How to Convert Word to PDF Windows 10

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Word documents are widely used across the globe, but sometimes you may need to change the format to PDF, which is more secure and easily sharable. PDF stands for Portable Document Format, which cannot be easily edited or modified. That’s why this format is used to protect the content of a file. Converting Word to PDF is a convenient option if you want to secure your documents and ensure that they look the same across different platforms. In this post, we will discuss several methods on how to convert Word to PDF on Windows 10.

Video Tutorial:

Why You Need to Convert Word to PDF

PDF is the most commonly used document format for sharing files and information between different parties because of its security. Word format is easy to edit, and sometimes the layout may change if the document is opened on a different device or operating system. On the other hand, PDF formatting is unchangeable, making it a more preferred format for official documents. Here are some of the reasons why you might want to convert your word document to PDF:

– PDF files are more secure and difficult to modify compared to Word documents
– PDF format ensures that the document layout remains the same across different platforms
– PDFs are more convenient to share because they can be easily opened on any system, irrespective of the software present on that system.

Method 1: Using Microsoft Word

This is the easiest and most straightforward way to convert Word to PDF on a Windows 10 computer. Microsoft Word offers an inbuilt feature that allows users to save their document in PDF form. Here are the steps:

  1. Open the document in Microsoft Word
  2. Click ‘File’ in the menu bar and select ‘Save As’ from the options.
  3. In the Save As dialogue box, select PDF from the dropdown menu for ‘Save as type’
  4. Choose the folder where you want to save the PDF and give a suitable name
  5. Click on ‘Save’

Pros:

  • Easily accessible and no additional software is required.
  • Formatting remains the same as the original document.

Cons:

  • The converted file size may be too large, depending on the document size and content.

Method 2: Using Print to PDF

Windows 10 has a feature called ‘Print to PDF,’ which can be used to save a document as a PDF file. Here is how you can do it:

  1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
  2. Click ‘File’ in the menu bar and select ‘Print.’
  3. In the print dialog box, select ‘Microsoft Print to PDF’ from the Printer dropdown menu.
  4. Choose the folder where you want to save the PDF and give a suitable name.
  5. Click on ‘Print.’

Pros:

  • This method is easy and has already built into Windows 10.
  • The formatting remains the same as the original document.

Cons:

  • Sometimes, the quality of images in the converted file may not be the same as the original file.
  • The file size may be larger than the actual document size.

Method 3: Using Google Docs

Google Docs is a widely used web application that provides online storage and support for multiple document formats. One of the benefits of Google Docs is that it provides an easy way to convert documents into PDF. Here are the steps:

  1. Upload the Word document to your Google Drive.
  2. Select the file and right-click on it.
  3. Select ‘Open with’ option and click on ‘Google Docs.’
  4. Click on ‘File’ from the menu bar and select ‘Download’ and then select ‘PDF Document’ format.
  5. Choose the download location and click ‘Save.’

Pros:

  • Google Docs is free and accessible from anywhere as long as you have internet access.
  • The formatting remains the same as the original document.

Cons:

  • The document quality might be compromised sometimes.
  • Uploading confidential documents to the web is not secure sometimes.

What to Do If You Can’t Convert Word to PDF

If you are unable to convert your Word document into a PDF file using the methods mentioned above, you can try the following solutions:

  • Use other online Word to PDF converters available on the web, which can convert your documents into PDF files.
  • Try to use different PDF viewer software or plugins for conversion into PDF format.
  • Make sure your document is readable and editable. Sometimes, password protection or corrupt files may not allow users to export the document to PDF format.
  • Update your Microsoft Word software because sometimes, outdated software does not perform well.

Bonus Tip:

It is recommended to optimize the file size of your PDF document if it’s too large because it might cause problems while sharing the file via email or other methods. There are different PDF compressors available online that can help you to reduce the size of the PDF file.

5 FAQs

Q. How can I convert multiple Word documents to PDF format at once?

A. You can convert multiple Word documents to PDF format using Microsoft’s Print to PDF feature. For this, select all the documents in File Explorer, right-click and select ‘Print.’ Choose ‘Microsoft Print to PDF’ from the Printer dropdown menu and click on ‘Print.’ This will convert all the selected documents to PDF format.

Q. Can I use conversion software to convert my document from Word to PDF format?

A. Yes, there are many offline and online converters available on the web like Adobe Acrobat, Nitro PDF, etc. You can use them for converting Word documents to PDF format.

Q. Can I edit the PDF document after its conversion from a Word document?

A. PDF format ensures that the formatting remains the same, and the document is not editable in the same way as a Word document. However, there are online and offline tools available on the web that can help you to edit the PDF document.

Q. Will converting Word documents to PDF format affect the formatting?

A. No, converting a Word document to PDF will not affect the formatting of the document because the formatting remains the same in PDF format.

Q. Can I password protect the PDF document?

A. Yes, you can password protect the PDF document by using password protection features available in the PDF software like Adobe Acrobat Reader, Nitro PDF, etc.

Final Thoughts

Converting Word to PDF format is essential when you need to share a document with others and want to ensure the formatting remains the same. There are various methods available to convert Word to PDF, but the easiest method is using Microsoft Word’s inbuilt feature. However, other methods also work well and offer satisfactory results. If you follow the methods mentioned above, then converting Word documents to PDF format should be an easy task for you.