How to create a PDF file
Miscellaneous / / July 12, 2022
We list the fastest ways for Windows, macOS and Linux.
How to create a PDF file using a virtual printer
This is the easiest and most versatile way to create a PDF file with any content, be it browser pages, pictures, documents, or something else like that.
All self-respecting operating systems have a so-called virtual PDF printer that can be selected from the print menu. Instead of outputting content to a physical device (which you might not have), this option creates a PDF file.
Windows
Open the document or picture you need. Press Ctrl + P to bring up the print menu, or click File→Print.
In the window that opens, specify which pages you want to print, or leave the "All" option. Then select Microsoft Print to PDF from the Printer list. Click "Print" and choose where to save your PDF file.
macOS
Printing to PDF is just as easy on macOS as it is on Windows. Open the document or picture you need. Choose File → Print or press Cmd + P.
The print menu appears. In it you can specify the desired pages. At the bottom of the window, you will see a PDF drop down menu.
Click on it and select "Save as PDF". Then specify where to put your file.
linux
In general, the interface device may vary in different distributions, but the idea is the same everywhere. We will deal with the example of the most popular Ubuntu.
Open the document or picture you need. Choose File → Print or press Cmd + P. In the window that opens, in the "Printer" drop-down list, select "Print to file ...".
Click the Print to File button at the bottom of the window and choose where to save your PDF file.
How to create a PDF file in the browser
In addition to files saved on your disk, such as documents and photos, you can save entire web pages as PDF. Firstly, you can print them out later, in case you need to show a recipe from the Internet to your grandma, but she cannot read from the screen.
Secondly, in this way you can make yourself a collection of useful instructions for all occasions, save them on your tablet and be able to access them even if you are left without the Internet.
The method is universal and works in any popular desktop browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari and others. Open the desired page and select Menu → Print. Or press Ctrl + P on Windows and Linux or Cmd + P on macOS.
In the window that appears, in the "Printer" drop-down list, select either "Save to PDF" or Microsoft Print to PDF, depending on which option is available. The result will still be the same. Click "Print" and choose where to save your PDF.
How to create PDF file in office suite
This can be done both in Word, Pages and OpenOffice, as well as in Google Docs.
Word
The most popular word processor can also save documents to PDF, and there are two ways to do this.
For example, click File → Print or Ctrl + P. Select Microsoft Print to PDF from the menu that opens. Click "Print" and choose where to save your PDF file.
Alternatively, click File→Save As and specify a location to save the document. Select PDF from the drop-down list of file formats.
Method 3: Click "File" → "Export" → "Create PDF/XPS Document".
And specify where to save it.
Pages
The built-in macOS word processor can also save documents to PDF. Click "File" → "Export to..." and select the PDF format.
Click the "Next" button, specify where to save the file, and click the "Export" button.
openoffice
The free office suites OpenOffice and LibreOffice are still easier than Word. Click "File" → "Export to..." → "Export to PDF". In the menu that opens, you can activate additional options, for example, add a watermark.
Then click "Export" and choose where to save the file.
Google Docs
Open the document you need in the cloud editor from Google. Then click "File" → "Download" → "PDF Document".
The file will be saved to your computer's Downloads folder.
Read also🧐
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- How to Make a PDF from a Screenshot in iOS 13
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