How to Convert Word to PDF on Mac without Losing Formatting (6 Ways)

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Jose Henline
June 14, 2023 Preview 30.4K Preview 4
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Microsoft Word is the most widely used commercial word processor, but there are great chances you may have to make it in PDF format for printing or distribution, as PDF provides many benefits that you won’t find in a Word document. There are many ways to convert Word to PDF on a Mac, but in this post, we will mainly focus on the solutions to convert Word to PDF without  formatting messing up.

 

(Batch) Convert Word to PDF on Mac without Losing Formatting

Formatting and image resolution are always the most common issues confronted in the process of Word-PDF conversion. Dedicated to shoot all these quality concerns, professional 3rd party software become a preferred solution for Mac users to create PDF with high quality.

Like Cisdem PDF Converter OCR, is one of the best PDF Creator designed to create PDFs out from Word, from PowerPoint, Excel, XPS, RTF, CAD, CHM, Text, HTML and Image files, with original high quality preserved. With this tool, you can create PDF from single or even multiple files in same or in different formats.

Why Cisdem PDF Converter OCR?

  • Rich formats: In the "Converter" interface, you can upload PDF and image files, then export as 20+ common formats. In the “Creator” interface, you can import files in more than 40 formats and save as PDF. Whether you need to convert the mainstream formats or uncommon formats, this app will complete the tasks in a fast and stable way.
  • High-quality conversion: With its powerful and  advanced conversion engine, all kinds of supported files will be converted without losing formatting, there will be no misplaced text, layout changes, garbled codes, etc. You can get a perfect document.
  • Advanced Settings: It has OCR feature to turn scans and images into searchable PDF or editable formats, with a support of 20+ languages. When exporting as PDF, you can merge and rename files; when converting PDF files, you can customize output file with Save as options. 
  • Clean and intuitive interface: Coming with a simple and easy-to-use interface, Cisdem provides intimate service for beginners and boost users’ work efficiency.  You can drag and drop dozens, even hundreds of files to the program, then convert them all with only one click.

Steps to (Batch) Convert Word to PDF on Mac without Losing Formatting

  1. Download and Install Cisdem PDF Converter OCR on Your Mac
    Free Download macOS 10.13 or later
  2. Import Single or Multiple Word Documents

    Launch the program and go to the "Creator" interface, import Word files to the program by drag&drop, or directly clicking "+". You can upload multiple Word files into the program, even those large-size ones.word to pdf mac cisdem 01

  3. Customize the Word to PDF Conversion
    Click on the Word icon to preview the file and make sure you are uploading wanted files. You can also change the output name for each file. To merge all Word documents into one PDF, turn on Merge button.word to pdf mac cisdem 02

  4. Click "Create" to Change Word to PDF on Mac without Format Loss
    Once all the files are ready in the program, click "Create" to change Word to PDF on Mac. Check the PDF file in Finder.

Also, you can refer to this video:

Convert Word to PDF on Mac with Formatting in Adobe Acrobat

Adobe occupies an unshakeable position in PDF editing and converting. If you have installed and subscribed Adobe Acrobat, you can absolutely use this program to create PDF from Word easily. 

Steps to convert Word to PDF on Mac in Adobe Acrobat

  1. Run Adobe Acrobat on your Mac.
  2. Go to Tools > Create PDF, then import your Word document and click "Create".

adobe create pdf from word

  1. Now the Word document is opened in Adobe, click on the Save button to save Word as PDF.

How to Save Word as PDF in Mac MS Office Word?

If you have worked with Microsoft Word for a quite while, Word to PDF conversion would be quite easy using this app, just save the Word file as PDF on your Mac. But keep this in your mind, Microsoft Office and Adobe use different ways to decode files, which means the PDF file will look different in Word app.

Steps to Save Word as PDF in Mac MS Office Word

  1. Open a Word document in Microsoft Word.word to pdf mac01
  2. Go to File > Save As.word to pdf mac02
  3. Choose PDF in the File Format and click Export.word to pdf mac 03Also, you can go to File > Print, choose Save as PDF.word to pdf mac04

How to Convert Word to PDF on Mac Free?

In fact, it’s so easy to convert a Word document to PDF, even for a Mac newbie, because Mac has built in 2 tools to open and export the file as PDF. You’ve spent a lot of money on your Mac, you can now learn following methods to maximize the value of your Mac. Also, there are online free solution to convert Word to PDF safely on your Mac. We’re here to show you 3 free ways.

Apple Preview (Big Sur and Earlier) 

As a Mac user, you should be quite familiar with Preview, the image viewer and PDF viewer coming within the macOS. In addition to these, Preview can also open iWork and Office files in Big Sur and earlier macOS versions. It is pitiful that Preview cannot open Word document since the release of Monterey. If you uses Big Sur or earlier, take following steps to convert Word to PDF free on your Mac.

Steps to Convert Word to PDF on Mac Free with Preview

  1. Right click on the Word, Open the file with Preview.
  2. Go to File > Export as PDF..., name the file and save it in selected output folder.Export Word as PDF to convert word to pdf

Apple Pages

Apple Pages is an easy and unique word processor that preinstalled in macOS, but it has a high compatibility with Microsoft Office Word document, allowing users to open both Doc and Docx files on Mac for free. It has the feature to export Pages documents (Word documents) as PDF. However, your Word document will look different in Pages, there will be missing fonts, removed links, layout changes and so on, therefore the PDF output will lose original quality.

Steps to Convert Word to PDF on Mac Free with Pages

  1. Open Word document with Pages app, you can choose to replace fonts if you want to keep formatting as much as possible.word to pdf pages01
  2. Go to File > Export To > PDF.word to pdf pages 02
  3. Adjust PDF settings, click Save.word to pdf pages03
  4. Rename the file or choose output folder, click Export.word to pdf pages04

Google Docs

Google Docs, in essence, is same as Microsoft Word or Apple Pages, is a simple word processor, but works in browser online to edit and share documents. If you get used to editing Doc or Docx files in Google Docs, you can convert them to PDF as well. However, there are formatting issues too.

Steps to Convert Word to PDF on Mac Free with Google Docs

  1. Upload the Word document to Google Drive. You need to sign in your Google account first.
  2. Open the Word document with Google Docs by right clicking it.word to pdf google 01
  3. Go to File > Download as > PDF. Also you can edit the file before exporting.word to pdf google 02

Final Words

Of course, there are more choices, you can search additional Word to PDF tools or solutions online in Google. But if you want a good user experience and high quality, I do believe Cisdem PDF Converter OCR will be your best option, it is paid but affordable, capable of boosting your efficiency on paperwork.

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Jose Henline
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Jose specializes in reviews, how-to guides, top lists, etc. on PDF, data recovery and multi-media. On his spare time, he likes to travel or challenge some extreme sports.

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Comments (4) Leave a Reply

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  • Lydia Stout

    I tried cisdem free trial, the conversion is really good, there is no format or layout mess-up, that's pretty cool.

    0 months ago commonReply

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  • Sherry Gan

    Well, I just realized that Preview can read Word files, now the Word to PDF conversion can be quite easier.

    4 years ago commonReply

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  • Sharon

    While Word does allow "save as" PDF, it changes all the formatting and page layout from a 6x9 book size to a 8x11 size, and to add insult to injury it also changes the font, spacing, and pagination. Any ideas for software that actually keeps the .docx file as is viewed on Word with the original page setup, margins, spacing, font, and other layouts?

    7 years ago commonReply

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  • Mint

    My customers sent me files with all kinds of formats, I need to keep records in PDF, it's good to have so great tool for my job.

    7 years ago commonReply

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