Word to PDF
Convert a .docx Word document into a PDF — entirely in your browser. Best for prose; tables are not supported in v0.1.
Select a .docx file
or drop one here — .doc (Word 97-2003) is not supported, re-save as .docx first
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Best for prose — articles, reports, simple letters. Tables and complex layouts (multi-column, text boxes) may render approximately or be omitted.
Your file is ready
Processed entirely in your browser — the file never left your device.
How to convert Word to PDF
Three steps. Everything happens locally.
Open the .docx
Pick or drop a Word file. It's parsed in your browser by mammoth.
Pick options
Page size and whether to keep inline images.
Download
pdf-lib builds the PDF in your tab — download instantly.
What "Word to PDF" actually means
Converting Word to PDF means taking an editable .docx file and producing a fixed-layout PDF that looks the same on every device. People reach for a Word to PDF converter when sending a finished document to a client, applying for a job, submitting an assignment, or archiving a final version. A PDF is harder to edit by accident, always renders the same way, and is the standard format almost every recipient already knows how to open.
The conversion preserves the document\'s text, structure, and inline images while baking in a final visual form. Once you have the PDF you can sign it, password-protect it, or merge it with other PDFs without ever returning to the original Word file.
How Word to PDF works on this page
A .docx file is really a ZIP archive containing XML descriptions of the document and any images. We use the open-source library mammoth to convert that archive into clean semantic HTML, then build a PDF on the fly with pdf-lib. Both libraries run inside your browser tab — no upload, no server, no account. The whole pipeline, from ZIP unpacking to PDF byte output, happens in your tab\'s memory.
What converts well
- Body text: paragraphs, bold/italic, line breaks.
- Headings: Heading 1 through Heading 6 mapped to clear sizes.
- Lists: bullet and numbered lists, including nested items.
- Inline images: JPG and PNG embedded directly into the PDF.
- Horizontal rules: rendered as thin separator lines.
What this version can't do (yet)
- Tables. v0.1 drops tables. We're working on it.
- Page headers/footers. Word-level headers/footers do not carry over.
- Original fonts. We use standard PDF fonts (Helvetica family) so nothing is fetched over the network.
- Embedded objects. Excel charts, equations, and OLE objects are skipped.
- Legacy .doc. Convert to .docx in Word first (it's one click).
Common use cases for Word to PDF
- Sending a final draft to a client. A PDF locks in the version so the recipient cannot accidentally edit your formatting or text mid-review.
- Job applications. CVs and cover letters submitted as PDF render identically on every applicant tracking system, regardless of the recipient\'s Word version.
- Student assignments. Most universities require PDF submissions so markers see exactly what the student saw, with no font fallback surprises.
- Internal policy documents. Converting an HR or compliance .docx to PDF prevents staff from editing the master copy while still letting them search and read it.
- Archiving correspondence. Long-term storage of letters and memos works best as PDF — the .docx format depends on a running Word install to look right twenty years from now.
Privacy & security
Word documents often contain confidential material — contracts in draft, financial reports, internal memos, drafts of legal pleadings. Most online "convert to PDF" services upload the file to their servers; some have leaked sensitive documents in the past. Because this tool processes everything locally there is no upload step to intercept, no server-side temp file, and no retention window to worry about. For a deeper comparison of the standard upload model, see our iLovePDF privacy review.
Frequently asked questions
No. The .docx file is parsed entirely inside your browser by the open-source mammoth library, and the PDF is built with pdf-lib — also in your browser. No part of the document travels over the network. You can confirm this in the Network tab while you run the conversion.
We use the standard PDF fonts (Helvetica family) for text, not your custom Word fonts. Embedding the exact fonts would require fetching font files from the internet, which would break the in-browser guarantee. The result looks clean and is fully searchable, but the typography is not pixel-identical to Word. For brand-specific font rendering, use Word's built-in Save as PDF feature on your desktop.
Tracked changes are flattened — only the accepted/visible text comes through. Comments, change markers, and revision authors are dropped because they exist outside the document's main flow. If you need a PDF that shows tracked changes for review, accept or reject the changes in Word first, or use Word's native PDF export which preserves comment threads.
Encrypted Word documents cannot be parsed by mammoth — the file content is unreadable until the password is supplied. Open the file in Word with the correct password, save it as a new unprotected .docx, then convert that copy. We never see the password, and the new copy stays in your browser.
The legacy .doc format is a binary OLE compound file (Word 97-2003). Parsing it client-side is fragile and would balloon the bundle size. The fix is one click: open the file in Word, Pages, or LibreOffice, choose "Save as .docx", and convert that copy instead. We detect .doc and tell you this in the error message.
Tips for best Word to PDF results
- Accept tracked changes before converting. Any revision markers are flattened during conversion, so accepting (or rejecting) changes inside Word first gives you full control over the final text.
- Re-save .doc as .docx first. Open the file in Word or LibreOffice and use Save As to produce a modern .docx. This converter does not parse the legacy binary format.
- Pick A4 vs Letter to match your audience. A4 is standard outside North America; US Letter is standard inside it. The wrong size leads to ugly printouts on the recipient\'s end.
- Drop tables down a level if possible. If your document depends on tables, consider listing the data inline or converting to a spreadsheet instead — this version does not yet render Word tables in the PDF.
- Add a password after converting. If the PDF must be confidential, use our Protect PDF tool to encrypt the result with a strong password before sending it on.
Related PDF tools
- PDF to Word — the inverse: convert a PDF back into an editable .docx file.
- Protect PDF — add a password to the resulting PDF before sending it on.
- Merge PDF — combine your converted PDF with a cover letter, signature, or appendix.
- Sign PDF — drop your signature on the converted PDF without printing it.