In 2018, over 2.5 quintillion bytes of data were created every day, and this number is bound to be much higher nowadays. It’s so common to create a file and shoot it off in an email without a second thought.
That is until you need a different format for your files. More specifically, we create word documents in programs, which have the file extension of .doc or something similar. But sometimes, people want PDFs instead.
In that case, are you wondering how to create a PDF file? Then keep reading for several ways to do so to convert your files easily.
Windows PC
Many people don’t know this, but there’s a hidden way to create PDFs that’s on every Windows PC!
To convert Word to PDF, click the “Print” button or hit Ctrl+P and this will bring up the default print tab. You’ll see the category “Destination”, where you can choose “Microsoft Print to PDF” as the first choice.
Click on the dropdown button and you’ll see “Save as PDF”. This will allow you to convert your Word document into a PDF! Just hit “Save” on the bottom, choose the file location, and you’re done.
Do note that this will only work for PCs on Windows 10. If you have an older version of Windows, you’ll have to try one of the later methods in this list.
Mac
If you have a Mac, you can create a PDF file in a similar fashion to how it’s done on a Windows PC.
You can press the “Print” button or hit command+P to bring up the default print tab. On the lower-lefthand side of the tab, click on “PDF”. You can then save the file as a PDF. In addition, you can preview and edit the file, or add the PDF to your Mac apps, like Evernote.
Phones
Did you know that it’s possible to create PDFs on your phone? It makes it much easier to convert and share files while on the go!
On an Android phone, open the file then tap on the “Share” button. Select “Print” and then “Save as PDF”.
On an iPhone, open the file and tap on the “Share button”. Tap on “Options” at the top and you’ll see the “Send As” dropdown menu. Select “Reader PDF” and you’ll have created a PDF file!
Google Chrome
If you already use this browser, then it’ll be easy to convert files within your browser.
First, type “data:text/Html, <html contenteditable>” into the search bar. Put whatever text you want, and you can even format it by using the normal commands, such as ctrl+B for bold.
Save the file, then open the print tab. Select “save as PDF” and you’ve got a PDF on your hands!
The one drawback to this method is it’s text only. You won’t be able to convert images.
Google Docs
Many people opt out of paying for a Microsoft Office subscription and use the Google suite of editor programs instead since it’s free. So if you use it, you might already save and export your files as Word documents to send out. If you don’t, then it’s ok, as it’s easy to learn how to export several types of files.
Go up to “File” and select “Download”. Here, you’ll be given several file extension choices to download your Google Doc. You can pick “Microsoft Word “(.docx) to save as a normal file, or you can pick “PDF Document” (.pdf).
Other file extension choices include Rich Text Format (.rtf), OpenDocument Format (.odf), Plain Text (.txt), Web Page (.html), and EPUB Publication (.epub). This makes it handy to convert your documents into an assortment of other formats.
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is a free program that comes preinstalled on many computers. You can use it to convert anything on your clipboard into a PDF.
To do so, first select and copy what you wish to convert. Open Adobe Acrobat, then click on “Create PDF” and “Clipboard”. Presto, you’ll get a PDF file!
If you’re happy with the file, save it and closeout.
Free Browser Converter
If you just need to convert files once in a while, then you don’t need to download any programs. Instead, you can Google “PDF creators” or “PDF converters” and you’ll find many for free.
The concept is simple here: the sites will ask you to upload the desired file. Often, they’ll offer other conversion choices, such as URL to PDF, PDF to Word, PDF to Excel, etc. Wait a few seconds, and your file will be ready.
The drawback to using a free browser converter is the quality isn’t always great. And because it’s slow, it’s not ideal if you’re converting multiple files.
DIY Converter
If you’re computer-savvy and are always up for learning more, then you can make your own DIY creator. For example, you can build an HTML to PDF C# converter that you can use across websites and applications.
It might take a bit of knowledge and time to do this, but the end result is something you can be proud of. And you can always tweak it to your preferences.
Know How to Create a PDF File
By knowing how to create a PDF file, you can easily convert a .doc file to a .pdf. It’ll make sending files much simpler and you’ll save some time.
With all the methods to convert PDF files, you won’t be short of choices. Whether you’re on a PC, Mac, or phone, you’ll be a whiz at converting files from one format to another! So show off these new skills to your family, friends, or coworkers to make a good impression.
