Skip to main content

Save a Word File as a PDF

A Portable Document Format (PDF) ensures your printed or viewed file retains the formatting that you intended. We recommend that documents uploaded into Blackboard courses be converted into Adobe PDF files.

  • Adobe Acrobat PDF files can be opened and read by any computer or browser.
  • Students may be unable to open and download documents formatted in Microsoft applications.

Open or Compose the File you would like to save as a PDF

1. Before saving your Word document as a PDF, please be sure that you have saved your Word document as a Word document one final time.

2. To save your Word document as a PDF, click on File and then Save As.

a screenshot of the Save As command in the Word documents File Tab

3. If you have Microsoft Office 2010 or later you may have a Save as Adobe PDF button.

a screenshot of the Save as Adobe PDF command in the Word document File Tab

4. Choose the location to which your saved document will go and type a file name for your document.

5. Click on the list box labeled Save as type.

6. Scroll down the list to find and click on PDF.

a screenshot of the appropriate setting in the Save As dialog box - Save as Type set to PDF

7. You will not see two options:

  • If you are sending this PDF file in an email or you are planning to post it on a web page, you may want to choose “Minimum size” to create the smallest PDF possible for your Word document.
  • Please Note: The “Minimum size” option may degrade any of the pictures you have inserted into your Word document.

a screenshot of the Save As dialog box with the Optimize For options highlighted

For additional support, visit UHD TTLC Support

Or, contact us at: TTLCHelp@uhd.edu