How to convert a .docx file to PDF
- Open Docs and open your .docx file, or drag it onto the app window.
- Check the document looks right; the PDF will be a picture of exactly what you see.
- Use the export menu's "Export PDF" option and save the file to your computer.
What kind of PDF you get
Export PDF draws each page of your document, exactly as it appears in the editor, and lays that drawing into a PDF page. That means fonts, colours, images, tables and layout look the way you see them on screen, but the result has no text layer: you can't select, search or copy text out of the converted PDF, because as far as the PDF format is concerned, each page is one picture.
If you need a PDF where the text is selectable and searchable, save the document as .docx first and print it to PDF from your operating system's own print dialog, which keeps the file as real text.
Why convert in the browser instead of an online converter
Most free "docx to pdf" websites require uploading your file to their server, converting it there, and sending a copy back. Vault Studio Pro's editor and its PDF export run entirely in your browser tab, so a document with client names, salary figures or unreleased numbers is never copied to a server to be converted.
Other ways to get a PDF out of a document
If you only need to add a signature, fill a form, or redact something in an existing PDF, use the PDF editor directly. If you have a PDF and want to go the other way and get an editable document out of it, see converting PDF to .docx.
Common questions
Is the text in the converted PDF selectable or searchable?
No. Export PDF renders each page of the document as an image, the same way the docx-editor page describes its PDF export, so the text in the resulting PDF can't be selected, searched or copied. If you need a text PDF, save the file as .docx and print it to PDF from your operating system instead.
Will my document look the same in the PDF?
Yes, closely. The PDF is a picture of the page exactly as it appears in the editor, so fonts, colours, spacing and images carry over as shown on screen. Anything that looked wrong in the editor will look the same way in the PDF.
Does this upload my document anywhere?
No. Docs opens the .docx, converts it and writes the PDF in the same browser tab. The file never leaves your device.
More questions? See the full FAQ or contact us.