How to Save a Word Document as a PDF
To save a Word document as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file, choose File → Save As or Save a Copy → PDF. PDF is useful for sharing or printing a document when the recipient does not need to edit it and you want to preserve its layout.
This guide covers the desktop version of Word for Windows. Menu names and positions can differ between versions.
Save the document as a PDF
- Open the document and check its contents. Save the Word original first so you can continue editing it later.
- Choose File → Save As. A cloud document may show Save a Copy instead. You can also use F12 in Word for Windows; some laptops require the Fn key as well.
- Choose the destination and file name, then select PDF as the file type. If quality options appear, consider Standard for printing and Minimum size when a smaller download matters more.
- Open Options if you need to change the page range or output settings, then save the file.
Check the PDF output options
- Page range: Export the entire document or only the pages you need.
- Publish what: Choose the document without markup when comments and tracked changes should not appear. Select the markup option when the review information needs to be included.
- Bookmarks: Use headings or Word bookmarks to create navigation points inside the PDF.
- Document structure tags: Include these when making a PDF that is easier for assistive technology to navigate.
- Fonts: A font that cannot be embedded may be substituted or, depending on the setting, rendered as bitmap text. Check both its appearance and whether text can still be searched and copied.
The available options and their scope are explained in Microsoft's PDF export instructions. Font restrictions also matter when embedding fonts in a Word file.
Inspect the saved file
Open the PDF and check the page count, pictures, tables, fonts, and page breaks. Confirm that review markup has been included or excluded as intended. A PDF does not replace the editable Word original, so keep both files if you may need to revise the document later.
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