The Best Way to Convert DOCX To PDF And The Other Way Around

Part 1. Why Convert DOCX to PDF?

Although both DOCX and PDF formats have their own strengths and advantages, many users prefer PDFs in professional, legal, and academic settings for a number of reasons.

Consistency in Formatting

One of the main reasons forconverting DOCX to PDF is to keep formatting the same. DOCX files can look different depending on the version of Word, device, or operating system you're using. Converting to PDF locks in the layout, fonts, and formatting. This makes sure that the document appears the same no matter which device you use to open it.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

You can open a PDF on almost any device—Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android—without the need for specialized software. This makes sharing them much easier. DOCX files, however, require word processing software like Microsoft Word or a compatible program, which may not always be available.

Security Features

PDFs offer enhanced security features. You can password-protect it, restrict permissions (e.g., preventing printing, copying, or editing), and even apply digital signatures for authenticity. DOCX files, on the other hand, are easier to edit and do not typically come with the same level of security features.

Professionalism

PDF nowadays is a gold standard for official documents like resumes, contracts, and reports, as well as for professional presentations, and it outshines DOCX in every way.

Reduced File Size

PDFs are often smaller in size compared to DOCX files, even if they have images or complex layouts, which makes these files easier to share via email or Cloud storage without exceeding file size limits.

Long-Term Archiving

PDFs are ideal for long-term storage, particularly for records and legal documents. They adhere to ISO standards, meaning they are built to last without getting corrupted over time, unlike DOCX, which might become obsolete or incompatible with future Word software updates.

No Compatibility Issues with Non-Editable Content

If you're sharing a document where you don’t want others to edit the content (like a finalized contract or report), converting it to PDF is a good choice. DOCX files can easily be altered, while PDFs retain their "read-only" nature unless you use a PDF editor to modify them.

Part 2. How To Convert DOCX to PDF?

Microsoft Word and Afirstsoft PDF provide you with a quick solution to convert your DOCX file to PDF to share, encrypt, or print them easily. Let’s find out how:

1. Using Word Built-in Converter

DOCX is the default extension of Word documents, and the great thing about this Microsoft software is that you can convert the .docx to PDF in a couple of ways on your Windows ot Mac.

Do these steps:

1. Open the DOCX document using the Word app on your PC.
2. Click File > Save As > This PC and browse to the location you want to save it.
3. Select PDF next to the “Save as type” drop-down menu, and choose PDF.
4. Click Save, and the document will now be converted and saved as a PDF file.
5. Alternatively, click File > Export > Change File Type, click Save as, and choose the PDF option next to the “Save as type” dropdown menu to convert the DOCX file.

There’s another way as well!

Open the DOCX file on Word, click the File option, go to the Export option, select Create PDF/XPS Document, and click Publish to save it as PDF. You can also choose two types of conversion here:

• Standard (for online publishing and printing)
• Minimum size (for online publishing)

2. Afirstsoft PDF

In contrast to Word, Afirstsoft PDF not only lets you convert your DOCX file to PDF but also makes it editable before saving it. Here is a step-by-step process for a complete solution:

Step 1. Install Afirstsoft PDF

In the first steps, download the Afirstsoft PDF version for Windows or Mac, click the downloaded file to open the installer, and install it on your PC. Now, launch it and sign into your account by clicking Login at the top right toolbar.

Step 2. Create PDF from DOCX

In the next step, click the Tools option in the left menu and select Create PDF.

Browse to the location where you saved the DOCX file on your PC and click to open it in the Afirstsoft PDF editor to automatically convert it to PDF.

Step 3. Use Afirstsoft PDF Features

Now, click Edit on top. Here, change the font size or style and utilize the bold, italic, or underline text features. You can also align the document to the left, right, or center of the page.

Next, click Comment and use the Highlight, Underline, Strikethrough, and Tilde options to annotate the file. There are stickers, too, where you can put more focus on the marked-up sections with stickers from 12 different categories.

There might be image elements on the file, and you can also make the text in it editable by running the OCR in the Home menu.

If you want to secure your PDF, click Protect on top, select Encrypt, and set an open or edited password.

Step 4. Export the PDF

When you are done editing the converted PDF, click File (top left), and choose “Save as” to save the file on your PC.

If you want to save the file on Afirstsoft PDF Cloud, click File > Save to Cloud.

Now that you’ve converted and saved the PDF on your device, you can also convert it into other file formats like Excel, PowerPoint, or even an image. To do this, select the Convert option on the toolbar or click File > Export.

You can also change DOCX to PDF online using the Smallpdf and iLovePDF tools. All you need to do is go to any of these websites, upload your document, click Convert, and select the PDF format. Now, wait a bit to let the conversion process begin and download the file on your device.

Part 3. How to Convert PDF to DOCX 

Afirstsoft PDF is the best PDF to DOCX converter for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. You simply need to import your file, edit what you like, annotate the mistakes with suggestions and highlights, run OCR to make the text editable, too, and then convert it to DOCX instantly.

Here are the steps to convert a PDF to DOCX format using Afirstsoft PDF:

1. Install and open the Afirstsoft PDF app on your Windows or Mac computer.
2. Make an account on Afirstsoft PDF or sign in if you have already done so.
3. Click File > Open or click the + button on top of the toolbar, browse to the location of the PDF file, and click to open it on the Afirstsoft PDF dashboard.
4. Use the Edit option to make changes to the text elements.
5. Click Comment to annotate the document with highlights, underlines, cross-outs, sticky notes, and more.
6. Run OCR to edit the text in the image parts of the PDF file.
7. Encrypt your file with a password using the Protect feature.
8. Click Convert on the top toolbar, choose “To Word,” and choose the output format as Word.docx.
9. Next to the Output folder, select Custom Directory, click Convert, and browse to a location where you want to save the DOCX file, and it will be automatically converted and saved there.

Part 4. Conclusion

In this guide, you’ve learned how to convert DOCX to PDF and PDF to DOCX format with the help of Word’s built-in converter option and the Afirstsoft PDF software.

If you want more options, Afristsoft PDF helps you easily edit or annotate the document during conversions. Try it now, and you’ll love the simplicity of its features!