works with cloud services for downloading and saving files.

Let’s finish here today, now you know what doc and pdf files are for, what is their fundamental difference and, most importantly, how easily and quickly you can convert a document of one format to another, preserving its internal content and structure.

We will return to different types of computer files, so subscribe to new blog articles and write your additions, questions and suggestions in the comments.

Often, when working with text documents of various formats, the user may be faced with the need to edit, convert and save any of them. At the same time, operations to convert DOC to PDF and vice versa are the most common. Read on to learn how to convert documents to PDF.

How to convert PDF to Word document?

There are several ways to convert a PDF document to Word. Let's look at the simplest ones, which can be useful to all PC users, regardless of their level of computer skills.

Method number 1. Google Drive

It would seem how you can use cloud storage to turn a PDF document into a Word file. Simple enough. To do this, perform the following steps:

Upload the PDF file to Google Drive. To do this, click “Create”.

After the document has been downloaded, you should right-click on it and select “Open with”, then “Connect other applications”.

A new window will open. In the list we look for “Converter for Drive Document”. Click “Connect”.

Now right-click again and select “Open with” and select this application.

A new window will open in the browser. First we specify the file (1). Select it (2). Select the format we want to receive (3). We indicate where to save (4). Click “Convert” (5).

We are waiting for conversion. Go to the folder you specified for saving. Let's look at the result.

Method number 2. ABBYY PDF Transformer

Download the ABBYY PDF Transformer program. We install it in the standard way on our PC. It is worth noting that the program is paid, but there is a free trial version.

• Let's launch the software. Point the arrow at the DOC format.

• We indicate where the file is stored.

• The conversion will start immediately.

• Open it and see the result.

Method No. 3. Online conversion

There are many sites on the Internet where you can convert a PDF document to Word for free and quickly.

As an example, here are a few good sites:

• Go4convert is a free site where you upload your file and select the final format.

• PDF to DOC. You can convert not only to DOC, but also to other formats. Just upload the file, select the desired tab and download the finished document.

• SmallPDF is an easy to use resource. Just drag the file and click “Convert”.

You can also use other resources online. These sites are just an example.

How to make a PDF file from a DOC document?

A DOC document can be converted to PDF either online or using Word itself. To do this, follow the instructions:

• In the Word document, click “File”, “Save As...”.

• A standard window for saving documents will open. In the “File type” column, select “PDF”.

• The file has been converted.

It is worth noting that if the document has a landscape orientation, then it should be flipped in advance before conversion.

Also, to convert a document to PDF, there is a free OpenOffice program that allows you to change the file format. The principle of operation is the same as in Microsoft Office.

Watch the video to learn how to translate a document:

You may need to convert doc and docx files to PDF for various reasons, since the PDF format is universal for all devices on different operating systems. There are several ways to do this: use online converters, use Microsoft Office Word 2010 and older, download one of the converters to your computer to choose from. This article will discuss two main methods with illustrative examples.

How to convert a Word document to PDF using Microsoft Office Word

First of all, you need to have a version of Word at least 2010 on your computer. If you are using version 2007 or 2003, then you need to download a special utility from the official developer. By installing it, the program will have the ability to save the document immediately in PDF format. For all other versions the following algorithm is valid:

• Create a doc file, or open a ready-made one.
  Click on the “File” button in the very top left corner of the program.

• In the pop-up list, click on the “Save As” line.

• In the window that appears, select the directory to save the document. Under the line with the file name you will see the “File Type” field. Open it and find the PDF format in the list, click on it.
  Click “Ok” to save.

• Now in the specified directory you will see not a doc file, but a PDF, immediately saved in Word. When you open it, it will not load Microsoft Office Word, but your default PDF reader.

• Try opening the saved file by double clicking. In this case, the document will be loaded into Adobe Acrobat Reader.

