Convert Word to PDF
- Open Word to PDF and add a
.docxfile. - Choose the mode (below).
- Convert and download the PDF.
- Compare it with the original, page by page.
Only DOCX works. For an older .doc file, open it in Word, LibreOffice or Google Docs and save it as DOCX first.
Visual layout or selectable text?
| Visual layout | Selectable text | |
|---|---|---|
| Looks like | The document’s content laid out as pages, including images and tables | Headings and paragraphs as plain text |
| Text | May not be selectable: the pages are images | Real text you can search, copy and select |
| Tables and images | Included | Table text becomes plain lines; images are left out |
| Pick it when | The content must look right | Readers need to search or copy the text |
What changes from Word to PDF
FreePDFKit does not run Word. It reads the document’s structure and lays it out again on A4 pages. Headings, lists, tables, footnotes, images, bold and italic, links and line breaks carry over; the contents of text boxes arrive as separate paragraphs. What does not carry over is the page design: fonts, sizes and colours are replaced, headers, footers and page numbers are not converted, columns become one column, and page breaks fall where the page fills rather than where Word put them. In Visual layout mode the pages are cut at fixed heights, so a line, a table row or an image can straddle a page break.
Convert Excel to PDF
- Open Excel to PDF and add an
.xlsx,.xlsor.csvfile. - Choose the page size (A4, Letter or Legal) and orientation (auto, portrait or landscape).
- Choose the content scaling, and whether to include gridlines and treat the first row as a header.
- Convert, download and check every sheet.
Choose the scaling
| Scaling | What you get | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Fit to page | Content scaled to fit each page: a compact overview | A quick look at a small sheet |
| Fit to width | Columns stay readable; more pages downwards | Wide tables, with landscape |
| Actual size | The workbook’s own scale; may take several pages | Sheets that must keep their proportions |
What the PDF contains
Every sheet is written to its own page, in order, as a table of its cell values; an empty sheet is marked as empty. Formula cells show the value saved in the file, nothing is recalculated, and macros do not run. Charts, images and cell colours are not reproduced, and text in other scripts, such as Arabic or Hindi, is drawn so it displays correctly.
When to export from Word or Excel instead
If the page design matters (a contract, a branded report, a sheet with charts), use Save as PDF or Export in the original application, which reproduces the layout exactly. A browser-based converter is the right tool when you do not have Office to hand, you are on a phone or a shared computer, or the document is sensitive and should not be uploaded.
Check before you share
- Headings and lists: are the right lines marked and in order?
- Tables: do the columns and totals match the source?
- Page breaks and page numbers: Word’s pagination may differ.
- Special characters and accents: scan the text for anything that looks wrong.
- Excel: look at every sheet, the first and last pages and the widest columns.
After converting
Too large to email? Compress the PDF using the compression guide. Need to combine it with other documents? Merge PDF keeps bookmarks and form fields. Going the other way? See converting PDF to Word and extracting tables to Excel.
People also ask
Common questions
Why does my PDF look different from the Word document?
The converter reads the document’s structure (headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, images) and lays it out again. It does not copy fonts, sizes, colours, headers, footers or the exact page breaks, so the result is a faithful copy of the content rather than of the page design.
Can I convert an old .doc file?
Only DOCX is supported. Open the .doc in Word, LibreOffice or Google Docs, save it as .docx, and convert that.
Will the text be selectable?
In Word to PDF, Selectable text mode gives real text but simplifies the layout. Visual layout mode looks closer to the document but turns the pages into images, so text may not be selectable.
Does Excel to PDF include charts?
No. The PDF contains the cell values as a table. Charts, images and cell colours are not reproduced. Export from Excel itself if you need them.
Are all sheets included?
Yes. Each sheet starts on a new page, in workbook order. An empty sheet is marked as empty.
Why are my columns cut off or spread over several pages?
It comes down to the scaling choice. Fit to page squeezes everything onto the page, Fit to width keeps columns readable and adds pages downwards, and Actual size keeps the original scale and may need several pages. Landscape helps wide sheets.
Do formulas and macros run?
No. A PDF is static. Formula cells show the value saved in the file, and macros do not run.
How big can the file be?
Up to 25 MB for Word and Excel files. That is lower than the limit for other tools because Office conversions use more browser memory.
Is my file uploaded?
No. Both conversions run in your browser, so the file stays on your device.