How to convert PDF to Word
Quick answer
The easiest way is to open the PDF in Microsoft Word: go to File > Open, choose the PDF and click OK when Word offers to convert it. Without Word, upload the PDF to Google Drive, open it with Google Docs, and download it as a .docx file.
Convert with Microsoft Word
- Open WordStart Word on your computer (Word 2013 or later, including Microsoft 365).
- Open the PDFGo to File > Open, browse to the PDF and open it.
- Confirm the conversionWord shows a message that it will convert the PDF into an editable document. Click OK.
- Save as a Word fileGo to File > Save As and choose Word Document (.docx).
Your choice of tool depends on one question: what’s in the PDF?
Which method should you use?
| Method | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Word | Included with Word | Text documents, letters, reports |
| Google Docs | Free | Simple text when you don’t have Word |
| Adobe Acrobat | Paid (limited free online tool) | Complex layouts, tables, forms |
How to convert PDF to Word with Google Docs
- Upload the PDF to Google Drive.
- Right-click it and choose Open with > Google Docs.
- In Docs, go to File > Download > Microsoft Word (.docx).
Google Docs keeps the text but often drops images and complex layouts, so it’s best for plain documents.
Why the formatting sometimes breaks
A PDF is designed to look the same everywhere, not to be edited. It stores where each letter sits on the page rather than paragraphs and columns. Converters have to guess the original structure, so tables, columns and unusual fonts can shift. Simple documents convert almost perfectly; magazine-style layouts rarely do.
What about scanned PDFs?
If the PDF is a scan or photo of paper, there’s no text in it, only an image. You need OCR (optical character recognition) to turn the picture into words. Word and Google Docs both try OCR automatically, with varying success; Adobe Acrobat’s paid version is more reliable.
Need to merge several PDFs before converting? See how to combine PDF files.
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