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How to export Apple Pages files as Microsoft Word documents If you've been working in Pages and will eventually return to Word, you can export your document as a Word file. To begin, drag and drop your DOC or DOCX file in the Word to PDF converter. The conversion to PDF should take place right away. Feel free to compress, edit or modify your file further. Click the download button to save your new PDF.
PDF is the most common format used to share files around, but it can be frustrating to deal with if you want to make changes to the text or images. Editing a PDF often requires special software. And this is where Microsoft Word can really come in handy. A great way to make changes to PDFs is to turn PDF into Word document, make any edits, and convert it back to a PDF.
What's the easiest way to convert PDF to Word on Mac? Copy and paste could come to mind, but it's a hassle. Oftentimes, the original formatting doesn't make it to the new platform and you'll have to spend your precious time tediously reflowing and adjusting text in Word, only to eventually send it back again.
Export Word Doc To Pdf Mac Os
Get the best PDF editor for Mac
Change anything in your PDF without converting it to other formats. PDFpen can handle OCR, signatures, images, and so much more.
The point is you absolutely need to know how to convert PDF to Word on Mac — whether to sign your lease agreement or correct a file at work. So why not learn the best ways to convert PDF to Word doc now to make your life much easier later on.
How To Convert PDF To Word On Mac
So how do you turn PDF into Word quickly and seamlessly? Truth is there are a few ways to convert PDF to Word to make simple edits in your files. For example, you could convert PDF to Word doc using Google Drive or Adobe Acrobat Pro. You could also capture PDF text with a built-in Mac utility called Automator. But the real secret is to know a few advanced apps that do all the work for you. Let's dive into all.
How to change PDF to Word with Google Docs
Google Docs is a popular online editing tool and there's a good chance that you already store some PDFs within its storage solution called Google Drive, which also allows you to convert PDFs to Word docs without the need to download a PDF to your computer first. Just note that if your PDF includes lots of images, Google Drive might remove them in the final document.
Here's how to set your Google Drive to read PDF files in Google Docs and then convert them into Word documents:
- Click on the cog symbol at the top right in Google Drive and choose Settings
- In the General tab, check the box in 'Convert uploads' that states 'Convert uploaded files to Google Docs editor format'
- Find the desired PDF file within Google Docs and right-click on it.
- Choose 'Open with' and select Google Docs
- Once a new Google Doc window opens, click File in the top-bar menu and select Download as Microsoft Word
Google Drive works really well if you have a simple PDF text document that you need to edit in Word. However, if your PDF file is image-heavy, you're going to need a more powerful PDF to Word converter for Mac.
How to convert PDF to Word using Adobe Acrobat Pro
Adobe Acrobat Pro is another complete solution to create and edit PDFs. The good thing about it is that your fonts and layout features, such as bullets and tables, will be left intact. Even when you're out of the office, you can still export PDF to Word using a mobile version of Acrobat.
To convert from PDF to Word using Adobe Acrobat Pro:
- Open your desired PDF file
- Choose the Export PDF tool on the right sidebar
- Select Microsoft Word as the export format and then Word Document
- Click Export
- Save and name your Word file in your desired location
If the PDF file contains any scanned text, Acrobat will recognize it automatically.
How to convert from PDF to Word using Automator
Automator is a Mac utility, built right into your macOS. It generally helps with menial tasks, such as renaming files in batches or moving files in bulk. For our purposes, Automator also offers to help with extracting text from PDF without converting the file to Word. You can then edit the text in any text editor, such as the Ulysses app.
To use Automator for extracting text:
- Open Automator via the Applications folder
- Select Workflow and tap Enter
- Click on Files and Folders in the left column
- In the second column, select Ask for Finder Items and drag it into the right pane that says 'Drag actions or files here to build your workflow.'
- Choose the PDFs in the left column and select Extract PDF Text located in the second column
- Drag and drop Extract PDF Text to the right under Find Files and Folders
- Select Rich Text instead of Plain Text to retain formatting
- Choose where you want Automator to place your extracted text files
- Save as an application, open the new Automator application, and select the PDF you want to grab the text from
Microsoft Word Pdf Export
Open the new Rich Text document in a word processor like Ulysses, a focused writing app. Ulysses helps you write with a clean distraction-free user interface as well as structure and format your piece in its Markdown editor. Conveniently, you're also able to keep your side notes, sketches, and manuscripts in the app's library. When you're done, just export your work into a well-designed ebook or a new PDF file.
Ulysses can also be the answer to how to convert Word to PDF on Mac, since it's able to open Word files and export anything as PDF too.
On another note, Automator works great for working with text files, but what can you do if you want to extract words from images in your PDF?
How to extract text from images with Prizmo
When you want to grab text embedded in an image, you need Prizmo.
Prizmo is an essential app that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to create searchable PDF documents. It also lets you edit or correct small errors or formatting mistakes in scanned files, just as you would be able to in your favorite word processor. All in all, Prizmo is your best friend if you're looking to work with text in any printed papers, business cards, or even receipts.
How to edit PDFs without converting them to Word
On another note, Automator works great for working with text files, but what can you do if you want to extract words from images in your PDF?
How to extract text from images with Prizmo
When you want to grab text embedded in an image, you need Prizmo.
Prizmo is an essential app that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to create searchable PDF documents. It also lets you edit or correct small errors or formatting mistakes in scanned files, just as you would be able to in your favorite word processor. All in all, Prizmo is your best friend if you're looking to work with text in any printed papers, business cards, or even receipts.
