How do I Save Microsoft Office Documents in PDF Format?

If you need a PDF document, create it in Word.

Introduced in 1993, Adobe PDF documents now reside on the computers of millions of users around the world. Browser plugins and standalone readers, such as Acrobat reader, enable anyone with a computer to view PDF files for free. By tapping into this established user base, you expose your information to a vast viewing audience equipped with the tools needed to view your documents as you originally designed them. Office 2010 saves documents in PDF format without requiring you to install third-party PDF conversion software.

Instructions

1. Open Microsoft Word. Word will open and display a blank document. Type any text into the document to create a text sample.

2. Click insert and then click "Picture." A dialogue window open and ask you to locate an image on your hard drive. Navigate to an image file and double-click it. Word will display the image in the document.

3. Click "File" and select "Save As" to open the "Save As" window. Navigate to your Desktop folder and double-click it to select it. Enter a name for the file in the "File Name" text box.

4. Click the drop down arrow next to "Save As" type and select "PDF." An "Options" button will appear. Click "Options" to open the "Options" window.

5. Select "All" to convert all pages, "Current Page" to convert the current page or "Pages" to select a range of pages to convert. Click "OK" after making your selection. The "Options" window will close.

6. Locate the "Optimize For" section at the bottom of the "Save As" windows. This section has two options. Click the "Standard" option if your PDF requires high print quality. Otherwise, click the "Minimum Size" option to create a lower quality PDF with a smaller file size.

7. Click "Publish" to convert the document to a PDF. Word will save it on your desktop.

8. Locate the file on your desktop and double-click it. The program that handles your PDF files will open and display the document. Verify that the document includes your text and the image that you included. The PDF should look exactly like the Word document.

Tips & Warnings

• This procedure works with all Office products including Excel and PowerPoint. If you do not have a PDF viewer, you cannot view PDF files. See Resources for a link to Adobe's free Acrobat Reader.

References

• Information Week: Adobe's PDF Format Now An International Standard
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention: West Nile Virus--File Formats Used on This Site
• Microsoft Office: Save a File in PDF Format--Word--Microsoft Office

Resources

• Adobe: Adobe--Reader 9