About this tool
A PDF is a finished page: every word is pinned to a spot, which is why editing one is so awkward. This tool reads the text inside your PDF and rebuilds it as a real Word document you can edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Pages or LibreOffice.
It works out the structure from the page itself. Bigger text becomes Heading 1, 2 or 3, so the navigation pane and table of contents work straight away. Lines are joined back into paragraphs and words split by a hyphen at the end of a line are mended. Bold and italic stay bold and italic, bullet and numbered lists become real Word lists, and text laid out in columns of figures becomes a Word table. Two-column pages are read one column at a time.
Pages with almost no text — scans, photos, charts or a designed cover — are put in as a picture of the page, so nothing goes missing. You can also choose to add a picture of every page, keeping its exact look above the editable text. Before you download, a preview shows what was found. The whole conversion happens in your browser: the PDF is never uploaded, which matters for contracts, CVs and anything confidential.
How to use PDF to Word
- Tap “Choose a PDF” or drop one onto the box.
- Choose how pages without text are handled: “Pictures for scanned pages”, “Text only” or “Every page + text”.
- Optional: type a page range, and under More options pick the font, paper size and whether each PDF page starts a new page.
- Press “Convert to Word” and watch the progress. Press Cancel to stop.
- Check the preview, then press “Download .docx”.
A 6-page tenancy agreement exported from a letting agent’s system: Convert to Word finds the clause headings, joins the wrapped lines into paragraphs and turns the rent schedule into a three-column table, ready to mark up with tracked changes.
Features
- Real .docx output that opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice.
- Headings from text size, mapped to Word’s Heading 1–3 styles.
- Paragraphs rebuilt from wrapped lines, with hyphenated words joined back up.
- Bold and italic kept, read from the PDF’s own fonts.
- Bullet and numbered lists as proper Word lists.
- Columns of figures turned into Word tables, with a bold header row when the PDF has one.
- Two- and three-column pages read in the right order.
- Scanned pages added as pictures, or a picture of every page above its text.
- Page range, five fonts, A4 or US Letter, and an optional page break between PDF pages.
- Live preview of what was found before you download. No upload, sign-up or watermark.
Tips and good to know
- Text-heavy documents convert best: letters, reports, contracts, essays and manuals.
- Brochures, forms and magazine layouts come out as plain flowing text in one font. Choose “Every page + text” to keep a picture of each page’s original look alongside.
- If the preview shows only pictures, the PDF is scanned. Run it through PDF OCR first, then convert the new file for editable text.
- Pictures and logos inside the text are not lifted out one by one; use PDF to JPG if you need them as images.
- Tables with merged cells or no gap between columns may come out as plain lines; PDF to Excel lets you adjust the columns by hand.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The PDF is read and the Word file is built inside your browser on your own device. Nothing is sent anywhere, so confidential documents stay private.
Is it free? Is there a page limit?
Yes, it is free with no sign-up and no watermark, and there is no page limit. Very long documents with page pictures take longer and make bigger files, limited only by your device’s memory.
Does it work on a phone or offline?
Yes. It works in Safari and Chrome on iPhone and Android, and once this page has loaded the conversion needs no internet connection.
Will the Word file look exactly like the PDF?
Not exactly. The words, headings, lists and simple tables are rebuilt so you can edit them, but the fonts are replaced by one font and complex layouts flow as normal text. If the look matters, choose “Every page + text” to include a picture of each page.
Why are some pages only pictures?
Those pages have almost no real text — they are scans, photos or graphics — so there is nothing to edit. Use PDF OCR to read scanned pages first, then convert the OCR’d file.
Can it convert a password-protected PDF?
Not while it is locked. Remove the password with Unlock PDF first, then convert the unlocked copy.
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