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Convert PDF to Word (DOCX)

PDF to Word converts a PDF that contains real text into an editable DOCX, DOC or ODT file with LibreOffice. It suits memos, reports and forms; a scan that is only pictures has no text to import.

Drag and drop files here, or click to choose

Accepts PDF · up to 500.0 MB per file · up to 20 files at once

You can also paste a file with Ctrl/Cmd+V, or from the clipboard menu.

Convert to Word sends a PDF through LibreOffice (`writer_pdf_import`) and returns an editable `docx`, `doc`, or `odt` file. Use it on memos, reports, and forms that already contain real text, not on a scan that is only pictures of pages.

LibreOffice rebuilds runs of text and a rough document structure. Multi-column magazines, heavy vector art, and image-only pages will not match the PDF. Treat the download as a working draft, not a legally identical replica of every glyph.

The portal default is `docx`. `doc` and `odt` are the other allowed `outputFormat` values; anything else is rejected.

OCR on this site returns Markdown. That `.md` file is not a PDF you can send back into Convert to Word. Image-only scans have no text for LibreOffice to import; if you need the words, use OCR to Markdown and edit the Markdown.

Tables and lists are best-effort. Proof numbers, names, and headings before you send the Word file onward. Hard PDF line breaks often become soft wraps, so pagination in Word will not match the PDF.

Headers and footers may land as ordinary paragraphs. Form fields and checkboxes often become static text or approximate shapes; rebuild Word controls if you need fillable behavior.

If you only want plain text, PDF to Text is a shorter path. Password-protected files are unlocked for you on this page once you enter the password; API callers run Unlock first.

Conversion is a structural rebuild, not a visual copy, so anything that depends on exact coordinates drifts. Text boxes float, absolutely-positioned footers move with the flow, and a fixed two-column layout can collapse into a single stream. For documents whose layout carries meaning - invoices, certificates, medical forms - treat the Word file as raw material and re-apply the layout by hand.

Signatures and stamps are a special case. A typed signature is just text and survives as text. A scanned handwriting image or a digital signature field usually becomes a picture or is lost, because LibreOffice imports the visual glyph without the cryptographic structure behind it. Never assume a converted file is still validly signed; verify with Validate Signature on the original PDF.

Embedded fonts are substituted by whatever the Word processor has available. A distinctive display font becomes a default sans or serif, which can change line breaks and page count. If a house style matters, reapply the fonts after conversion.

Uploads are temporary. Download the Office file when the job finishes; we do not keep an editing copy in the cloud.

Features

  • LibreOffice `writer_pdf_import` to docx, doc, or odt
  • Needs native PDF text; scans are a different tool
  • OCR Markdown cannot be piped back into this converter
  • Best-effort tables, lists, and headings; layout is not pixel-exact
  • Anonymous API at /api/v1/convert/pdf/word

When to use this tool

  • Edit a PDF policy draft in Word
  • Reuse report prose without retyping
  • Prepare redlines when only a PDF source exists
  • Recover text from a text-based PDF for translation

How do I convert a PDF to a Word document?

  1. Upload a text-based PDF. Image-only scans have no text to import.
  2. Keep DOCX or choose DOC / ODT.
  3. Click Process and download the Office file.
  4. Proof headings, tables, and page breaks in Word or LibreOffice before sharing.

Limits and edge cases

  • Image-only scans have no text to convert
  • Complex layouts reflow; pagination will not match the PDF
  • Password-protected files need the password; API callers run Unlock first
  • Digital signatures and form fields are not re-created
  • Fonts are substituted by the word processor
  • Upload limit on this website: 500 MB per file, sent in chunks above about 95 MB. A single direct API request body is capped at 100 MB.

Examples

  • A 12-page text memo typically becomes an editable multi-page Word file
  • A brochure with absolute positioning usually needs manual cleanup after conversion
  • A two-column journal article often collapses into one column that needs re-layout

Privacy for this tool

Files are uploaded over HTTPS, processed in memory or a short-lived temporary directory on our servers, and deleted when your result is ready. We do not keep copies for later browsing, training, or advertising profiles. See the Privacy Policy for retention details and AdSense cookie disclosures.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my scanned PDF empty in Word?
Image-only scans have no text for LibreOffice to import. Use OCR to Markdown if you need the words. That output is not a PDF you can convert here.
Will fonts match the PDF?
Substitution is common. Expect close typography, not pixel-perfect layout.
Can I OCR first, then convert?
Not as a PDF pipeline. OCR returns Markdown. Convert to Word still needs a text-layer PDF.
Is this copy-paste from a viewer?
No. LibreOffice rebuilds a document. Clipboard paste is a single grab without that structure.
Are signatures preserved?
Typed signatures survive as text. Handwritten or digital signatures usually become an image or are dropped; validate the original PDF if a signature must remain legally intact.
Why did the page count change?
Reflowed text, substituted fonts, and different margins change pagination. A 12-page PDF can become 10 or 14 pages in Word. Adjust spacing if the count matters.

Last updated:

Call this from code

Every tool on this site is a plain REST endpoint - no account or API key needed for anonymous use. Built for AI agents and developers as much as for browsers.

curl -X POST "https://pdf123.xyz/api/v1/convert/pdf/word" \
  -F "[email protected]" \
  -F "outputFormat=docx" \
  -o output.pdf

Also available as an MCP tool for agent clients that speak Model Context Protocol (JSON-RPC 2.0 over POST /mcp). Full API reference

Use it from an AI agent

Skill

Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other AI agents can run PDF to Word for you with this skill: /skills/pdf123-convert-to-word.md

All agent skills

Files are used only for this processing job and deleted automatically afterward.