How to Convert Word to PDF in Windows 10 [3 Free and Easy Methods]

As of the writing of this guide, it has been 7 months since the official release of the latest Windows version Windows 11, yet the latest survey suggests that the vast majority of Windows users still stick with Windows 10. On the other hand, the Adobe PDF format has been proven to be the most acknowledged document and electronic submission format well used in business and education fields.

As might be expected, changing formats between Microsoft Word and PDF is always a strong demand on Windows 10. In this post, we’ll discuss how to convert Word to PDF on Windows 10 PC and laptops, three free and easy methods will be introduced, and you can easily find one that works for you.

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How to Convert Word to PDF in Windows 10 Using Microsoft Word

If you’re wondering if there’s an inbuilt Word-to-PDF converter on Windows 10, the answer is yes. And it’s Microsoft Word itself, with its save as PDF feature. The best part of using this method is that it doesn’t require the use or installation of external services or software, as long as you have Microsoft Word on your computer. By using this method, you’re free from downloading software online or using any third-party services, and it can be done without an internet connection.

However, changing Word to PDF using Microsoft Word can be a bit tethered when it comes to Word documents with high-quality visuals and texts with complex formatting. Display issues could occur in the converted PDF document.

Step 1. Open your Word document with Microsoft Word (2007-2021) program.

Step 2. Go to the Files tab from the upper left side. Then select Browse when you click the Save As button.

Step 3. Select Save As Type as PDF(*.pdf). Here you can also customize the exporting destination.

Step 4. Lastly, click the Save button to save the Word as a PDF (with formatting).

Hint: The Save as PDF feature is not available in Microsoft Word versions before 2007. And in later versions of Microsoft Word, you can also use the Export to PDF/XPS document feature.

How to Convert Word to PDF in Windows 10 Using PDFgear

As mentioned, there are drawbacks in using Microsoft Word to convert Word documents to PDF documents, such as the loss in image quality of text formatting, or that the conversion simply doesn’t work.

And that’s when the free online tool PDFgear comes to the rescue. PDFgear is an all-in-one toolbox for a variety of PDF management needs on Windows 10, including PDF creation from other formats, fast PDF conversions, significant PDF compressions, and versatile PDF editing. And if you’re a non-Windows-10 user, no worries, PDFgear works on all mainstream operating systems including Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, etc.

When it comes to changing Word into PDF, PDFgear features batch conversions and lossless conversions to improve your business workflow. Below is the tutorial for converting Word to PDF on Windows 10 using PDFgear in 3 simple steps.

Step 1. Upload Word Document to PDFgear

Navigate to PDFgear Word to PDF converter tool. Here you can drag and drop the file into the converter UI or hit the Choose file button to upload your Word document.

Step 2. Convert Word to PDF with PDFgear

Then PDFgear Word to PDF converter will automatically process the uploaded Word document and convert it to a PDF document, the conversion will be done in 2 seconds.

Step 3. Download the Converted PDF

When the conversion is done, the blue Download button will appear. Hit the Download button to download the converted PDF file from PDFgear.

How to Convert Word to PDF in Windows 10 Using Google Docs

Google Drive is a popular cloud document editor used by many office workers, especially the ones with remote working needs. And if you happen to use Google Docs for your daily work, luck for you to have another easy approach to converting Word to PDF on Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. Please note that this method does require a stable internet connection, it’s recommended to use the Google Chrome browser to go about it, and you have to make sure you’ve logged into your Google account before getting started.

Now when you’re ready, follow the steps below to convert Word to PDF on Windows using Google Docs.

Step 1. Go to your Google Docs Home, and hit the Blank document button to create a blank document in Google Docs.

Step 2. Go to the File tab from the upper-left side, and hit Open from the dropdown menu.

Step 3. From the “Open a file” window, go to the Upload section, and hit Select a file from your device to upload and open the Microsoft Word document you intend to convert to PDF on your computer’s local drive.

Step 4.  When the Microsoft Word document is opened in Google Docs, go to the File tab once more, select Download from the Dropdown, and select PDF Document (.pdf). This will convert and download your uploaded Microsoft Word document as an Adobe PDF document.

Will I Lose Text Formatting After the Conversion?

For those who are wondering if the text formatting will lose after converting or saving Microsoft Word documents into Adobe PDF documents, you should know that it actually depends on the methods being used.

• If you save a Word document as PDF document in Microsoft or Google Drive, chances are that the text formatting will be lost after the conversion.
• And if you use a lossless Word-to-PDF converter tool like PDFgear, the text formatting will be retained after the conversion.

How to Convert Word to PDF in Windows 10: FAQs

Why doesn’t Microsoft Word give me the option to “Save as PDF” in the file menu?

If your Microsoft Word doesn’t have a Save as PDF in export options, it’s that your Microsoft Word 2007 is missing the essential add-in. To solve this, you can either download and install the add-in from Microsoft’s website or use the Word to PDF online converter PDFgear.

How to fix text formatting errors after converting Word to PDF?

If you encounter text formatting errors like glitches after the Word to PDF conversion, please reconvert your Microsoft Word document with PDFgear Word to PDF converter tool, this will help keep the original formatting of your document.

What’s the best free Word to PDF converter?

PDFgear is the best free Word to PDF converter that supports 30+ document conversions from/to PDF. PDFgear is completely free to use, and there’s no watermark, no formatting loss. And as a free service, it doesn’t even require registration!

How to convert Word to PDF in Windows 7?

To convert Word to PDF in Windows 7, the simplest way is using PDFgear. PDFgear is a free online PDF converter tool for Windows 7. Navigate to https://www.pdfgear.com/word-to-pdf/ on Windows 7, drag and drop your Word file, and the conversion will be done in 2 seconds.

How to save a Word document as a PDF in Word 2007?

Microsoft Word 2007 supports the direct saving of Word documents as PDF. To do so, open a Word document with Microsoft Word 2007, Go to the Files > Save As > Browse > Select Save As Type as PDF(*.pdf) > Click the Save button to save the Word document as a PDF.

How to convert Word to PDF on Mac?

To convert Word to PDF on Mac, go to PDFgear Word to PDF converter, upload your Word file, and it’ll be converted to PDF in 2 seconds. For details, see our guide on converting Word to PDF on Mac.

Does Windows 10 have a Word to PDF converter?

Yes, Windows 10 has an inbuilt Word to PDF converter – Microsoft Word. It has native support for converting Word documents to PDFs. First, open up the Word document in Microsoft Word, go to Files, click Save as from the dropdown, and select Save As Type as PDF(*.pdf).

Is PDFgear safe?

PDFgear is a safe tool. PDFgear is a TLS-encrypted service under ISO 27001 standardization. The service is completely safe and PDFgear will not save your uploaded files.

 

Conclusion

After learning about the three easiest methods to convert Word to PDF on Windows 10, I’m sure you’ve benefited from this guide and have found yourself the solution that fits you most.

To convert Word to PDF, the Microsoft Word method prevails when dealing with small and simple Word documents, while the Acrobat method fits users who have Adobe Acrobat already installed on their computers.

I personally, in light of the handiness and the accessibility of mobile phones, would go for the free online tool PDFgear. And the best part is that it’s completely free to use and unlimited, so it’s highly recommended to give PDFgear a try!