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Converting WORD to PDF

Stuti Bhagat 0 Reputation points
2026-06-04T10:24:02.4366667+00:00

After completing the correction of my work in review mode within WORD, I tried converting the WORD document through an external platform. I am aware that Word has its own Save as PDF option, but I still wanted to see what happens. Why does the PDF converted through the external platform show distortions in the document, such as a change in the language of the comment, more comments than the WORD document has currently, and traces of struck-off sections as well, which are absent in the WORD document?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For education | Windows
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  1. John Korchok 232.8K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-06-04T15:51:10.1533333+00:00

    Without knowing which PDF creation software you are using, we cannot answer your question. Third-party PDF programs are of varying quality. For best results, use Adobe Acrobat, which is still the gold standard in PDF creation.

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  2. Stefan Blom 342.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-06-04T10:32:49.97+00:00

    An important question here is, Which external platform are you trying to use in the conversion?

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  3. AI answer

    2026-06-04T10:24:14.79+00:00

    The external platform is not using Word’s own rendering and revision engine, so it is interpreting the .docx content (especially Track Changes and comments) differently from Word. This causes:

    1. Different handling of Track Changes
      • Word stores all revisions (insertions, deletions, formatting changes) in the file, even when they are hidden in the current view.
      • External converters often treat those revision elements as normal content, so:
        • Deleted text can reappear (as “traces of struck-off sections”).
        • Old or resolved comments can be rendered again, so the PDF shows more comments than the current Word view.
    2. Different handling of comments and language
      • Comments in Word can have their own language and formatting metadata.
      • An external engine may not fully support Word’s comment model and language settings, so it can:
        • Fallback to a different language or font.
        • Misinterpret encoding and show “distorted” or wrong-language text.
    3. Font and layout substitution
      • If the external platform does not have the same fonts or layout engine as Word, it substitutes fonts and reflows text.
      • This can change how tracked changes and comments line up with the main text, making distortions more visible.
    4. Use Word’s own PDF export for fidelity
      • Word’s built‑in PDF export is designed to preserve the current view of the document, including Track Changes and comments, according to how they are configured in Word.
      • To control what appears in the PDF, first set the view in Word (for example, show or hide markup), then use:
        • Windows desktop: File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document > Create PDF/XPS, choose location, then Publish.
        • macOS: File > Save As or Save a copy > File Format = PDF > Save.

    Using Word’s own PDF export avoids most of the distortions seen when a third‑party service reinterprets the .docx structure and revision data.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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