Skip to content
RoomCalcs

Word to PDF converter

Turn a Word document into a PDF to send, print or upload — the pages keep Word's size, margins, fonts, tables, pictures, headers, footers and page numbers. Your file is laid out and converted in your browser, so it is never uploaded to a server.

  • Free
  • No sign-up
  • Private — runs in your browser

How do I convert Word to PDF?

  1. 1Choose your Word file (.docx), or drag it onto the box. The pages are laid out straight away.
  2. 2Pick Standard or High quality. Other files (.odt, .rtf, .txt) can also take a paper size and margins.
  3. 3Press Convert to PDF and watch each page being made — the first pages show as previews.
  4. 4Download the PDF. Need text you can select in Arabic, Urdu or Hindi? Use Print / save as PDF instead.

How does the Word to PDF converter work?

  1. 01Word file → pages laid out like Word (page size, margins, headers, footers, fonts) → one picture per page + invisible text → PDF
  2. 02Page picture: Standard = 2 px per screen pixel (192 dpi), High = 3 px (288 dpi), saved as JPEG
  3. 03A4 page at Standard = 1587 × 2245 px, usually 150–300 KB per page
  4. 04Calibri → Carlito, Cambria → Caladea, Arial → Arimo, Times New Roman → Tinos (same letter widths)

A .docx file is a set of XML files: the text, its styles, the page setup, headers and footers, and the pictures. The open-source docx-preview library reads them and draws the document in a hidden part of this page. The tool then fixes what a browser does differently from Word — line spacing is measured from each font's own line height as Word does, list numbers are written out, page-number fields are filled in — and flows the content into pages: paragraphs break between lines (keeping at least two lines together, as Word does), headings stay with the next paragraph, and long tables continue on the next page with their header row repeated.

Word's usual fonts are not on most phones and Macs, which would make lines break in different places. So each one is replaced with a free font that has exactly the same letter widths: Carlito for Calibri, Caladea for Cambria, Arimo for Arial, Tinos for Times New Roman and Cousine for Courier New. If your device has the real font, it is used. These free fonts are downloaded from a font server only when your document uses them — your document itself never leaves your device.

Each page is then drawn as a sharp picture and placed on a PDF page of exactly the same size, so every script, colour, table border and picture looks the same on every device. On top, the text of each line is added as invisible text, so you can still select, search and copy English and other Latin-alphabet text. Arabic, Urdu, Hindi and other scripts are shown exactly but are part of the picture; for selectable text in every language, use Print / save as PDF, which lets your browser write real text.

Some rare Word features can't be laid out in a browser: SmartArt, charts, equations, text boxes wrapped around text, tracked changes and comments may look different or be left out. Very long documents work, but take longer on a phone.

Good to know

  • Got an old .doc file? Open it in Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice and save it as .docx first.
  • For a CV or a form, Standard quality is plenty; choose High if the PDF will be printed.
  • Need to select Arabic, Urdu or Hindi text in the PDF? Use Print / save as PDF and pick “Save as PDF” as the printer.
  • The PDF too big for an upload form? Shrink it afterwards with Compress PDF.

Word to PDF — common questions

Is my Word file uploaded to a server?

No. The file is opened, laid out and turned into a PDF in your browser on your own device. Only free fonts may be downloaded (when your document uses Calibri, Arial and similar); your document is never sent anywhere.

Will the PDF look the same as in Word?

Very close: page size, margins, fonts, colours, tables, pictures, headers, footers and page numbers are kept, and text uses fonts with the same letter widths as Word's. Rare features such as SmartArt, charts, equations and text wrapped around boxes may look different.

Can I select and copy the text in the PDF?

Yes for English and other Latin-alphabet languages: an invisible text layer sits on each page. Text in Arabic, Urdu, Hindi and other scripts is shown exactly but can't be selected; for that, use Print / save as PDF.

Can I convert a .doc file?

Not directly — .doc is Word's old format. Open it in Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice, choose Save As › Word Document (.docx), and convert that.

My Word file has a password. Can I convert it?

A password-protected Word file is encrypted, so it can't be read here. Remove the password in Word (File › Info › Protect Document), save, and try again.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes. It works in Chrome, Safari and other modern browsers on phones, tablets and computers. Long documents take longer on a phone, so keep the tab open until it finishes.

Sources

Formulas last reviewed: September 30, 2026 ·How we check our formulas

Related tools