WD: How to Convert Adobe Acrobat Reader (*.pdf) Files

Microsoft Word does not directly support conversion to or from Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). PDF is the format in which documents are saved for viewing and exchange via Acrobat Reader and Acrobat Exchange for Macintosh and Windows.

To convert a PDF document from Adobe Acrobat Reader to Microsoft Word, use one of the following methods appropriate for your version of Adobe Acrobat Reader:

Acrobat Reader Version 4.x

Use the following steps to copy text from a PDF file if you are using Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.x:

1. Open your PDF document into Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.x for Windows.
2. Select the content of the current screen image that you want to use in Word by doing one of the following:
   • To select and copy text, do the following in Adobe Acrobat Reader:
     
     
     1. On the Acrobat toolbar, click and hold the mouse on the Select Tool button. This is the button immediately to the right of the Zoom in Tool (Z) button. Then click the Text Select Tool (V) toolbar button.
     2. Click and drag the I-beam mouse pointer over the text that you want to copy. The text will be selected (highlighted).
   • To select and copy a graphic, do the following:
     
     
     1. On the Acrobat toolbar, click and hold the mouse on the Select Tool button. This is the button immediately to the right of the Zoom in Tool (Z) button. Then click the Graphics Select Tool (V) toolbar button.
     2. Click and drag the cross-hair mouse pointer (the cross-hair mouse pointer is a large plus sign [+]) around the picture or graphic that you want to copy.
3. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
4. In Microsoft Word, click Paste on the Edit menu.

Acrobat Reader Versions 2.x/3.x

Use the following steps to copy the text from a PDF file if you are using Adobe Acrobat Reader 2.x or 3.x:

1. Open your PDF document into Adobe Acrobat Reader 2.x or 3.x for Windows.
2. Select the content of the current screen image that you want to use in Word by doing one of the following:
   • To select and copy text, do the following in Adobe Acrobat Reader:
     
     
     1. On the Tools menu, click Select Text.
     2. Click and drag the I-beam mouse pointer over the text thatt you want to copy. The text will be selected (highlighted).
   • To select and copy a graphic, do the following:
     
     
     1. On the Tools menu, click Select Graphics.
     2. Click and drag the cross-hair mouse pointer (the cross-hair mouse pointer is a large plus sign [+]) around the picture or graphic that you want to copy.
3. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
4. In Microsoft Word, click Paste on the Edit menu.

Notes About Adobe Acrobat Reader

Text pasted from Adobe Acrobat Reader retains its character level formatting (for example, fonts, bold, italic, underline, color, and so on). However, some reformatting of the text after you paste it into Microsoft Word is probably necessary.

If security has been set in a PDF file, you may be unable to select and copy the contents of the PDF document for use in Word.

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

NOTE: Acrobat Reader is published by Adobe Systems, Inc. To obtain copies or information about the program or for support, contact Adobe Systems.

For information about how to contact Adobe, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: