How Do I Transfer My Word Document Files to Adobe Reader?

Adobe Reader PDF files are an ideal way to share text, images and more. Unfortunately, most of us do not own Adobe Reader Pro and cannot easily transfer or create PDF files with it. You may find yourself with a saved Word .doc file and need or want to make it an easily shared and viewed Adobe Reader file. There are several other options that allow you to make a PDF file from your Word document, including Google Docs and Open Office to allow easy, free PDF creation.

Instructions

1. Make sure that your document is accurate, proofread and correctly formatted. While converting a Word document to an Adobe Reader file is easy, the file cannot be edited after conversion without Adobe Reader Pro software. Be sure that your file is saved with a DOC extension before converting to a PDF.

2. Decide whether you would prefer to use Google Docs or Open Office to convert your Word file to Adobe Reader. Open Office may be a better choice if you need other features of the software or will need to convert Word files regularly. If you have a full office software suite or will not regularly need to convert files, you might want to use Google Docs online.

3. Download the Open Office software package. Open Office is free to download and is an open source software project. Install the word processing component. If you prefer, set up a Google account and open Google Docs. Upload your Word document file to your Google account using the upload button. You are now all set up to transfer your Word files to Adobe Reader.

4. Open the Word document in order to convert to PDF in either Open Office or Google Docs. If using Open Office, go to the file menu and select Export as PDF or use the Export as PDF button on the toolbar. In Google Docs, go to the file menu and choose "Save as PDF" in order to convert files to Adobe Reader files.

5. Know that your Adobe Reader files are now stable and read only. These are ideal for sharing with colleagues, making available for download and other uses. Being able to easily transfer Word files to Adobe Reader makes exchanging information easier than ever. Expensive software and questionable drivers are easily avoided with either Google Docs or the Open Office suite at hand to allow you to convert files to PDF format.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure your file is ready to use before converting it from a Word document to a PDF.

• If using Google Docs, be conscientious of your file sharing status for work still in progress.

Resources

• Open Office
• Google Docs