How to convert a PDF to an editable Word document
Updated · PDF Converter
A PDF is built for reading, not for editing. To change a contract clause, reuse text from a report or update an old CV, the easiest route is to turn the PDF back into a Word document. This guide shows how to do it for free, what to expect from the result, and what to do with scanned PDFs.
Convert PDF to Word in three steps
- Open PDF to Word and add your PDF. You can add several files at once.
- Under Conversion mode, choose Editable (the default) or Exact look.
- Press PDF to Word and download the DOCX. It opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer.
Editable or Exact look – which mode to choose
| Mode | What you get | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Editable | Headings, paragraphs, lists, tables and images rebuilt as normal Word content | You want to change the text or reuse it |
| Exact look | Each page placed in the document as an image | The document must look identical and does not need editing |
In Editable mode, the tool reads the text in the PDF, works out headings from the font sizes, rebuilds paragraphs and detects tables. Bold and italic are kept, and fonts are mapped to standard fonts in the DOCX. Untick Include images if you only want the text.
Editable mode puts clean, reusable text first, not a pixel-perfect copy. Complex magazine layouts, text boxes and multi-column pages are simplified into a single flow of text, so check the layout after converting such documents.
Exact look is the opposite: the pages look exactly like the PDF, but you cannot edit the text, because every page is a picture.
Converting a scanned PDF to Word
A scanned PDF, or a PDF made from phone photos, contains pictures of pages rather than real text. To turn it into editable text the letters have to be recognised first – this is called OCR (optical character recognition).
- In Editable mode, leave Run OCR on pages without text (scans) ticked. It is on by default. Pages that have no text layer are recognised in your browser, and the summary tells you how many pages were recognised.
- The built-in OCR in PDF to Word recognises English. For a document in another language, run it through OCR PDF first, choose the document language there, and then convert the result to Word.
- OCR takes longer than a normal conversion, and accuracy is best with clean, straight scans. Handwriting is not reliably recognised.
Tip: if your Word file comes out empty or with very little text, the PDF is probably scanned and OCR was switched off. Tick the OCR option and convert again.
Other things to know
- Password-protected PDFs need to be unlocked first. Use Unlock PDF if you know the password.
- Only need the words? PDF to Text gives you plain text without any formatting.
- Going back to PDF after editing? Use Word to PDF.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The conversion, including OCR, runs in your browser, so the document stays on your device. That makes it suitable for contracts, CVs and other private files.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a PDF to Word for free?
Add your PDF to PDF to Word, choose Editable mode and press the convert button. The DOCX file is ready to download, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Will the Word document look exactly like my PDF?
Editable mode keeps the structure – headings, paragraphs, tables, bold and italic – but simplifies complex layouts so the text is easy to edit. For an identical look, choose Exact look, which places each page as an image.
Can I convert a scanned PDF to an editable Word document?
Yes. Keep OCR switched on and scanned pages are recognised as English text. For other languages, run OCR PDF with the right language first, then convert.