How to Convert PDF to Word for Free (and Edit It)

By Shani Dev Gupta · Updated 23 September 2026 · 5 min read

Need to change a few lines in a PDF, or reuse its text in a new document? Converting it to Word gives you a file you can edit freely.

Steps

1. Open PDF to Word and select your PDF.
2. Keep Join lines into paragraphs ticked for letters, reports and notes. Untick it if you want every line kept separately, such as for poems or forms.
3. Tap Convert to Word and open the downloaded .docx in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or WPS Office.

What converts well

• Text from PDFs made on a computer (exported from Word, Google Docs or a website).
• Headings, font sizes, indents and centred lines.
• Simple tables, such as statements and mark sheets, which become real Word tables.

What doesn't convert

• Scanned PDFs contain photos of pages, not text, so there is nothing to convert. To change a scanned PDF, use Edit PDF and its Replace area tool instead.
• Pictures, logos and complex multi-column layouts.

Only need a small change?

If you just need to fix a name, date or number, you may not need Word at all. Edit PDF lets you click on existing text and change it directly.

Frequently asked questions