A Word document can look different on every computer that opens it, depending on the fonts installed, the version of Word and even the printer settings. A PDF fixes the layout in place. Word to PDF converts DOC and DOCX files with LibreOffice on VelloDoc's server. You can send a CV, contract or report knowing the reader sees the pages you laid out.
How to use Word to PDF
- Add a DOC or DOCX file.
- If the document tracks changes, accept or reject them in Word first so the PDF shows the final text.
- Select Convert to PDF.
- Download the PDF and check page breaks, fonts and tables.
How the conversion works
- The engine: VelloDoc runs LibreOffice without a screen, opening your document the way LibreOffice Writer would and exporting it to PDF.
- What comes across: Text, headings, images, tables, headers, footers and hyperlinks come across, and headings typically become bookmarks you can use to navigate in a PDF viewer.
- Macros in the document aren't run.
- Naming and cleanup: The PDF is named after your file, and the temporary copy on the server is deleted once the download finishes.
Fonts are the most common difference
LibreOffice can only draw text with fonts installed on the server.
- Common fonts substitute cleanly: Widely used fonts like Arial, Times New Roman and Courier New have metric-compatible substitutes, so line breaks usually match.
- Office-only fonts may shift: Documents set in fonts that ship with Microsoft Office, like Calibri or Cambria, may be drawn with a similar font instead. It can move a line or a page break.
- When typography matters: When exact typography matters, embed the fonts in the document before converting, or export the PDF from Word itself.
After converting
- Check it as a recipient would: Check the result the way a recipient would: page count, page breaks, tables that run across pages and images with text wrapped around them.
- Combining and shrinking: To combine the PDF with other documents, use Merge PDF, and to shrink a document full of photos, Compress PDF.
- Converting back is harder: PDF to Word recovers text but not layout.
- Where to read more: The format guide explains when to send DOCX and when to send PDF.
When people use Word to PDF
Sending a CV
Recruiters open CVs on phones and in applicant tracking systems. A PDF keeps your layout intact wherever it lands.
Contracts and formal letters
Send agreements and letters in a fixed format that the recipient can't accidentally edit or reformat.
Reports for printing
Hand a print shop or colleague a PDF whose pagination won't shift on a different computer.
Limitations to know
Word to PDF needs LibreOffice on the server and converts one file per job. Fonts the server lacks are substituted. It can shift line and page breaks, and complex floating layouts may differ slightly. Password-protected documents must be unlocked in Word first.
Word to PDF: common questions
Will my PDF look exactly like the document in Word?
Usually it's very close. Differences come mainly from fonts the server doesn't have and from complex layouts like text boxes and floating images, so check the result before sending anything formal.
Can I convert a password-protected Word file?
No. Remove the password in Word first. A protected document can't be opened for conversion, and the tool will report that it couldn't convert the file.
Are comments and tracked changes included?
That depends on how the document was saved, so the safe approach is to accept or reject every change and delete comments in Word before converting.
Why is this tool unavailable on some servers?
Word conversion needs LibreOffice installed on the server. When it's missing, the tool says so instead of failing silently. The Docker deployment of VelloDoc includes LibreOffice.
Can I convert several Word files at once?
This tool converts one document per job. Convert each file, then join the PDFs with Merge PDF if you want a single document.