How to convert a Word document to PDF using online converters

If there are any problems with your MS Office Word program, or you simply do not have access to it, then it is better to use online programs for converting the .doc format to .pdf, of which there are many on the Internet. Try entering the appropriate search query and selecting the service yourself, or use this: http://convertonlinefree.com.

• Scrolling down the page, you will see a special form for downloading a document. Click on the “Browse” button.

• Find the folder where the Word file you want to convert to PDF is located, mark it with the mouse and click “Open”.

• The name of the document will immediately appear on the site, and next to it you will see the “Convert” button. To begin the conversion process, click on it.

• If you have a stable Internet connection and the file is small, the site will need a few seconds to convert. However, if there is a large amount of information, or poor and slow Internet, you will have to wait longer. If the waiting time exceeds fifteen minutes, then go to the mirror site using the link indicated above the form: try using it to convert.
  Once the procedure is completed, a file saving window will automatically appear. Click “Save File”.

• Select the desired directory and change the document name if desired. Now the PDF file is saved on your computer, and the original doc or docx document remains untouched.

Both methods take a relatively short amount of time, the only difference is that for the first option you will need MS Office Word no earlier than 2010, and for the second - stable Internet operation.

Try both methods and choose the one that is most comfortable for you.

I often receive a question by email: How to convert word to pdf? I figured it out and in this article I will try to explain how to convert word to pdf.

In what format do you save your documents? Of course, you say, in Word document format - with the .DOC extension. You can also save in RTF format (Rich Text Format), plain text format (.TXT), template format (.DOT), web page format (.HTM, .HTML) and others.

But if you plan to distribute your documents, including via the Internet, then you must be absolutely sure that your information can be read by all interested parties, regardless of which operating system (MacOS or Windows) they use, and without losing your formatting.

When I talk about documents, I mean files that contain both textual information and graphic elements and multimedia. These types of documents are usually reference books, technical manuals, textbooks, etc.

Undoubtedly, you can place all the necessary information on your website and it will become available to all Internet users. But there are also disadvantages to this distribution:

1) there is no more or less serious protection against copying of your information and violation of your copyrights;

2) to familiarize yourself and/or study your information in detail, the user must be constantly online.

In this case, it makes sense to save your documents in a special format, independent of the platform and operating systems used.

The most popular format for distributing electronic documents today is considered to be the format PDF (Portable Document Format), developed by Adobe Systems. The same company has created software for working with documents in PDF format: Adobe Acrobat (creating, viewing, editing, printing PDF documents), Adobe Reader (viewing and printing PDF files).

You can convert any document, including a Word document, to PDF format. But for this you need to have Adobe Acrobat installed with a full package of programs for writing PDF files. It is not cheap and in most cases the average user does not need this product.

In addition to the original programs for creating PDF files from Adobe Systems, there are also developments from third-party companies. I will tell you several programs that are designed to convert Word documents to PDF format.

First, I will introduce a Russian development from ABBYY - ABBYY PDF Transformer 2.0. The program weighs a lot - 54Mb. But this is justified by its capabilities.

According to the information available on the company's official website, this program allows you to create PDF files. You can do this from Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, Visio diagrams, and HTML files.

However, the main function of the program is the reverse conversion of any PDF files into editable formats, including scanned documents that are just pictures. This is achieved through the use of unique ABBYY recognition technology.

After installation, the program creates its own toolbar in Word:

In addition, it is possible to create PDF files using the context menu by right-clicking on the file, or from the ABBYY PDF Transformer program itself, or using the standard print function from any program, selecting a virtual printer as the printer PDF-XChange for ABBYY PDF Transformer.

Not for the sake of advertising, but from the bottom of my heart, I can say that the program is excellent and can only be recommended for those users whose functions are related to the creation and conversion of documents into one or another format (from PDF and to PDF).

