How to convert a Word document to PDF on a Mac
Save a Word file as a PDF on a Mac with Word, Pages or TextEdit, keep the links working and the fonts right, and what to do without Word installed.
The problem
An application, a CV or a contract has to go as a PDF, and you have a Word file, maybe without Word on this Mac.
How do I save a Word document as PDF on a Mac?
In Word, choose File > Save As, set File Format to PDF, and save. Word's own PDF export keeps links and headings.
How do I convert Word to PDF on a Mac without Word?
- Open the Word file in Pages, which comes with every Mac. Pages converts it as it opens.
- Look through it: unusual fonts and complex layouts may shift.
- Choose File > Export To > PDF.
For a simple letter, TextEdit works too: open the .docx and choose File > Export as PDF. It is not suited to tables or pictures.
Why do my links not work after converting?
The PDF was probably made through File > Print, which can drop links. Use Save As or Export instead. See add a clickable link to a PDF.
Why does my PDF look different from the Word document?
A font used in the document is not on your Mac, or Pages laid it out slightly differently. Install the font, or export from Word on a Mac that has it.
Our take
Open the PDF before you send it, every time. Conversions fail quietly: a font swapped, a table pushed onto a new page, a line that wraps differently. Thirty seconds scrolling the PDF catches what the person reading it would otherwise find.
In Simply PDF
Simply PDF's Convert turns Word, RTF, OpenDocument, web page and text files into PDFs on A4 or US Letter, several at a time. It needs a key.
Questions
How do I convert Word to PDF on a Mac without Word?
Open the file in Pages, which comes with every Mac, and choose File > Export To > PDF.
Why does my PDF look different from the Word document?
A font used in the document may not be on your Mac, or Pages laid it out slightly differently. Install the font or export from Word.