How to Convert Word to PDF Free — Built-in & Online Methods

Converting a Word document to PDF is one of the most common tasks in any office or academic workflow — PDF preserves your fonts, layout, and formatting exactly as you designed it, regardless of which device or software the recipient uses.

The good news: if you have Microsoft Word installed, you already have the best PDF converter built in.

FileHulk Lab tested all four methods below in April 2026 on Windows 11 Build 26100 using 15 Word documents ranging from a simple 1-page letter to a complex 40-page report with tables, images, headers, footers, and custom fonts.

Key fact: Converting Word to PDF using Microsoft Word's own export function produces the highest quality output — Word knows its own format perfectly and generates a PDF that matches the original document exactly, including hyperlinks, bookmarks, and embedded fonts.

Third-party tools and online converters introduce a re-rendering step that can shift layouts, change fonts, or break tables in complex documents.

Which Method Should You Use?

PDF is the standard format for sharing documents that must look identical on every device. For other document conversion tasks, see our guide on how to convert PDF back to Word. If you receive files in formats you cannot open, see our guide on identifying unknown file types on Windows.

Method 1 — Save As PDF Directly from Microsoft Word (Best Quality)

Microsoft Word has built-in PDF export since Word 2007. This is the fastest and highest quality method — Word renders the PDF using its own engine, preserving every font, image, table, hyperlink, and page break exactly as designed. No third-party tool, no upload, no quality loss.

Lab result: all 15 test documents converted with perfect layout preservation. 100% success rate.

1

Open your Word document and go to Save As
Open your .docx or .doc file in Microsoft Word → click File → Save As → choose your save location. In the Save as type dropdown select PDF (*.pdf). Type your filename → click Save. Word converts and saves the PDF instantly. The original Word file is untouched.

✓ PDF file saved — open it to verify layout✗ PDF not in the Save as type list → your Office version is very old (pre-2007). Update via Microsoft 365 or use Method 3 (iLovePDF) instead.

2

Verify the PDF opens correctly
Navigate to the saved PDF in File Explorer → double-click to open it in your default PDF viewer (Microsoft Edge or Adobe Reader). Check that fonts, images, tables, and page breaks match the Word document exactly. For documents with complex layouts — multiple columns, text boxes, or custom section breaks — always verify before sending.

✓ PDF matches the Word document exactly✗ Fonts look different in the PDF → the document uses fonts not embedded in the PDF. Go back to Word → File → Save As → click Options → check "ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A)" to embed all fonts permanently.

Method 2 — Export PDF with Options from Microsoft Word (Password, Print Restrictions)

Word's Export function gives access to advanced PDF options unavailable in Save As — including password protection, print restrictions, document structure tags for accessibility, and ISO PDF/A compliance for archiving. Best for professional or legal documents. Lab result: all 15 test documents exported correctly with options applied. 100% success rate.

1

Go to File → Export → Create PDF/XPS
In Microsoft Word click File → Export → Create PDF/XPS Document → click Create PDF/XPS. The Publish as PDF or XPS dialog opens. Choose your save location and filename. Before clicking Publish, click Options to access advanced settings.

✓ Publish as PDF dialog open with Options button visible✗ Export option not in the File menu → your Word ribbon may be customised. Use Method 1 (Save As → PDF) which achieves the same result for most documents.

2

Set PDF options and publish
In the Options dialog you can: check Document structure tags for accessibility for screen reader support; check ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A) to embed all fonts for archiving; check Encrypt the document with a password to require a password to open the PDF. Click OK → click Publish. The PDF is created with your chosen settings applied.

✓ PDF created with options applied — test the password if set✗ PDF/A option greys out other settings → PDF/A mode restricts certain features by design. Uncheck PDF/A if you need password protection — they cannot be combined in Word's built-in export.

Method 3 — Convert Word to PDF Online with iLovePDF (No Account, Free)

iLovePDF converts Word documents to PDF online with no account required and no daily limit. Accepts .docx and .doc files up to 100MB. Best for users without Microsoft Word. Lab result: converted 13 of 15 test documents correctly. Minor layout shift on 2 documents with complex multi-column sections — Word's own export handled these better.

87% success rate.

1

Go to ilovepdf.com/word_to_pdf and upload your file
Open Chrome or Edge → go to ilovepdf.com/word_to_pdf → click Select Word file or drag your .docx or .doc file onto the page. You can also import from Google Drive or Dropbox. No account or sign-in required. Files are deleted from iLovePDF servers after 2 hours.

✓ Word file uploaded — Convert to PDF button visible✗ File exceeds 100MB → compress images in Word first (File → Info → Compress Media) to reduce the file size, then retry.

2

Convert and download the PDF
Click Convert to PDF. iLovePDF processes the file — typically 10–30 seconds for a standard document. Click Download PDF when complete. Open the PDF and verify the layout matches your Word document, especially tables, headers, and image positions. For sensitive documents such as contracts or personal records, use Method 1 or Method 4 (offline) instead of uploading to an online service.

✓ PDF downloaded — verify layout before sending✗ Layout looks different in the PDF → the document uses fonts not available on iLovePDF's servers. Install those fonts locally and use Method 1 (Word) or Method 4 (LibreOffice) for accurate rendering.

Method 4 — Convert Word to PDF with LibreOffice (Free, Fully Offline)

LibreOffice Writer can open Word documents and export them as PDF entirely offline — no file upload, no account, no internet connection required. Best for confidential documents and users without Microsoft Office. Lab result: converted 12 of 15 test documents correctly.

Minor formatting differences on 3 documents using Microsoft-specific styles and fonts not available in LibreOffice. 80% success rate.

1

Open the Word file in LibreOffice Writer
Free from libreoffice.org. Publisher: The Document Foundation (open source). VirusTotal scan: 0/72 engines — confirmed clean. After installing, right-click your .docx file → Open with → LibreOffice Writer. The document opens in LibreOffice — review the layout to check for any formatting differences before exporting.

✓ Word document open in LibreOffice Writer✗ Fonts look wrong in LibreOffice → the document uses Microsoft-only fonts (Calibri, Cambria) not installed on your system. Install the Microsoft fonts package or use Method 1/3 for accurate rendering.

2

Export as PDF
Click File → Export as PDF. The PDF Options dialog opens — here you can set PDF/A compliance, password protection, image compression, and digital signature settings. For a standard PDF click Export directly. LibreOffice renders the PDF from its own engine. The original Word file is untouched.

✓ PDF exported — verify layout matches the document✗ Tables or images are shifted in the PDF → the document uses advanced Word-specific layout features. Use Method 1 (Word) for these documents — only Word's own engine renders them correctly.

Lab Results — Word to PDF Conversion Methods Compared

Frequently Asked Questions