PDF vs Word: Which Format Should You Use?

Use PDF when you are sharing a finished document

PDF's defining characteristic is that it looks identical on every device. Fonts, layout, page breaks, and images are locked in place regardless of what software or operating system the recipient uses.

• ·CVs and cover letters — a Word CV can reformat on the recruiter's screen if they use a different version of Word
• ·Invoices, receipts, and contracts — the figures and layout must be exactly as you sent them
• ·Printed materials — brochures, certificates, and reports that will be printed
• ·Official submissions — most government forms, academic submissions, and legal filings require PDF
• ·Documents you want to prevent editing on — PDF is not unbreakable, but it creates a clear barrier

Use Word when the document is still being worked on

Word (and Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer, etc.) is built for collaboration and revision. Its tracked changes, comments, and version history features make it far superior to PDF for working documents.

• ·Drafts that need to be reviewed and edited by multiple people
• ·Documents with tracked changes or comments for revision rounds
• ·Templates that will be updated frequently (monthly reports, recurring letters)
• ·Anything you may need to copy and paste text from into another document
• ·Mail-merge documents where the same template generates hundreds of personalised outputs

The practical decision rule

• ·Sending to a client → PDF
• ·Working on a draft with your team → Word, then PDF when finalised
• ·Submitting a CV → PDF
• ·Writing a contract you'll share for review → Word with track changes, then PDF for signature
• ·Sharing a form for someone to complete → Fillable PDF (created with a PDF Form Builder)
• ·Archiving a signed document → PDF (or PDF/A for long-term archival)

Converting between the two formats

• ·Word to PDF — preserves the layout exactly. Use this before sending any document. Free at editpdfai.com/word-to-pdf.
• ·PDF to Word — extracts the content into an editable .docx file. The more complex the layout (multi-column, tables with merged cells), the more clean-up may be needed in Word. Free at editpdfai.com/pdf-to-word.