Step-by-step instructions
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Method 1: Word's built-in Save as PDF (Word 2010 and later)
Open your document in Microsoft Word. File → Save As → Browse → change the 'Save as type' dropdown to 'PDF'. Choose your location and click Save. In newer Word versions: File → Export → Create PDF/XPS. This is the recommended method — Word's PDF engine handles all Word-specific features correctly.
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Method 2: Print to PDF (Windows 10/11 built-in, no Word needed)
Open the DOCX file in any application that can open it (Word, LibreOffice, WordPad, or Google Docs opened in Chrome). Press Ctrl+P to print. In the printer dropdown, select 'Microsoft Print to PDF'. Click Print. Choose save location and filename in the dialog that appears. This works for any application on Windows 10/11.
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Method 3: LibreOffice Writer (free, no Microsoft subscription)
Download and install LibreOffice (free at libreoffice.org). Open your DOCX in LibreOffice Writer. File → Export as PDF. Configure PDF settings (usually defaults are fine) → Export. LibreOffice produces good-quality PDFs and is a fully free alternative to Word for this purpose.
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Method 4: Word Online (Microsoft account, no subscription required)
If you have a Microsoft account (free): go to office.com, sign in, upload your DOCX to OneDrive, open in Word Online → File → Save As → Download as PDF. This works from any browser on any device and uses Microsoft's cloud conversion.
Why convert DOCX to PDF?
Windows added the 'Microsoft Print to PDF' virtual printer in Windows 10 (2015), finally giving Windows a built-in PDF creation capability that macOS had enjoyed since 2001. Before Windows 10, users needed third-party software (Adobe Acrobat, PDF24, CutePDF) to create PDFs. Word itself has had PDF export since Office 2007 (as a free add-in) and Office 2010 (built in). The Microsoft Print to PDF driver works by intercepting the Windows GDI/DirectX print output and converting it to PDF — the same data that would go to a physical printer. This means it works for any application, but may not perfectly replicate Word-specific features like tracked changes or embedded fonts that aren't installed on the system.
Your files never leave your device
FormatDrop runs the conversion engine entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly. No file upload. No server. Nothing stored. You can verify this by opening DevTools → Network tab and watching: zero upload requests.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert Word to PDF on Windows without Microsoft Office?
Does the PDF look the same as the Word document?
How do I convert a batch of Word documents to PDF on Windows?
No account. No upload. Works in any browser.