How to Convert Word Documents to PDF Without Surprises
Why a Word document can look different after conversion, how to prepare it, a worked example with a cover letter, and when to use Word itself instead.
Sending a Word file is a small gamble. It can look different on the other computer if a font is missing or the version of Word is older. A PDF removes the gamble, which is why employers, universities and offices usually ask for one. The conversion is simple, but a few details decide whether the PDF looks the way you intended.
What happens during the conversion
There are two kinds of converter. Word itself, and other full office programs, print the document into a PDF using their own layout engine, so the PDF matches what you saw on screen. A browser tool like the one on DocBrio works differently. It reads the content of the .docx file, meaning the headings, paragraphs, lists, tables and pictures, and lays that content out again on A4 pages. The content arrives complete, but the fine details of the layout are rebuilt and not copied. Line breaks and page breaks can therefore fall in different places.
Worked example: a one page cover letter
- Finish the letter in your editor and save it as .docx. The older .doc format has to be saved again as .docx first.
- Keep the structure simple: normal paragraphs, one or two heading levels and ordinary bullet lists. Avoid text boxes and floating shapes, because their position is the first thing to be lost.
- Convert the file and open the PDF. Check that the letter still fits on one page. If the last two lines moved to a second page, shorten a sentence or reduce the spacing in the original, and convert again.
- Read the PDF from top to bottom once. Look at special characters, bullet symbols and the alignment of the date and the address.
- Give the file a clear name, such as Cover-Letter-Your-Name.pdf, before you send it.
Common mistakes
- Counting on a decorative font. If the font is not available where the PDF is made, a standard one is used and the look changes. Common fonts are the safe choice for applications.
- Relying on headers, footers and automatic page numbers. Browser based converters generally read only the main body of the document, so these parts may be missing. If your name must appear on every page, check the PDF.
- Using tabs and spaces to line things up. This breaks as soon as the font or page width changes. Use a table without borders instead.
- Sending without opening the PDF. Thirty seconds of checking saves an embarrassing second email.
- Leaving tracked changes and comments in the document. Accept or reject all changes before converting, whichever tool you use.
Troubleshooting
- A table is cut off at the right edge: it is wider than an A4 page. Make the columns narrower or remove one.
- Pictures have moved: floating pictures are placed in the text flow. Set them to In Line with Text in the original.
- The file will not convert: check that it really is a .docx file and is not open and locked in another program.
When to use Word itself instead
If you have Microsoft Word on your computer, use File, then Save As, and choose PDF. That keeps your exact layout, fonts, headers and page numbers, and it is the right choice for a thesis, a designed CV or any long report. Google Docs and LibreOffice have a similar download or export option. A browser converter is the practical choice when you are on a phone, a shared computer or a device without an office program, and the document is fairly plain.
Checklist
- The file is saved as .docx.
- Tracked changes are accepted and comments are removed.
- The layout uses simple paragraphs, lists and tables.
- I opened the PDF and checked the page count and the last line of each page.
- The file name tells the receiver what it is and whose it is.