Convert PDF to Word for Free with Convertavo
Convertavo's free PDF to Word converter turns your PDF into a real Word file. Keep every page looking exactly the same, or get the words as paragraphs you can edit. Scanned PDFs work too: their pages are read with OCR as part of the conversion.
- ✓ Scanned PDFs read with OCR
- ✓ Tables stay Word tables
- ✓ Deleted after 1 hour
Your files stay private
Uploads are deleted from our servers one hour after processing. Nothing is read or reused, and nothing is kept unless you save it to your account.
No account required
20 free credits a day, with no email address and no watermarks on the output.
Runs on any device
Works in any modern browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
How to convert a PDF to MS Word online
Nothing to install, and you don't need an account.
- STEP 01
Upload your PDF
Choose the PDF from your phone or laptop. It can be up to 25 MB. Only have a link to it, maybe from an email or a website? Paste that in and we'll grab the file.
- STEP 02
Pick your layout mode
Same layout, editable keeps the look and lets you edit the words. Choose Keep exact layout for a copy that can't be changed, or Flowing text to rewrite freely.
- STEP 03
Pick the file type
Word (.docx) opens in any word processor. Choose ODT for LibreOffice, or RTF for older programs.
- STEP 04
Click Convert to Word
Most files are done in 8 to 20 seconds.
- STEP 05
Open your file
Double-click it and it opens in Microsoft Word. No Word on your computer? Google Docs, Apple Pages or LibreOffice will open it just the same.
Out of the box it's set to Same layout, editable: your pages come out looking like the PDF did, and you can still change every word. Need a picture-perfect copy that nobody can edit? Choose Keep exact layout.
What the PDF to Word tool does
Same look, still editable
Same layout, editable keeps the fonts, tables, pictures and stamps where they were, and every word can be changed.
Editable text
Flowing text rebuilds headings, lists, tables and pictures you can change.
Translate as you convert
Machine translation into 12 languages, including Urdu and Arabic.
Why is converting to Word harder than it looks?
Try copying a page out of a PDF and pasting it into Word. You'll probably get broken lines, odd gaps, and a table that falls apart. There's a reason for that.
A PDF doesn't really know what a paragraph is. It just puts each letter at a fixed spot on the page, a bit like stickers on paper. Word works the other way round. It needs paragraphs, headings and tables, so the text can move when you type.
So when you convert PDF to Word, the converter has to guess. Say one sentence wraps onto a second line. The PDF just sees two lines with no link between them, so the tool has to figure out they belong together. Simple pages like letters and reports usually come out fine.
Some pages are harder. Think of a magazine page with three columns, or a form covered in little boxes. On pages like that, you can't keep the exact look and get fully editable text at the same time. That's why we let you pick a layout mode.
Which layout mode should I choose?
| Layout mode | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Same layout, editable | The PDF's pages, fonts, tables, pictures and stamps, with every word editable | Specifications, contracts, invoices and forms you need to update |
| Keep exact layout | Each page placed in Word looking exactly like the PDF; the text can't be edited | Copies that must not change, and very complex designs |
| Flowing text | Headings, paragraphs, lists, tables and pictures that wrap as you type | Reports and articles you want to edit or rewrite |
| Text only | Just the words, with all formatting removed | When you only need the text |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Most files are best left on Same layout, editable. If you're going to rewrite a lot, Flowing text reflows more freely. If the file only has to look right and must not be changed, choose Keep exact layout.
How to keep your formatting the same
Keep exact layout carries everything over: fonts, bold and italic text, colours, pictures, tables and page size. Word gets a crisp image of every page, so nothing shifts, not even by a line. A few things help it come out even better:
- Choose Same layout, editable, or Keep exact layout if nobody needs to edit the file.
- Use a PDF made by a program, like one saved from Word, instead of a scanned one.
- Set the page range, so you only convert the pages you need.
There's one downside. Since every page is an image, you can't click in and change a word. For edits, run the PDF again with Flowing text. It keeps headings, bold, fonts, lists, tables and pictures, though a busy layout may need a little tidying in Word.
How to convert a scanned PDF to Word with OCR
Scan a paper letter and you get a PDF, but inside it there's only a photo of the page. Word can't do much with a photo, because there are no letters in it to edit. The photo has to become text first, and OCR does that part, right here while it converts.
- Upload your scan here.
- Pick Flowing text as the layout mode.
- Choose the language under Language if it isn't English. Urdu, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese and 35 more are on the list.
- Convert. Scanned pages are read with OCR, and pages that already have text are copied exactly.
- We get the cleanest text from scans made at 300 DPI. Blurry or crooked pages give more mistakes.
- We'd still check names, dates and amounts by eye. OCR sometimes gets a 5 and an S mixed up.
Only need to search or copy the text? PDF OCR gives you a PDF that lets you do both, and it still looks like your scan.
DOCX, ODT or RTF: which format do you get?
You choose under Output. A Word file (.docx) is the right choice for almost everyone, and it opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages and LibreOffice.
| Format | Opens in | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| DOCX | Microsoft Word, Google Docs and Apple Pages | Word (.docx), the first choice under Output |
| ODT | LibreOffice and OpenOffice | Choose OpenDocument (.odt) under Output |
| RTF | Almost anything, including WordPad and older programs | Choose Rich text (.rtf) under Output |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
How to convert PDF to RTF
Choose Rich text (.rtf) under Output before you convert, and the file you download is an RTF. We've noticed RTF drops some formatting, like fancy fonts or page layouts, because it's a much older format than DOCX.
Check your Word file before you download it
When the conversion finishes, the Word file opens right on the page, so you can scroll through it before you download. Put it side by side with the first page of the PDF to compare. With Flowing text you also see the outline of headings it found, which becomes the Navigation pane in Word, and a count of the tables, pictures and links it kept.
Not quite what you wanted? Convert the same PDF again with another layout mode or file type, at no extra cost. You can also open it straight in Google Docs.
Translate your PDF into Urdu, Arabic and more
You can also translate the text while you convert. Pick a language under Translate to, and the Word file comes out in it. The list has 12 languages, and English, Urdu, Arabic, Spanish and French are all on it.
Translation works with Flowing text and Text only. Keep exact layout copies each page as it looks, so its words stay as they are.
The translation is done by a machine, so it's great for understanding a document quickly. For anything official, have a person check it.
Is Convertavo's converter free and safe?
Is it free?
Yes, you get 20 free credits a day, and each file uses 5, so that's 4 free conversions every day. There's no email to give and no watermark on your Word file.
Free files can be up to 25 MB, or 100 MB with a free account, and Standard plans and above also get priority processing.
Is my file safe?
Your PDF travels over HTTPS, a secure connection, and is deleted from our servers one hour after processing. Nothing is stored, read or reused.
Does it work on a Mac or a phone?
Yes, it runs in any modern browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, with nothing to install.
Upload your PDF above, pick a layout mode, and download your Word file in under a minute.
Convert a PDFPDF to Word — frequently asked questions
These come up a lot, so we answered them here.
How do I convert a PDF to an editable Word document?
Choose Flowing text as the layout mode, then convert. The .docx you download works like a file you typed yourself, so you can fix a word or rewrite a whole paragraph in Word, Google Docs or Pages.
Can I convert a scanned PDF to Word?
Yes. Pick Flowing text and convert, and the scanned pages are read with OCR along the way. Set the language first if it isn't English, and check names and numbers after.
Will the formatting stay the same?
With Keep exact layout, yes. Every page comes out looking like your PDF, fonts, colours, pictures and all, though you can't change the words in that mode. Flowing text lets you edit and keeps headings, bold, fonts, lists, tables and pictures, but a busy layout can shift a little.
Is PDF to Word free?
Yes, you get 20 free credits a day and each file uses 5. That means 4 free PDFs every day, with no signup and no watermark.
Can I convert only some pages?
Yes. Just write the page numbers in the Page range box, for example 1-5 or 8. We convert the whole PDF if you leave that box blank.
Does it work with password-protected PDFs?
Yes, if you know the password. Type it in the Document password box before you convert. We only use it to open the file, and it's never saved.
More PDF tools that help
Upload your PDF to Convertavo above, pick a layout mode, and download your Word file in under a minute.