Word and PDF are two of the most popular document formats in the digital world! Even then, you sometimes need to convert Word documents to PDF files, which are basically accepted everywhere. This is when you’d need a Word to PDF Converter.
In our previous article, we covered some of the best free and paid PDF editors out there. And today, we are talking about the best Word to PDF converters for Mac.
The thing with Mac is that you can rely on multiple ways to convert a Word file to PDF. You can use native options, free software, online platforms or dedicated converter tools. Understanding this, we have created a comprehensive list of the best Word to PDF converters for Mac. Some of them aren’t made specifically for Mac, but you can get the job done.
If you have a word file in the email attachment that you need to download as a PDF, simply open that file in Google Chrome, press Cmd + P to bring up the Print Menu. Change the destination to Save it as PDF. Not an intuative assumption, but it works.
Best Word to PDF Converter For Mac
There is only one effective way to convert Word to PDF in a Mac. The label native means that you don’t have to install or use third-party programs. Everything happens inside the Mac, as long as you have the Word file ready.
#1 Using Preview – Free Native Options
Preview is the default macOS app for opening PDF, Image and even other document files. Turns out, you can use it for converting a Word file to PDF as well. If you want to convert a Word file to PDF quickly, you can count on this method.
To use this, you have to open the Word file using Preview. You can do this by choosing Open With -> Preview from the context menu. Now, you can see the Word document on Preview. You can now go to File -> Export as PDF. Simply choose the destination and the PDF file would be saved.
Where It Fell Short
This process is quite simple but comes with a few downsides.
Preview does not let you convert Word files to PDF in bulk. You have to load all the files one by one and do the conversion. It should also be noted that Preview doesn’t offer the best view of Word file before converting. You can count on this method if you need the quickest and simplest Word to PDF conversion on Mac.
There is a few free Mac software to convert Word to PDF, you know. Some of these are in-built while you can download others. We have, however, chosen the best macOS software to do this job.
#2 Microsoft Word for Mac – Free macOS Software
This assumes that you already have Microsoft Word installed on your Mac. So, if you have created one Word document using MS Word, you can convert the file to PDF using the same software. Compared to Preview, it offers a more seamless workflow, you know.
In order to do this, you have to open the Word file using MS Word on your Mac. Now, go to File > Save As. From the next dialogue box, you can select PDF from the available options. You can also select the desired quality of PDF document. Hit the Save button and the Word file will be converted to PDF.
Where It Fell Short
Once again, you cannot convert Word documents in bulk. This method isn’t also possible if you don’t have MS Word installed. For instance, if you just downloaded a Word document from the Web, you can’t use this option much.
Alternative to MS Word on macOS
Well, there are some other options to do this too. You can use the following methods if you want the easy Word to PDF conversion.
- You can use Pages app that is already preinstalled on Mac — to open the Word document and Export it to PDF. It’s a great option if you don’t have Word installed on the device.
- TextEdit on Mac is also a great option. You can open the Word file using TextEdit and choose Export as PDF from the File menu. This option may not, however, render formatting and fonts correctly.
These methods are great when you need a more seamless workflow. The best part about MS Word and Pages is that you can edit the document before actually converting it.
#3 Smallpdf.com –Â Free Online Word To PDF converter
Smallpdf.com is one of the most effective ways to convert a Word file to PDF and do many other things. It’s actually a complete PDF editing suite that you can access online and doesn’t require your email, unlike many similar services.
Using Smallpdf is simple enough. You can open the website on a Mac browser and drag-and-drop the Word file you want to convert. In seconds, Smallpdf.com will upload the file, convert and provide you a link for download. It even lets you save the PDF file to Google Drive or Dropbox.
Where It Fell Short
Online Word to PDF converters is great. But, not everyone wants to upload confidential files to another server. This is one reason why you may not like this option. Also, this method needs a constant internet connection.
Alternatives
Of course, Smallpdf.com is not the only way to convert a Word document to PDF online. You can use Google Drive for the purpose too. You can upload the file to Google Drive, open it, and select ‘Download as PDF’ from the File option. Once again, this would want you to upload to files to a bigger fish.
So, you can count on the online methods if you are converting something not-so-confidential. On the bright side, you don’t have to install/download anything.
#4 Wondershare PDF Element – Paid Word to PDF Converters
This is the best option when you need more control over Word to PDF conversion. The only point is that you must be ready to pay for these features. Out of the hundreds of PDF suites out there, we have chosen the best few.
Wondershare PDF Element is indeed one of the best choices for converting a Word document to PDF. It has to be noted that the tool can do even better — from editing your PDF files to encrypting them. So, be it any kind of annotation or full editing, Wondershare PDFelement would do the job.
Read our complete PDF Element review here.
Another bigger perk is that you can use Wondershare PDFelement for bulk actions. If you want to batch convert word to pdf in Mac, it’s the best option. The UI too resembles an Office Suite, so that you will not have trouble fitting in.
Where It Fell Short
There is no denying that Wondershare PDFelement is one of the best PDF tools, however, that you have to pay a hefty price for this tool. That having said, you can do all the conversions and editing locally.
Alternatives
Well, there are many other options too when you want to do the same job. For instance, we have the Adobe Acrobat, where you have to pay a hefty price as the subscription fee. On the other hand, when it comes to dedicated tools, the focus is less too. On the bright side, you get a PDF Editing Suite when you try one of these methods. If you do these things part of a professional, it would be great.
The Best Ways to Convert a Word File to PDF?
You have seen four of the most effective ways to convert documents on Word to PDF, we believe. Depending on your requirements and budget, you can pick any of them. For instance, if you just need a simple Word to PDF converter, we’d recommend using the in-built Export option in MS Word. On the other hand, if you are looking for bulk actions and more controls, we think something like PDFelement would make sense. We have not stranded out the solutions so that you have multiple choices here.