Another program has foreign roots. Convert Doc to PDF For Word, just like ABBYY PDF Transformer, integrates its own toolbar into Word. However, to convert the file to PDF format, the program offers to download a free conversion driver, which weighs 3.7 MB. In addition, the trial version of the program is limited to 30 runs and only converts the first page, and links in the text are not saved as hyperlinks.

And although the test file was converted perfectly, these limitations negated all the potential capabilities of the program, and the program was removed from the computer without regret.

I consider it necessary to talk about one more program, since I learned about its existence not from search engines, but from criticism of this article on the Computerra forum.

The PrimoPDF program is built into the "print department" and becomes available when calling the print function from any program.

PrimoPDF creates high-quality PDF documents from any source: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, etc.

Allows you to optimize the output file for use for different purposes: for printing, for viewing on a PC screen... The value of the program is that it is free and easy to use. There are no problems with Russian characters. The program weighs 14 MB.

But there is also a minus. I did not find an option in the program to save links in a document as hyperlinks. Well, overall the program is good.

For the purity of the experiment, I tested several more similar foreign programs and came to the conclusion that they do not even come close in capabilities to the program from ABBYY. Some do not distinguish the Cyrillic alphabet, others require you to install additional programs, others are simply ugly both in appearance and functionality.

Having analyzed all of the above, the question arises: what is Microsoft itself doing in this direction? Why is such a popular format ignored?

Not at all. As Stephen Sinofsky (who led the group working on the Microsoft Office suite) once reported, the new version of Microsoft Office 2007 will introduce the ability to save Word documents in PDF format. Indeed, users who had previously downloaded this package could see firsthand the opportunity provided.

However, Adobe Systems opposed this innovation, threatening Microsoft with legal action. This is understandable: in this way Adobe could lose its market. Why would anyone download and buy expensive Adobe Systems products if the functions of converting documents to PDF format are available in MS Office.

As a result, Microsoft excluded the function of saving files in PDF format from the updated office suite, but provided users with the opportunity to download from its official website a special plug-in (add-on) for saving Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, InfoPath, OneNote, Publisher and Visio documents in the format PDF.

Sometimes it happens that a Word document received by email is displayed incorrectly or does not open at all. There could be many reasons for this: the lack of necessary software installed on the tablet, the lack of a specific font on your computer used by the author of the document, etc.

The PDF format is known for its portability. Documents in this format are displayed correctly on any electronic device. Raster PDF ensures that each document page contains one graphic file that will display correctly under any circumstances.

On this page:

Save a Word document as a PDF

If you save a document in PDF format before sending it by email, the recipient of the letter is guaranteed to be able to open it on any computer or tablet. The document formatting will not be distorted and the document will look 100% identical to the original.

To save a Word document in PDF format, download and install the Universal Document Converter program. Open the document select toolbar and click the “ Convert to PDF” (convert to PDF):

How to Save a Word Document as a Bitmap PDF

By default, the Universal Document Converter program saves documents in PDF file format with the ability to search the document. This means that it is possible to search for keywords or phrases in the text contained in the document. This also means that the recipient of the document will be able to copy any text from it. To disable the Copy and Paste feature in your documents, you need to convert your Word documents to raster PDF files. Follow the instructions:

1. Open the document and click Print
2. Select from the list Universal Document Converter and press Properties
3. Go to the tab File Format, select PDF Document as the output file format, then select Bitmapped PDF (raster PDF)(as shown in the screenshot below)
4. Click OK to begin the process of saving your Word document as a raster PDF.

How to Preserve the Background of the Source Word Document in the Output PDF

If you are unable to print the background color or image in your document, follow these steps:

1. Open the Print window and click Options… (Options) in the lower left corner
2. In Group Printing options select Print background colors and images

How to put a watermark on a document

Watermarks are used in cases where it is necessary to emphasize the importance of a document (for example, “strictly confidential,” etc.), or to protect intellectual property.

