PDF to Word Converter: Best Free Options for 2025

The Struggle Is Real

You've got a PDF and you need to edit it. Sound familiar? Maybe it's a contract, a report, or an old document you wrote years ago. You can't just open it in Word and make changes.

That's where PDF to Word converters save the day. Here's what actually works in 2025.

Our Top Recommendations

1. I Love PDF (Best Overall)

  • Free: Yes, with limits
  • Quality: Good formatting retention
  • Speed: Fast conversions
  • Limit: 2 conversions per hour on free

2. SmallPDF

  • Free: 2 free conversions daily
  • Quality: Solid results
  • UX: Clean, simple interface

3. CloudConvert

  • Free: 25 minutes worth daily
  • Quality: Excellent for complex files
  • Format support: Lots of options

4. Adobe Acrobat Online

  • Free: Limited
  • Quality: Best in industry
  • From: The PDF creators

How to Convert: Step by Step

  1. Go to ilovepdf.com/pdf-to-word
  2. Select your PDF file
  3. Wait for upload and conversion
  4. Download your .docx file
  5. Open in Word and fix any formatting

What About Complex PDFs?

If your PDF has complex layouts, tables, or images, expect some cleanup work. No converter is perfect — but they're usually 80-90% there.

Offline Options

Need to convert sensitive documents without uploading to the cloud?

  • Microsoft Word: Open PDF directly, will convert automatically
  • LibreOffice: Can open and save as Word format

Final Thoughts

For most people, the free online tools are perfectly fine. Just remember: the more complex your PDF (fancy formatting, images, tables), the more cleanup you'll need to do afterward.