Convert a Word document to PDF

How to convert Word to PDF with Outilix

It takes three steps:

1. Drop your document into the box above, or click to pick it.
2. Wait a few seconds. A 10-page document is usually ready in under 10 seconds.
3. Click the download button. The PDF keeps the same name as your Word file.

The conversion uses LibreOffice, a free office suite that runs on our server. It reads Word formats and writes a real PDF: text stays selectable, the PDF keeps images and tables, and headings and links carry over to the PDF outline.

Supported formats, limits and privacy

• Maximum size: 20 MB per file, one file at a time.
• Usage limit: 12 conversions per hour per connection, so everyone gets a turn.
• Privacy: the server saves the file under a random name, converts it, then deletes it as soon as it sends you the PDF. An automatic cleanup wipes anything left after one hour. We don't read your documents and we keep no copy.

Why the layout can differ slightly

A PDF is a frozen snapshot of your document, while a Word file reflows depending on the fonts installed. Our server has Liberation (metric-compatible with Arial, Times New Roman and Courier New), Carlito (Calibri) and Caladea (Cambria), which have the same letter widths, so line breaks and page breaks stay nearly identical.

If your document uses a rare or decorative font we don't have, LibreOffice swaps in a similar one and some lines may move. To avoid that, stick to a common font, or use Save As PDF directly in Word (File, Save As, PDF) when you have the font on your own computer.

Word to PDF: check your document before converting

For a clean Word to PDF result on the first try, check the document before you send it. First, accept tracked changes, because otherwise they show in the PDF. Next, look at your fonts: most Word to PDF layout problems come from a rare font. Finally, update fields, such as the table of contents.

1. Accept or reject all tracked changes.
2. Swap decorative fonts for a common one.
3. Update the table of contents and the page numbers.
4. Save as .docx, the most reliable format.

Word to PDF: the right use for each document

So you turn Word to PDF at the right moment: at the end, once the content is final. As a result, always keep the Word file for future edits.

Common mistakes when you convert Word to PDF

• Sending a password-protected file: because the server can't open it, so remove the protection.
• Leaving comments visible: in fact, they can show up in the PDF margin.
• Using an old format: for example, a 1997 .doc sometimes shifts a few lines.
• Passing 20 MB: but full-resolution pictures add weight fast.

Next, compress the PDF if the result still feels heavy. Also, merge several PDF files to build a packet. To edit the text later, use PDF to Word. Finally, run a spreadsheet through Excel to PDF.

Word to PDF on a phone or tablet

You don't need Word installed to turn Word to PDF. Open this page in any mobile browser, tap the box and pick the file from your storage. A short wait later, you download the PDF. Each Word to PDF run follows the same steps.

• Pick the file from Files or Downloads.
• Wait for the conversion to finish before you leave the page.
• Open the PDF in your reader to check the first page.

So Word to PDF works the same on a laptop and on a phone. Finally, send the PDF straight from your device.