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OscarMartinez's avatar
OscarMartinez
Iron Contributor
Jan 07, 2025
Solved

Help! How do I convert PDF to Word on Mac without losing formatting?

Recently, I have a lot of PDF files that need to be converted to Word documents for editing at work, but the problem is that the tables and layouts in many PDFs are very complicated. I tried a few to...
  • Harodman's avatar
    Harodman
    Jan 08, 2025

    I’ve had the same issue with messy PDF-to-Word conversions on Mac—it’s super frustrating! Tried a bunch of tools, but PDFGeker worked the best for me. It keeps tables, images, and layouts intact, plus supports batch conversions. Simple to use and gets the job done. Definitely worth a shot!

    I followed this tutorial: (It worked great)

    https://www.appleinsidez.com/convert-pdf-to-word-mac

MaverickNexus's avatar
MaverickNexus
Iron Contributor
Jan 07, 2025

Here are three other ways to convert PDF to Word on Mac, which do not require too complicated operations and are suitable for different needs:

Method 1: Use Preview and copy and paste
Mac's built-in Preview can open PDF, and then copy the content to Word for editing.
Steps:

  1. Open the PDF file and select all text (Command+A).
  2. Copy (Command+C) and paste it into the Word document.
  3. Adjust the format, such as pictures and tables need to be manually laid out.

Pros: Completely free, no need to download additional tools.

Cons: Suitable for simple text, complex layout may be messy.

Method 2: Use Automator
Automator is a built-in automation tool for Mac that can create PDF to text workflows.
Steps:

  1. Open Automator, select "New Document", then select "Service".
  2. Add the "PDF to Text" function and save the service.
  3. Right-click the PDF file in Finder, select the conversion service, output it as a text file, and then copy it to Word.

Advantages: One-time setup, convenient batch conversion.
Disadvantages: Cannot output directly to Word, requires additional layout.

Method 3: Use Google Docs
Google Docs supports online conversion of PDF to Word, simple operation:
Operation steps:

  1. Upload PDF to Google Drive.
  2. Open the PDF file with Google Docs.
  3. Select "Download as Word (.docx)" in Docs to complete the conversion.

Advantages: Free, supports the retention of complex layout.
Disadvantages: Requires network support, batch operation is slightly slower.

All of the above methods can complete convert PDF to Word Mac, and the specific choice depends on your needs and the complexity of the file. If you don't mind adjusting the format, Preview and Automator are quick choices; if you want to keep the layout as much as possible, Google Docs is the best solution.

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