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Quick Answer

Open Microsoft Word, click File > Open, select your PDF, and click OK when Word prompts to convert it to an editable format.

How to Convert a PDF to an Editable Word Document ​

Estimated Time to Fix: 2 minutes

Applies to: Microsoft Word (Desktop App)
Article Type: How-To
Last Updated: 2026-07-20

Summary ​

If someone emails you a PDF and you need to make changes to the text, you do not need an expensive Adobe Acrobat license to edit it. Microsoft Word has a built-in feature that can crack open a PDF, convert it back into a standard Word document, let you make your edits, and save it as a new PDF.

Prerequisites ​

  • You must have the Microsoft Word desktop app installed on your computer. (This feature is currently limited in the web version of Word).
  • Note: This works best with PDFs that contain mostly text. PDFs that are heavily image-based or contain complex graphics might not look perfect after conversion.

Instructions ​

1. Open the PDF in Microsoft Word ​

  1. Open the Microsoft Word desktop app.
  2. Click Open on the left-hand sidebar.
  3. Click Browse and locate the PDF file you want to edit.
  4. Select the PDF file and click Open.

2. Allow Word to Convert the File ​

  1. A small dialog box will pop up stating: "Word will now convert your PDF to an editable Word document."
  2. It warns you that the resulting document might look slightly different than the original PDF, especially if it contains lots of graphics.
  3. Click OK.
  4. Word will process the file (this can take up to a minute for very large PDFs).

3. Edit and Save ​

  1. You can now edit the text, delete paragraphs, or change formatting like a normal Word document.
  2. Once you are finished editing, you can save it as a normal Word document (.docx), or you can save it back to a PDF.
  3. To save as a PDF again, click File > Save As.
  4. Change the "Save as type" dropdown to PDF (*.pdf) and click Save.

Troubleshooting ​

TIP

If you are trying to convert a PDF that is essentially a scanned photograph of a piece of paper, Word's Optical Character Recognition (OCR) will try its best to read the text, but you will likely need to fix spelling errors manually.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Word asks for a password to open the fileDocument SecurityThe creator locked the PDF. You cannot convert it without the original password.
The text is editable, but the formatting is a messComplex LayoutIf the PDF was a complicated brochure or flyer made in InDesign, Word cannot translate the layout. This trick is meant for standard documents, letters, and contracts.