You've got a Word document (.docx) and need to share it as a PDF — but you don't have Microsoft Office installed, or you're on a device that can't run it. This is an extremely common situation, and the solution is simpler than you might think.
BuildPDF can convert your .docx files to PDF directly in the browser, using the open-source Mammoth.js library to parse the Word format. No Office license needed, no cloud upload, no watermarks.
Visit buildpdf.co in any modern browser. Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook.
Drag and drop your Word document onto the drop zone, or click "Choose Files" and select your .docx file from your device.
Choose your page size (Letter for US standard, A4 for international), orientation, and margin. Wider margins look more professional for text documents.
BuildPDF extracts the text and formatting from your Word file and renders it as a clean PDF. Download it when it's done.
| Method | Cost | Requires Software | Files Uploaded | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BuildPDF | Free | No | No | Quick text-based docs |
| Microsoft Word | Paid ($99+/yr) | Yes | No | Complex formatting |
| Google Docs | Free | No | Yes (to Google) | Best formatting fidelity |
| LibreOffice | Free | Yes (install) | No | Offline, complex docs |
| Smallpdf/ILovePDF | Freemium | No | Yes (to their servers) | Occasional use |
Sending a .docx file to someone is convenient for editing — but for final sharing, PDF is almost always the better choice:
If you're submitting a resume, always convert it to PDF before sending. Many Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) parse DOCX reliably, but sending as PDF guarantees your formatting is preserved for any human reviewer. Use BuildPDF's Normal (10mm) margin for a clean, professional look.
BuildPDF currently supports the modern .docx format (Word 2007 and later). The older .doc format (Word 97–2003) is not supported. If you have a .doc file, you can open it in Google Docs and re-save it as .docx, then use BuildPDF to convert to PDF.
Mammoth.js maps standard Word heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) to HTML heading tags, which BuildPDF then includes in the PDF. If you used custom named styles in Word instead of the built-in heading hierarchy, they may appear as plain body text. The fix: in your Word document, ensure headings use the standard "Heading 1", "Heading 2" styles from the Styles panel, then re-export.
Simple tables (basic rows and columns with text) convert reasonably well. Complex tables with merged cells, custom borders, nested tables, or conditional formatting may not render correctly. If table accuracy is critical, consider exporting to PDF directly from Google Docs, which has more robust .docx rendering.
Mammoth.js focuses on text extraction and basic formatting. Embedded images inside .docx files (photos, charts, SmartArt) are not extracted into the PDF output. This is a current limitation of browser-based DOCX parsing. If your document has important images, use Google Docs or LibreOffice for conversion instead.
Custom fonts embedded in a .docx file (such as Calibri, Garamond, or proprietary brand fonts) cannot be loaded from inside a browser environment. BuildPDF's output uses a standard system serif/sans-serif font. For documents where font fidelity matters, server-side tools or desktop software will give better results.
BuildPDF currently supports the modern .docx format (Word 2007 and later). The older .doc format (Word 97–2003) is not directly supported. If you have a .doc file, open it in Google Docs (which accepts both formats) and re-download it as .docx, then use BuildPDF to finish the conversion to PDF.
Not necessarily — page count depends on how the text reflows at the page size and margin settings you choose in BuildPDF. A document that's 3 pages in Word at Letter size might be 4 pages in BuildPDF's output at A4 with different margins. If matching exact page count matters, use a desktop tool that can replicate Word's layout engine exactly.
Yes, for straightforward resumes using standard Word templates, BuildPDF works well. The key is to keep formatting simple: use built-in heading styles, avoid text boxes, keep fonts to standard system fonts (Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri), and use a single-column layout. Run a quick visual check after conversion to make sure everything looks right before submitting.
Currently, BuildPDF processes DOCX files one at a time. If you add multiple DOCX files to the queue, each is converted separately. For batch DOCX conversion, you may want to use a command-line tool like LibreOffice's headless mode or a scripted API solution.
No Office needed. No uploads. 100% free.
Convert DOCX to PDF →