How to Convert DOCX to PDF Preserving Formatting

Why Convert DOCX to PDF?

DOCX files are editable documents — which is exactly their problem when you need to share final versions. A DOCX opened on a different computer with different fonts installed, a different version of Word, or a different operating system can look dramatically different from what you see on your screen. Margins shift, fonts substitute, tables break, and images reflow.

PDF solves this by freezing the document's visual appearance. A PDF looks identical on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and in any browser. Fonts are embedded, page layouts are fixed, and the recipient sees exactly what you intended — no font substitution surprises, no repagination, no layout drift.

This is why nearly every professional context requires PDF for final delivery: legal contracts, academic papers, business proposals, resumes, invoices, and government forms. The conversion from DOCX to PDF is the single most common document conversion in the world, and getting it right means preserving every detail of the original layout.

What Can Go Wrong During Conversion

Not all DOCX-to-PDF conversions are equal. Common formatting issues include:

The severity of these issues depends entirely on the conversion engine. Microsoft Word itself produces the most faithful conversion (since it is both the creator and converter), but online converters using LibreOffice, Pandoc, or other engines can handle the vast majority of documents correctly.

Step-by-Step Conversion

Step 1: Prepare Your Document

Before converting, run these checks in Word:

1. Embed fonts. In Word, go to File > Options > Save > "Embed fonts in the file." This ensures the converter has access to your fonts even if they are not installed on the conversion server.
2. Review page breaks. Add explicit page breaks (Ctrl+Enter) where you need them rather than relying on paragraph spacing to push content to the next page.
3. Flatten tracked changes. Accept or reject all changes. Tracked changes in PDF can look like red-lined text or hidden content depending on the converter.
4. Check headers/footers. Verify page numbers, dates, and section-specific headers are correct.
5. Update table of contents. If your document has a TOC, right-click and "Update Field" to ensure page numbers are current.

Step 2: Choose PDF Settings

PDF quality level:

• Print quality (high) — 300 DPI images, full font embedding. Use for printing, legal documents, and archival. Larger files.
• Screen quality (standard) — 150 DPI images, full font embedding. Use for on-screen reading and email. Moderate files.
• Minimum size — 72-96 DPI images, subset font embedding. Use for quick sharing where quality is not critical. Smallest files.

PDF standard:

• Standard PDF — Maximum compatibility. Works everywhere.
• PDF/A-1b — Archival standard. Embeds everything, restricts interactive features. Use for legal and government submissions.
• PDF/A-2b — Updated archival standard. Supports JPEG2000 and transparency.

For most purposes, standard PDF at print quality is the right choice. For archival and compliance requirements, see our PDF/A compliance guide.

Step 3: Convert

Upload your DOCX to our DOCX to PDF converter. The conversion engine processes the Open XML structure, renders each page, embeds fonts and images, and produces the PDF output.

For batch conversion of multiple Word documents, upload them sequentially — each produces an independent PDF.

Step 4: Verify the Output

Always open the resulting PDF and check:

• Font appearance matches the original (no substitutions)
• Tables align correctly (column widths, cell borders)
• Images are positioned as expected
• Page breaks occur where intended
• Headers, footers, and page numbers are correct
• Hyperlinks are clickable (not just blue text)

Quality and Settings Tips

Font embedding is the single most important factor. When the converter does not have access to your document's fonts, it substitutes similar fonts — and "similar" often is not close enough. Calibri substituted with Liberation Sans changes line lengths, which changes page breaks, which changes the entire document layout. Always embed fonts in your DOCX before converting, or use standard fonts (Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Georgia) that are available on virtually every system.

Hyperlinks should be preserved as clickable links. A common converter failure is rendering hyperlinks as styled text (blue, underlined) without the actual URL binding. In the output PDF, click every link in your document to verify they work. Our converter preserves hyperlinks, table of contents links, and cross-references as clickable PDF links.

Password protection can be added. If your document contains sensitive information, apply PDF encryption during conversion. Set a document open password (required to view), a permissions password (required to edit/print/copy), or both. Be aware that PDF password protection is not strong encryption — it deters casual access but can be bypassed by determined users with the right tools.

For the reverse conversion — PDF back to editable Word format — see our PDF to DOCX converter. Note that PDF-to-DOCX is inherently lossy; converting DOCX to PDF and back will not produce an identical DOCX.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Fonts look different in the PDF. The converter substituted fonts because it did not have the original fonts installed. Solution: embed fonts in the DOCX before uploading. In Word: File > Options > Save > check "Embed fonts in the file."

Tables overflow the page margins. Complex tables with fixed-width columns or nested tables can render slightly differently in alternative conversion engines. Solution: simplify table formatting, use percentage-based column widths instead of fixed pixel widths, and avoid deeply nested tables.

Images are blurry. The converter downsampled images to reduce file size. If image quality matters, select "Print quality" or "High quality" output settings. Alternatively, ensure your source images in the DOCX are high-resolution — Word sometimes compresses images during save.

Math equations render incorrectly. DOCX math equations use OMML (Office Math Markup Language), which not all conversion engines support fully. Simple equations (fractions, exponents, Greek letters) usually convert fine. Complex equations with matrices, multi-line alignments, or custom symbols may need manual verification.

The document repaginated (content on different pages than the original). This is the most common issue and usually stems from font substitution causing different line lengths. Embedding fonts in the DOCX is the fix. Alternatively, if repagination is unacceptable and fonts cannot be embedded, use Word's built-in "Save as PDF" feature instead for the most accurate rendering.

Bookmarks and table of contents links are broken. Some converters do not map Word bookmarks to PDF named destinations. If your document relies on internal navigation (TOC links, cross-references), verify that clicking a TOC entry in the PDF jumps to the correct page.

Conclusion

DOCX-to-PDF conversion is about preserving visual fidelity. Embed your fonts, use standard page layouts, verify the output, and choose the right quality level for your purpose. For legal and archival documents, consider PDF/A. For general business use, standard PDF at print quality gives you the best balance of file size and formatting accuracy.

Ready to convert? Try our free DOCX to PDF converter — no registration required.