Here are some of the top reasons why it becomes necessary to convert a PDF file into a Word file.
1
Converting PDF to Word simplifies editing, as PDFs are hard to modify. In Word, you can add or remove texts, change layouts, and more. Word also offers formatting options like adjusting fonts, margins, adding images and tables. These features help make the document look more professional.
2
PDF files can be difficult to search through, especially when you need to find something specific. When you convert a PDF to Word, you get the benefit of Word’s search feature. You can quickly find keywords or phrases, which saves time, especially in long documents.
3
Converting a PDF to Word makes it easier for several people to work on the same file. If you are working with a team, using Word is much more efficient. In Word, people can edit files, leave comments, and track any changes. This helps make the whole process run more smoothly.
Thankfully, there are a lot of free online PDF-to-Word conversion tools, such as PDFTools.
Here is how to convert your PDF into a Word file.
Why use our tool for PDF to Word conversion?
Converting PDF files into Word documents is not a straightforward process. Here are some common issues you may face and how to address them.
Sometimes, text doesn’t line up correctly, which may cause paragraphs or headings to shift.
Solution: Use high-quality PDF converters. After conversion, check the document and adjust any alignment issues.
Letters that are close together, like “w” and “vv,” may be misinterpreted during conversion.
Solution: Use Word’s spell check to spot and fix misspelled words. You can also use the 'search and replace' tool for quick corrections.
Fonts might change during conversion, which may lead to differences in appearance.
Solution: Use basic fonts like Times New Roman or Arial, and embed fonts in the PDF before conversion to avoid this issue.
Images may be misplaced, stretched, or missing during conversion.
Solution: Check image settings in the conversion tool, compress high-resolution images, and use the “Wrap Text” feature in Word for proper image placement.
Words split at the end of lines may be misinterpreted, especially if they are hyphenated unnecessarily.
Solution: Look out for hyphenation errors after conversion and remove them using the 'find and replace' function.
Line breaks, margins, and columns may not match the original PDF, which can cause text to shift or misalign.
Solution: Check margins, line spacing, and columns in the converted file. Use the "show invisibles" option to detect misplaced line breaks.
OCR software might fail to recognize bold, underline, or italic formatting, or it could change the font.
Solution: Choose a reliable conversion tool and check the formatting after conversion. You can also convert to an intermediate format like RTF first to keep the styles intact.
OCR may confuse characters like the number “0” and the letter “O.”
Solution: Use the find and replace feature in Word to correct these mistakes.
Sometimes, parts of the text, images, or tables may be missing, or annotations and links could be lost.
Solution: Choose a converter that handles large files well and supports batch processing. You can manually add missing items like page numbers or annotations in Word.
Links in the document might not transfer during conversion, especially if they use anchor text instead of full URLs.
Solution: Proofread the document and manually add any missing links using Word’s hyperlink feature.
The quality of the original PDF affects how well it converts. If the PDF contains scanned images or poor-quality text, fonts, and images, it can make the conversion process harder. Therefore, make sure the quality of the original PDF file is good.
If possible, try to convert PDFs that were originally made in Word. These usually convert the best, keeping the layout, colors, fonts, and image quality from the original document.
If the PDF has links, make sure they still work after conversion to Word. Some tools keep the links automatically, but others may need you to fix them.
Also, if the PDF has internal links or bookmarks, check that they are transferred correctly and work as they should in Word.
Before you edit the converted document, it is a good idea to save a backup. Make a copy of the document on your computer so you have a reference, then make changes to the original Word file.
If the PDF has scanned pages, using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) can help. OCR changes the text from images into editable text, making the conversion more accurate.
Frequently Asked Questions
.Open the PDF in a PDF viewer like Edge (on Windows), Preview (on Mac), or Adobe Acrobat Reader. Try highlighting some text. If you can select the text, the PDF was made in an app. If you can’t highlight any text, the PDF was scanned, and OCR was used to convert it.
No, you cannot extract text from scanned PDFs with a PDF-to-Word converter. The converter only works with text that is already in the PDF, not with text in scanned images.
The conversion uses text boxes to preserve the original format of the PDF. If you want the text to flow normally, you can choose the "flowing mode" option in the conversion settings. This may change the layout a bit compared to the original PDF.