To add a watermark, follow these steps:

1. Print(Seal)
2. Select from the list Universal Document Converter and press Properties(Properties)
3. Go to the tab File Format(File Format), select PDF Document(PDF document) as output file format
4. Go to the tab Watermark(watermarks), select Text label(text) or Picture(image) and make the necessary settings
5. Click OK to start the conversion process.

How to add a letterhead header to a PDF document

To add a letterhead header to a PDF document, you will need 2 files: a file that contains the letterhead header and a file that contains the Word document.

Follow the instructions:

1. Open your Word document and click Print(Seal)
2. Select from the list Universal Document Converter and press Properties(Properties)
3. In settings select Picture(Image) (as shown in the screenshot below)
4. Select an image that is roughly the size of your document
5. Select Background(Background) from submenu Method(Method)
6. Click Stretch watermark to fit page
7. Click OK,

How to protect a file with a password

To protect your document from unauthorized access, follow these steps:

1. Open your Word document and click Print(Seal)
2. Select from the list Universal Document Converter and press Properties(Properties)
3. Select a tab File Format(File Format), make sure that the option is selected in the menu PDF Document(PDF document)
4. IN PDF Standard select Password protected(Password Protect), enter the password as shown in the screenshot below
5. If you need to add pages to an existing PDF, the password should not be changed. If the existing PDF is not password protected, new pages should not be password protected either.
6. Click OK, to print the document in PDF format.

other methods

How to Convert Documents to PDF in Batch Mode

To automate the process of converting Word files, you will need 3 programs: Microsoft Word, Universal Document Converter, and Print Conductor.

1. Run Print Conductor and add your Word documents to the list
2. Select as printer Universal Document Converter
3. Click Change Settings(Change settings) and specify PDF Document(PDF document) as output file format
4. Click Start(Start) to start converting Word documents to PDF according to the list:

How to automate the conversion of Word documents to PDF in the office

To automatically convert documents, you can use the FolderMill program. This program is usually installed on a server to monitor incoming files. The program operates in accordance with the rules established by company employees. Thus, all files received from external sources are converted into output formats according to the personal preferences of employees.

For example, if the resulting image file is saved in PDF format, it will be automatically converted to JPG and vice versa. All operations are carried out automatically. Employees of the company simply need to copy the PDF file that needs to be converted to the personal network folder of a specific employee, and then receive the converted file in another folder.

Examples of Word to PDF conversion code for developers

Universal Document Converter includes a public API and example code for integration into software from independent developers or system integrators. In addition, the automatic deployment system significantly speeds up the process of installing Universal Document Converter on a large number of workstations.

Because of this, using the Universal Document Converter as the “primary conversion tool” allows developers to concentrate on implementing the unique features of their solutions, rather than spending time and effort developing virtual printer technology in-house.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with examples of Word to PDF conversion for various programming languages.

Command line tools for automatic document conversion

2Printer is a command line utility that allows you to automate the printing of Word documents and text files. The command line interface allows users to create batch files to automate printing. This tool can be included in Windows Task Scheduler to automate the printing process on your computer.

2Printer uses the public API of Microsoft Word to print text files. This means that to print documents in TXT, RTF, DOC or DOCX formats, you must have Microsoft Word installed on your computer.

The 2Printer program is compatible with any mechanical printers connected to a computer or available on local networks, as well as virtual printers, for example with the Universal Document Converter. Thanks to this, you can convert Word documents to PDF by selecting Universal Document Converter as your printer in the 2Printer command line.

DocuFreezer is an easy-to-use software for converting Word documents to PDF

DocuFreezer is an application designed to convert Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents to PDF while preserving internal and external links, page layout and fonts.

Users of DocuFreezer also have at their disposal a variety of document conversion options - this software is capable of converting documents and PDF files into JPG, TIFF or PNG formats, as if “freezing” the original appearance of the original documents and protecting them from any amendments. Regardless of what device the document is displayed on, it will look the same.

DocuFreezer is free for non-commercial use. Try DocuFreezer right now and see for yourself how effective it is!