Greetings, readers of the site. More and more often we everyday life You have to deal with electronic documents of different formats and work less and less with paper. Unfortunately, there is no one standard type electronic document, which would be suitable for 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 hassles, using 3 different approaches: Standard office programs, 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 visual 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. Saving to files with standard doc extensions and docx 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 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 contents look the same on every device and in every program.
Of course, there are ways to correct it too, using special programs(such as Foxit Phantom, etc.) you can make minor edits 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 2007 version Word programs 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 we need 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 more old version 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 the same way as new versions 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.
Partially various settings the generated pdf document OpenOffice is head and shoulders above its competitor. There is also manual setting 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 initial parameters windows 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 sufficient, but if you were unable to solve the problem with standard office applications, special programs come to the rescue.
Free program for Word conversion the pdf I recommend is called 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 a checkmark during installation, a special add-in will be added to your Microsoft Office that allows you to do some general settings conversion. 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 a few services that convert Word files in pdf directly on the Internet, and you download ready-made versions to your computer.
1. ConvertOnlineFree.com
Required page – convertonlinefree.com/WordToPDFRU.aspx
Loading necessary files, the output is 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.
TO different types computer files we will be back again, so subscribe to new blog articles and write your additions, questions and suggestions in the comments.
P DF files are useful for distributing documents so that they look the same for everyone. Typically, you create documents using another application and then convert them to PDF. Here's how to do it for a Microsoft Word document.
Convert a document to PDF using Word
If you have Microsoft application Word, the easiest way to convert a document to PDF is in Word itself.
Open the document you want to convert, and then click the File tab.
Then click the arrow in the File Type field and select "PDF (*.pdf)" from the drop-down menu.
If you want, you can change the file name at this time. When you are ready, click the "Save" button.
After saving the PDF document, you will be returned to the Word document and the new PDF file will automatically open in your default PDF viewer.
If you don't have Microsoft Word
If you don't have Word but need to convert a document you need to send, you have several options:
- Google Drive: You can upload a Word document to Google Drive, convert it to Google doc and then convert to PDF. This works well enough for a simple Word text document without much formatting (and if you already have account Google).
- Conversion on website: There are many websites that offer to convert Word documents to PDF for free. We recommend freepdfconvert.com. It's a secure site, it's fast, and it handles Word documents quite well, even with a little bit of formatting. And it's truly free if you just need to convert a Word document to PDF. Paid subscription provides you with additional features, such as an unlimited number of conversions (multiple documents at once) and the ability to convert more file types.
- LibreOffice: LibreOffice - free application with open source code, which offers many functions like Microsoft Office. You can even open Microsoft documents Word and convert them to PDF.
First, let's define what doc and pdf are. To correctly write the specified formats, you need to put a dot in front of them - .doc and .pdf. But they often don’t put an end to it - everyone is in a hurry...
The presence of a dot means that after the dot we are dealing with an extension (or otherwise, a file format). For example,
- “schedule.doc” is the file name,
- a.doc is a file name extension that indicates operating system, which program should open the file.
Doc (from the English document) - this extension means that the document was created by Microsoft Word.
Pdf (from the English Portable Document Format) was developed by Adobe for the US federal authorities to create and store working documents.
Currently used in publishing, fax distribution, tax reporting forms, educational, legal, financial institutions, and ordinary users PC in emails, in messages, etc.
This file is easy to print and use for collaboration, and also difficult to change. It is generally accepted that if you are sent a document in .pdf format, then you will NOT change or edit the sent document. Likewise, if you send a document in .pdf format, then “ ” assume that your document will not be edited by the recipient (your resume, tax reporting, etc.)
So if you suddenly decide:
- open “a la hacker” the document sent to you in .pdf format,
- edit it (make changes),
- then send it to the person who sent you this document,
then don’t be surprised that the other side won’t want to deal with you anymore. In addition, some materials in .pdf format have copyrights, such as e-books, so any change to such materials automatically constitutes a copyright violation.
After the “lyrical digression” on computer literacy back to the topic of the article: how to convert doc file in pdf? This can be done in various ways. It is possible to use the Word text editor, as well as other utilities or using online services.
Converting doc to pdf may be necessary in various cases. Let's say you need to send a file via email in a well-formatted form, create a resume as a .pdf file or make a simple one e-book. It is possible to use paid and free programs. Programs designed to convert doc to pdf can be of two groups.
The first program is a full-fledged utility for converting DOC to PDF. Programs that are in the second group connect to the system as a virtual printer, that is, a real printer is not required. In this case, you need to print the document, but you need to select a virtual rather than a physical printer. The PDF document will be placed in a separate folder.
Not everyone knows that it is possible to convert doc (docx) to pdf using the Word text editor in which the original document was created. This will help you avoid searching, downloading and installing third-party programs.
How to convert DOCX (DOC) to PDF in Word?
“Saving a document” will open, in which you first select a folder for storage:
number 1 in Fig. 1 – in the File Type field, click on the small triangle. A drop-down menu will appear in which you need to find and click on “PDF (*.pdf)”.
2 in Fig. 1 – enter the name of the document,
3 – optimization option “Standard” or “Minimum size”,
4 – select the appropriate options. You can first save the document with some parameters, if you don’t like them or are not suitable, select other parameters and save the document with the new parameters.