How to edit PDFs without converting them to Word
If figuring out how to export PDF to Word sounds like too much work — there's another way to edit them as well, using PDFpen.
PDFpen is a powerful editor you can use to add new images, text, and even signatures directly to your PDF files. You can also erase and edit existing content, resize or move graphics, and copy and paste from other sources while retaining formatting.
Use PDfpen when you need to review and add feedback to PDF files. You'd be able to simply highlight, underscore, or add corrections to any file. With a simple drag and drop feature, you can add new pages, reorder existing ones, or combine separate PDF files into one. If you're going to be editing PDF files on a regular basis, PDFpen is a must-have.
Now that you know how to export PDF to Word, extract text from PDF, and even edit your PDF file directly, you can take control of your important documents and make edits as needed.
Best of all is that all three apps mentioned above: Ulysses, Prizmo, and PDFpen, are available absolutely free for seven days as part of the trial for Setapp, a collection of more than 160 Mac apps, all of which promise to make your day on Mac as productive as it can be. Try and see for yourself today!
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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You can convert and open documents in Pages on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. If you don't have an Apple device, you can use Pages online at iCloud.com.
Convert and open documents in Pages on iPhone or iPad
You can work with a variety of file formats in Pages on your iPhone or iPad. Check which formats are compatible with Pages on iPhone and iPad.
Convert a Pages document in Pages on iPhone or iPad
If you want to open a Pages document in another app like Microsoft Word, use Pages to convert the document to an appropriate format.
- Open the document that you want to convert, then tap the More button .
- Tap Export.
- Choose a format for your document.
- If you chose EPUB, set any additional options.
- Choose how you want to send your document, like with Mail or Messages.
Open a file in Pages on iPhone or iPad
To open a file like a Microsoft Word document in Pages on iPhone or iPad, tap the file in the document manager. If you don't see the document manager, tap Documents (on iPad) or the back button (on iPhone), then tap the file that you want to open. If a file is dimmed, it's not in a compatible format.
You can also open a file in Pages from a different app like the Files app, or from an email:
- Open the other app, then select the document or attachment.
- Tap the Share button .
- Tap Copy to Pages. The original file remains intact.
When the file opens, you might get a message that the document will look different. For example, Pages notifies you when fonts are missing. Tap Done to open the document in Pages.
Convert and open documents in Pages for Mac
You can work with a variety of file formats in Pages for Mac. Check which formats are compatible.
Convert a Pages document in Pages for Mac
If you want to open a Pages document in another app like Microsoft Word, use Pages to convert the document to an appropriate format.
- Open the Pages document that you want to convert.
- Choose File > Export To, then select the format.
- In the window that appears, you can choose a different format or set up any additional options. For example, you can require a password to open an exported PDF, choose to use the table of contents in an exported EPUB book, or choose the format for the exported Word document.
- Click Next.
- Enter a name for your file, then choose a location for the file.
- Click Export.
To send a file in a specific format through Mail, Messages, AirDrop, or Notes, choose Share > Send a Copy, choose how you want to send the document, then choose a format.
Open a file in Pages for Mac
You can open a file from the Finder or from the Pages app:
- From the Finder, Control-click the file, then choose Open With > Pages. If Pages is the only word processor on your Mac, you can just double-click the file.
- From the Pages for Mac app, choose File > Open, select the file, then click Open. If a file is dimmed, it's not a compatible format.
When the file opens, you might get a message that the document will look different. For example, Pages notifies you when fonts are missing. You might see also see warnings when you open documents created in older versions of Pages.
Open and convert documents in Pages for iCloud
Pages for iCloud lets you open, edit, and share your files from a supported browser on a Mac or PC. Check which file formats are compatible with Pages for iCloud. If you don't have an Apple device, learn how to create an Apple ID.
Convert a Pages document in Pages for iCloud
- Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID.
- Click Pages.
- In the document manager, click the More button on the file you want to convert, then choose Download a Copy. If you have the document open, click the Tools button in the toolbar, then choose Download a Copy.*
- Choose a format for the document. The file starts begins to download to your browser's download location.
* To convert your document to an EPUB book, open the document, click the Tools button in the toolbar, then choose Download a Copy.
Open a file in Pages for iCloud
- Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID.
- Click Pages.
- Drag the file you want to upload into the Pages document manager in your browser. Or click the Upload button , select the file, then click Choose.
- Double-click the file in the document manager.
Check file format compatibility
Formats you can open in Pages
You can open these file formats in Pages on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and online at iCloud.com:
- All Pages versions
- Microsoft Word: Office Open XML (.docx) and Office 97 or later (.doc)
- Rich Text Format (.rtf/.rtfd)
- Plain Text files (.txt)
Convert Mac Document To Word
Formats you can convert Pages documents into
Pages on iPhone or iPad:
- Microsoft Word: Office Open XML (.docx)
- Rich Text Format (.rtf/.rtfd)
- EPUB
Pages for Mac:
- Microsoft Word: Office Open XML (.docx) and Office 97 or later (.doc)
- Rich Text Format (.rtf/.rtfd)
- Plain Text files (.txt)
- EPUB
- Pages ‘09
Pages for iCloud:
- Microsoft Word: Office Open XML (.docx)
- EPUB
Learn more
- Pages on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and online at iCloud.com use the same file format. If you create or edit a document in Pages on one platform, you can open it in Pages on any of the other platforms.
- You can update to current versions of Pages on your iPhone or iPad from the App Store. To update Pages on your Mac, use the App Store app on your Mac.
- If you convert a Pages document into Pages '09-compatible document, learn more about changes that happen when you export to iWork '09.