How to convert PDF to Word
- Select your PDF or drop it onto the page.
- Choose the pages to convert.
- Click convert. Text, paragraphs and headings are rebuilt into a Word document.
- Download the .docx file and open it in Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice.
How the conversion works
A PDF records where each piece of text sits on the page, but not which pieces belong to the same paragraph. The converter analyses positions, line spacing, font sizes and font styles to rebuild paragraphs, detect headings from larger text, and keep bold and italic where the fonts indicate it. The result is a genuinely editable document with real, flowing text, not a picture of each page.
What to expect
Text-based documents such as letters, reports, articles and contracts convert well. Highly designed layouts are harder: multi-column magazines, text wrapped around images, complex tables, forms and precise positioning are approximated, and images, charts or decorations may not be carried over. Expect to do some tidying for complex documents. That is true of every PDF-to-Word converter, and we prefer to say so up front.
Scanned PDFs contain images of text, so convert them with OCR PDF first. If you mainly need tables, try PDF to Excel.
Private by default
Many converters upload your PDF to a server. Here the conversion runs in your browser, so confidential contracts and personal documents never leave your device. Once you have edited the document, turn it back into a PDF with Word to PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Will the Word document look exactly like my PDF?
Simple documents come close. Complex layouts with columns, tables, images and precise positioning are approximated and may need tidying.
Can I convert a scanned PDF to Word?
Run OCR PDF first to recognise the text, then convert. Without OCR, a scan contains no text to put in the document.
Are images included?
The converter focuses on editable text and its formatting. Images and drawings may not be transferred, so check the result if your document relies on them.
Which programs can open the DOCX file?
Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer, Apple Pages and most other word processors.
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser.