Quick answer
If the file opens in Word, Excel or PowerPoint, go to File, then Export, then Create PDF/XPS on Windows, or File, then Save As, with PDF as the format on a Mac. This keeps links and headings. If you only have a viewer, press Ctrl + P (Command + P on a Mac) and save as PDF instead of printing. On iPhone and Android, open the file, choose Print and save the preview as a PDF. Nothing is uploaded with any of these methods.
Which method should you use?
| Method | Where it works | Links stay clickable? | File uploaded? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Export or Save As PDF in Office | Windows and Mac with Word, Excel or PowerPoint | Yes | No |
| Print to PDF (Ctrl + P) | Windows 10 and 11, Mac, Chromebook, from any app that can print | No | No |
| Print, then save the preview | iPhone and Android | No | No |
| Pages, Numbers or Keynote | Mac, iPhone and iPad, free from Apple | Yes | No |
| Office on the web or Google Docs | Any browser | Yes | Yes, to your Microsoft or Google account |
The rule of thumb: export from the app that made the file whenever you can. Print to PDF is the fallback when that app is not installed.
How do you convert on Windows?
With Word, Excel or PowerPoint installed
- Open the file and go to File, then Export, then Create PDF/XPS Document, then press Create PDF/XPS.
- Pick a folder and a file name.
- At Optimize for, choose Standard for printing or Minimum size for email and upload forms.
- Press Options for the settings that matter for each file type (see the sections below), then OK and Publish.
File, then Save As, with PDF as the file type does the same job.
Without Office: Microsoft Print to PDF
- Open the file in any app that shows it and press Ctrl + P.
- Choose Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer. It is built into Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- Press Print, then choose a file name and folder. Nothing goes to a real printer.
If no app on the PC can open the file at all, the free Office on the web or Google Docs can, but both store the file in your online account. A free desktop office suite such as LibreOffice is the other choice if you want the file to stay on your PC.
How do you convert on a Mac?
- Word, Excel or PowerPoint for Mac: File, then Save As, and set File Format to PDF. Links are kept.
- No Office: open the file in Pages, Numbers or Keynote. They are free from Apple and open .docx, .xlsx and .pptx files. Then use File, then Export To, then PDF. Check the layout first, because fonts and complex tables can move a little when another app opens an Office file.
- From any app: press Command + P, open the PDF menu at the bottom of the Print window and choose Save as PDF.
How do you convert on iPhone or Android?
iPhone and iPad
- Open the file from the Files app or from an email attachment. The preview opens it without another app.
- Tap Share, then Print.
- On iOS 26, tap Share at the top of the Print screen. On older versions, spread two fingers on the page preview to open it full screen, then tap Share.
- Choose Save to Files, pick a folder and tap Save.
Android
- Open the file in an app that can show it, such as the Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint app, or Google Docs, Sheets or Slides. Many phones have one of these already.
- Open the three-dot menu and choose Print (in Google apps it is under Share and export).
- At the top, change the printer to Save as PDF, tap the PDF button and choose where to save it.
A PDF made on a phone often comes out larger than one made on a computer. If an upload form or email refuses it, run it through Compress PDF. It works in your phone's browser and does not upload the file.
Excel to PDF: how do you get every sheet and every column?
Excel causes the most surprises, because it saves only what it would print.
- Only the first sheet came out. In Export, open Options and choose Entire workbook under Publish what. When printing, change the first setting from Print Active Sheets to Print Entire Workbook. On a Mac, use Show Details in the Print window and choose Entire Workbook.
- Columns spill onto extra pages. In the Print screen, change No Scaling to Fit All Columns on One Page, and switch to Landscape for wide tables. Fit Sheet on One Page also works for short sheets, but long ones become too small to read.
- Blank pages or half a table. A print area was set earlier. Clear it on the Page Layout tab with Print Area, then Clear Print Area.
If every sheet ended up as its own PDF, combine them in the right order with PDF Merge, then add page numbers so the reader can find a sheet quickly.
PowerPoint to PDF: slides, notes or handouts?
In Export, press Options and look at Publish what:
- Slides: one slide per page. Best for sharing the deck itself.
- Notes pages: each slide with your speaker notes under it. Best for a reviewer or for your own rehearsal copy.
- Handouts: several slides per page, with a choice of how many. Best for printing for an audience.
Hidden slides are left out unless you tick the box for them. Animations, transitions and videos do not carry over, because a PDF is a set of still pages. Each slide shows its final state.
Need only part of the deck, for example the five slides about pricing? Make the full PDF, then pull out those pages with PDF Split. The guide to extracting pages from a PDF shows how.
Word to PDF: how do you keep links and headings?
Use Export or Save As, not Print. In Options, tick Create bookmarks using Headings. The PDF then has a clickable outline in the side panel of any PDF reader, and links in the text keep working. Track changes and comments are saved as they appear on screen, so accept changes and hide comments first if the reader should see a clean copy.
What to do with the PDF next
Once the file is a PDF, the next job is usually one of these. Each tool runs in your browser and the file is not uploaded.
| You need to | Use |
|---|---|
| Make it small enough for email or an upload form | Compress PDF (settings in the guide to compressing a PDF for email) |
| Join a Word letter, an Excel sheet and slides into one file | PDF Merge |
| Send only some pages or slides | PDF Split |
| Number the pages after merging | PDF Page Numbers |
| Sign it without printing | PDF Sign |
| Mark it "Draft" or "Confidential" | PDF Watermark |
Found a mistake after converting?
The easy fix is to correct the Word, Excel or PowerPoint file and export again. When the original file is gone, or the PDF came from someone else, use Edit PDF to change the existing text and images in the PDF itself. It is our one Pro tool and the one tool here that uploads your file; the upload is scanned for malware, processed in isolated memory and not stored.
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All plans and payment details are on the pricing page. Payments are final, so the $2 pass is the easy way to check that Edit PDF fits your file before you choose a plan.
Common problems
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Links in the PDF do nothing | It was printed to PDF. Export or Save As from Office instead. |
| Only one Excel sheet is in the PDF | Choose Entire workbook in Options, or Print Entire Workbook. |
| A wide table is cut across pages | Fit All Columns on One Page, and Landscape. |
| Fonts or spacing look different | Convert in the app that made the file. Other apps can swap fonts they do not have. |
| The PDF is too big to send | Choose Minimum size when exporting, or use Compress PDF. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert Word to PDF without installing anything?
Yes. If Word is on your computer, use File, then Export, then Create PDF/XPS. Without Word, press Ctrl + P in any app that opens the file and choose Microsoft Print to PDF on Windows, or the PDF menu in the Print window on a Mac. iPhone and Android have the same option in their Print screen.
Why are the links in my PDF not clickable?
The PDF was made with Print. Printing to PDF keeps how the page looks, but it drops links and the heading bookmarks. Use Save As or Export from Word, Excel or PowerPoint instead, which keeps links and can add bookmarks for headings.
How do I put all Excel sheets in one PDF?
In Excel on Windows, go to File, Export, Create PDF/XPS, open Options and choose Entire workbook. When printing, change the first setting from Print Active Sheets to Print Entire Workbook. On a Mac, choose Entire Workbook in the Print window under Show Details.
Can I save a PowerPoint as PDF with speaker notes?
Yes. In PowerPoint on Windows, go to File, Export, Create PDF/XPS, open Options and set Publish what to Notes pages. Each slide is saved with its notes below it. Handouts put several slides on one page.
Does editpdf.tools convert Word, Excel or PowerPoint files?
Not today. The methods in this guide do it on your own device. Once you have the PDF, our free tools can compress, merge, split, number and sign it in your browser without uploading it.