How to change Save As file type options on Microsoft Word for Android on Samsung Tablet?

Question

It is very simple. When I select the Save As option on the Samsung Android Tablet Microsoft Word save menu I am only able to save any document as .docx. It is a fixed file type with no drop down options to select otherwise. I would like to have the option to save as .pdf.

Answer 1

Hi Jeffery Boutte

Thank you for bringing this matter to our Q&A forum. 

You are right that, in Microsoft Word for Android, the Save As menu is currently limited to the .docx format. Your suggestion of using the Print > Save as PDF function is indeed one of the built‑in methods Microsoft provides for creating PDFs on mobile devices. To do this, simply open the document in Word for Android, tap the three‑dot menu in the upper‑right corner, select Print, choose Save as PDF as the printer, and then save it to your preferred location.

Another useful method, where available, is to use the Share feature by selecting Send a Copy and choosing either a Word document or a PDF. Please note that menu labels and feature availability may vary slightly depending on the Android device and the version of the Word app in use, so not all users will see both options. To share in this way, open the document in Word for Android, tap the Share icon, select Send a Copy, pick Word document or PDF, and then choose how you wish to send or save it.

Thank you again for your question, and for sharing an approach that may help other users facing the same issue to quickly work through it. By highlighting both options, we hope to make the process clearer and more accessible for the community.

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Answer 2

Since submitting this question, I have been informed that the "Save As" option for Microsoft Word, on Android, currently only supports the file type ".docx". My solution is to open the print option and select Save as PDF from the available printers.