How to Convert a Word Document into a PDF File

The Portable Document Format (PDF) is used by Adobe to create and display documents on many platforms. Files in this format are usually created by Adobe's Acrobat software and include the extension .pdf. Because PDF files are more portable than Word documents, it is often desirable to convert Word files into PDF files. The following steps show several methods of accomplishing this.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Purchase and install Adobe Acrobat from Adobe.com. It comes with a Word macro that easily creates a pdf file from your Word document. Acrobat also installs a printer driver that allows you to print any document in PDF.

2. Install Open Office from OpenOffice.org if you don't already have Word. This is a free open source application suite that can read Word files and has a PDF converter already built in.

3. Download and install Adobe Reader from Adobe.com. This application is capable only of viewing PDF files, but it is free. Download and install a free PDF converter. For example, pdf995 can be found at Pdf.com, but there are many others available.

4. Realize that pdf995 comes with an entire suite of applications but all that is needed is the pdf995 printer driver. After you download and install this driver, reboot your computer. Look at the installed printers and you should see one labeled "PDF995."

5. Open the Word file in any application you choose and print the file to PDF995. Rather than printing the file, the printer driver will convert the document in the destination of your choice.

Resources

• Learn more about using Acrobat at the Adobe website.