PDF to Word
Convert PDF files to editable Word documents (.docx) in your browser, with text, formatting and images. Scanned pages are read with OCR.
How to use
Choose one or more PDF files, or drag them onto the tool. A preview shows the pages; pages marked OCR are scans, or pages whose text cannot be extracted, and will be read with OCR. With one PDF you can convert only some pages: type all, single pages or ranges such as 1,3-5. Then Convert to Word creates a .docx file you can open and edit in Word, LibreOffice or Google Docs. With several PDFs you get one .docx for each, and a ZIP file with all of them.
Each page is rebuilt as editable text: lines are joined into paragraphs that reflow when you type, with the original fonts, sizes, bold, italic, underline and colours, the alignment and the indents. Short lines in larger bold or coloured type, or in much larger type, become headings (up to three levels), so they show in Word's navigation pane. Bullets and numbers are kept as text with a hanging indent, not as Word lists. Pictures are placed in the text in reading order, from the original pixels where possible; a picture that fills most of a page with text on it is treated as a background and left out. A page set in two columns becomes a two-column section in Word. Each PDF page starts a new page in Word, with the same paper size.
Some things cannot be rebuilt reliably. Tables come out as lines of text with tabs between the cells, and charts or drawings made of lines and shapes are left out. Headers, footers and footnotes become ordinary text on their page. Pages with three or more columns are read in the wrong order. Fonts the PDF uses but your computer does not have are replaced by similar ones, so lines and pages can break in different places from the PDF.
Pages that are only an image, such as a scan, and pages whose text cannot be extracted are read with OCR in the language you choose. OCR reads printed text, not handwriting. From those pages only the text is kept: no pictures, bold or colours, and the accuracy depends on the quality of the scan. If a scanned PDF already has a hidden text layer, that text is used instead. Up to 300 pages can be converted at a time, 50 of them with OCR; each PDF can be up to 80 MB, and 150 MB in total. PDFs that need a password to open are not supported.
Everything happens in your browser: the PDF is not uploaded to nTools or to any conversion service. When you choose a file, the browser downloads the converter and the PDF reader it uses (about 0.6 MB). The OCR engine (about 1.5 MB) and the language data (0.7 to 3 MB) are downloaded only the first time a scanned page needs them.
Example
Report exported from Word as PDFreport.docx with headings, paragraphs, bold and italic text, colours, bullet points and pictures, ready to edit.Two-column articleA two-column section in Word, with the left column read before the right one.Scanned letter (PDF made of images)The text of the letter as editable paragraphs, read with OCR, without the scan itself.Invoice with a tableThe text of each row on its own line, with tabs between the columns. To get a table back, select those lines in Word and use Insert > Table > Convert Text to Table.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The conversion runs in your browser, and the PDF and the Word file stay on your device. Only the tool itself is downloaded from nTools: the converter and PDF reader and, for scanned pages, the OCR engine and language data.
Why does the Word document look a little different?
A PDF fixes every line in place, while Word reflows text. When the PDF's fonts are not installed on your computer, Word uses similar ones, so line and page breaks can move. Tables and drawings are not rebuilt. Headers, footers and footnotes become ordinary text on their page.
Can it convert scanned PDFs?
Yes. Pages that are images are read with OCR in the language you choose, and only their text is kept. OCR reads printed text, not handwriting, and up to 50 pages can be read at a time. Check names, numbers and amounts, especially on poor scans.
Can I convert several PDFs at once?
Yes. Each PDF becomes its own .docx file, and you can also download all of them in one ZIP file. Choosing pages only works with one PDF.
Which programs can open the .docx file?
Microsoft Word, LibreOffice Writer, Google Docs, Apple Pages and other programs that open Word documents.