How to Convert Word to PDF

At one time or another, you’ve most likely opened a PDF file. A PDF document is a file format developed by Adobe that is independent of software, hardware, or operating systems. This means that if you open a PDF file on your Windows 7 computer at home, it should look the same if you open it on your iPad or your Android phone.

So, why use PDF files and how exactly do you create them? As mentioned above, one of the biggest reasons to use PDF files for documents is that they are cross-platform viewable. A PDF should look the same no matter which system you view it on. Another benefit to PDF is that you can protect the document from edits depending on the software used and the security you specify.

How do you create a PDF? There are applications that allow you to save your document in a PDF format. Additionally, there is software that you can purchase which will allow you to print a document to a PDF. That is one of the easiest ways to generate PDF files.

An example of a free program (even for commercial usage) for PDF generation (printing) is CutePDF. You can find this program at http://www.cutepdf.com/. After installing the software, when you choose to print a document, you’ll be given an option to print to PDF.

Here is an example document that I’ve created in Microsoft Word:

Now, when I go to Print, I will have an option to choose the CutePDF Writer:

Immediately after this, I will be provided with an option as to where I want to save the PDF file:

After saving it to my desktop, I’ll open it up in Adobe Reader:

As you can tell, the document looks the same as it did in Microsoft Word.

For a more robust PDF solution, check out CutePDF’s Professional versions or look at purchasing Adobe Acrobat.