Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format that captures all the elements of a printed document as an electronic image that you can view, navigate, print, or forward to someone else. The format is great for distribution because it keeps its formatting regardless of what type of device or software program is used to open it. PDFs are not, however, easy to edit.
Knowing how to convert PDF to MS Word can come in handy in many situations. For example, you may need to edit a PDF contract or fill out a form that is only available as a PDF. We will look at a few ways that you can convert PDF to Word on any device.
Why Convert PDF to Word?
There are a few reasons you would want to convert PDF to Word.
Editing: As we mentioned, PDFs are not easy to edit. If you need to make changes to a PDF, it is much easier to do so in Word.
Filling out forms: Have you ever tried filling out a form that is only available as a PDF? It is not fun. You have to print it out, fill it in by hand, and then scan it back in. If the form is available as a Word document, you can simply fill it out electronically.
Better compatibility: PDFs can be difficult to open on certain devices or with certain software programs. If you convert PDF to Word, you will not have any trouble opening it.
Screen reader compatibility: PDFs are not always compatible with screen readers. If you need to convert PDF to Word for someone who uses a screen reader, they will be able to access the document much more easily.
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How To Convert PDF to Editable Word File With Acrobat Reader DC
Acrobat Reader DC is a free program from Adobe that you can use to open, view, and annotate PDFs.
To convert PDF to editable Word with Acrobat Reader DC:
Open the PDF in Acrobat Reader DC.
Click on "File" in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Click on "Export PDF."
Select "Microsoft Word Document (.docx)" from the drop-down menu.
Click on "Export."
Save the file to your desired location.
How To Convert PDF to Editable Word File With Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word also can convert PDF to editable Word. Converting with Microsoft Word often results in formatting issues, so it is not always the best option.
To convert PDF to editable Word with Microsoft Word:
Open Microsoft Word.
Click on "File" in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Click on "Open."
Navigate to the location of the PDF you want to convert.
Click on the PDF to select it.
Click on "Open."
A message will pop up asking if you want to convert the file to an editable format. Click on "OK."
The PDF will now be open in Word. You can make any edits you need to and then save the file.
How To Convert PDF to Editable Word File With Google Docs
You can also use Google Docs to convert PDF to editable Word. Google Docs is a free, web-based word processing program from Google.
To convert PDF to editable Word with Google Docs:
Go to drive.google.com.
Click on the "New" button.
Hover over "File upload" and click on it.
Navigate to the location of the PDF you want to convert and click on it to select it.
Click on the "Open" button.
The PDF will now be uploaded to Google Drive, and you will be able to open it in Google Docs.
Click on "File" in the menu bar.
Click on "Download as."
Click on "Microsoft Word (.docx)."
The file will now download to your computer as a Word document.
How To Convert PDF to Editable Word File On iPhone/iPad
Converting PDF to editable Word on your iPhone or iPad is a bit more complicated than other methods because there is no built-in PDF converter. It is possible to use the Pages app, but it is not free.
To convert PDF to editable Word on your iPhone or iPad:
Download and install the PDFelement app.
Open the PDFelement app and tap on the "+" sign in the top-right corner of the screen.
Tap on "Browse" at the bottom of the screen.
Navigate to the location of the PDF you want to convert and tap on it to select it.
Tap on the "Open" button.
The PDF will now be open in the app. Tap on the "Convert" button in the top-right corner of the screen.
A new window will pop up. Tap on "Word" in the "Format" section.
Tap on the "Convert" button.
The PDF will now be converted to an editable Word document, and you will be able to save it to your desired location.
How To Convert PDF to Editable Word File On Android
Just like with iPhone/iPad, there is no built-in PDF converter on Android. You will need to download a third-party app to convert PDF to editable Word.
To convert PDF to editable Word on your Android:
Download and install the Microsoft Word app.
To open an existing PDF:
Tap on the "Open" button.
Browse the location where the PDF is saved.
Tap on the PDF file to open it.
Once the file is opened, click on the "Edit" button.
A popup will appear, informing you that you're about to make a copy of the PDF. Tap on "OK" to continue.
You can now edit the PDF as a Word document. Once you're done, tap on the "Save" button.
How To Convert PDF to Editable Word File Online
If you don't want to install any software, you can also convert PDF to editable Word online. There are a few different websites that offer this service, but we will be using Smallpdf.com.
Click on the "Choose file" button and navigate to the location of the PDF you want to convert.
Click on the PDF to select it and click on the "Open" button.
The conversion will start automatically and should only take a few seconds.
Once the conversion is done, click on the "Download" button to download the Word document to your computer.
You can also click on the "More options" button to save the file to your Google Drive or Dropbox.
Conclusion
Converting PDF to MS Word format makes it easier to make changes and edit the document. With this guide, you can now convert PDF to Word on any device and platform. You can also learn how to convert Excel files to PDF here.
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