5 – in “Tools” there is an option “Compress pictures”. If you use it, the volume of the document can be reduced, but the quality of the drawings will be slightly lower than before compression.
How to convert DOC to PDF in OpenOffice?
Word is paid program, and not everyone has it, so there is another option with the free OpenOffice package:
To download, you need to follow the link above to the official website and then click on the “Download Apache OpenOffice” button.
In this package, OpenOffice Writer is a program similar to the Word text editor. You need to open Writer. At the top there is a toolbar and a “PDF” button.
When the document is loaded into the Writer editor, you need to click on the “PDF” button.
Here you can configure various parameters of the document, for example, put a password on it or configure the parameters of external and internal links.
If the original document contains graphic images, you should pay attention to the “Image” item in the “General” tab. The parameters are set there JPEG compression, as well as image resolution. The higher the parameters, the better the quality of the document will become, but its weight will also increase. Here you will need to find the optimal balance between the weight of the document and its quality.
Some argue that Writer converts to PDF better than Word: the file is smaller in size and the quality does not suffer.
How to convert DOC to PDF online?
If you don't have a text editor at hand, then you can use free service for conversion. Let's say the service doc2pdf.net. This free converter allows you to convert Word documents (.doc/.docx) to Adobe PDF(.pdf).
The service operates in two modes:
- online,
- desktop version.
In the upper right corner of this service there is an option to select Russian instead of English, which is used by default.
Online mode means that the document is downloaded to third party service, there it is converted into another format and returned to you. BUT the document should be NO more than 25 MB!
The desktop version means that the program is installed on your computer, and then you can use it to convert files as needed.
When you visit the site, you will notice a form in the left column of the page:
Rice. 2. Online doc2pdf service
Most text documents are prepared in Microsoft Word. But the DOC (or DOCX) format is not always convenient to use for distributing created documents. In many cases, the PDF format is much better suited for these purposes. Therefore, users often face the question of how to convert Word to PDF.
The first conversion method that we will consider is installing a special add-on for Microsoft Word. This add-on is called 2007 Microsoft Office Add-in: Microsoft Save as PDF or XPS and it is available from Microsoft.
After installing this add-on, a new menu item “Create PDF/XPS document” appears in the “File – Save and Send” menu. Once you open this menu, you will see a “Create PDF/XPS” button.
In order to convert a file to PDF format, click on the “/XPS” button and in the window that opens, select a folder to save PDF file.
Here you can also choose the level of optimization: Standard (web publishing and print) and Minimal (web publishing).
There are also many online services that allow you to convert a Word file to PDF format. Advantage this method conversion is that you do not need to install additional programs. Everything can be done using a browser.
One of the most popular converters is .
Using this converter is very simple. Click on the “Select file” button and specify the document you want to convert. After that, click on the “Convert” button.
After the conversion is completed, downloading the resulting PDF file will automatically begin.
There are also so-called PDF printers. These are programs that, after installation, create a virtual printer in the system that saves documents in PDF format.
Let's look at the process of converting Word to PDF using the example of the free PDF printer DoPDF ().
Download and install this program. Next, launch any Word document and open the “File – Print” menu. Here you need to select the DoPDF printer.
After clicking on the “Print” button, the DoPDF program window will open in front of you.
Here you can specify the location where the file is saved, as well as the degree of image compression. After clicking the "OK" button, your Word document will be converted to PDF.
There are other free PDF printers. For example, BullZip PDF Printer and PDFCreator. The operating principle of these PDF printers is no different from DoPDF.
Quite often used to publish a variety of text documents. With its help, electronic versions of magazines, scientific works and fiction books are published. In this material you can learn how to save a Word document in PDF format.
Save a Word document to PDF using standard tools
The easiest way to save a Word document in PDF format is to save using the standard tools of the Word text editor. In order to use this method, you need to install the add-on " 2007 Microsoft Office Add-in: Microsoft Save as PDF or XPS", which is possible.
After downloading and installing this add-on in the menu " File – Save and send» the item « Create PDF/XPS Document", with which you can save documents in PDF format directly from the Word text editor.
After using the function " Create PDF/XPS Document"A window will open in front of you to save the PDF file. Here you need to select a folder, specify a file name and click on the “Publish” button.
After this, the PDF file you saved will appear in the selected folder.
Save a Word document to PDF using online services
Another way is online services for. With their help, you can quickly save a Word document in PDF format, even if you do not have it installed on your computer. text editor Word.
There are quite a lot of similar online services. In this material we will look at the service, which is located at . In order to use this service, you need to click on the “Select file” button and select the Word document you need. After that, you just need to click on the “Convert” button.
After the conversion is completed, the download of the resulting PDF file will automatically start.
Save a Word document to PDF using PDF printers
The last way to save Word documents in PDF format is with so-called PDF printers. PDF printer is a program that creates a virtual printer in the system. Using such a virtual printer, you can save any document in PDF format.
In order to use this method, you must install PDF program printer to your computer. For example, you can install a free PDF printer.
After installing this program, a printer called “DoPDF” will appear in the list of printers. With this printer you need to print your Word document. To do this, open the Word document, go to the “File - Print” menu and select the printer called “DoPDF”. After that, click on the “Print” button.
After this, DoPDF will save your Word document in PDF format.