Generate and distribute PDFs for universal access while preserving the integrity of your source file.
The Portable Document Format (PDF) is a universal format that retains the original format of the document, regardless of the program used to create it. PDF is a standard format used for reviewing content.
You can create a PDF in multiple ways, both within Acrobat and other apps.
You may be aware that several products, including Microsoft Word, Excel , and PowerPoint, provide a Save As PDF option within their File menu. However, the Microsoft Office suite now offers an Acrobat ribbon to convert source files directly to a PDF with a click of a button. For example, the Acrobat ribbon within Microsoft Word offers Create and Share PDF, which automatically converts your Word document into a PDF and immediately opens the share settings within Acrobat for efficiency.
Alternatively, open Acrobat and choose any Microsoft file (DOCX, XLSX, and so on) or TXT file to save as a PDF without launching the Microsoft app.
Other Adobe programs, such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign let you save or export to a PDF. This way, you can provide your intended design while maintaining universal access to your teammates or clients without them needing the software.
Illustrator: File > Save As contains options for you to share Illustrator documents with others while retaining file integrity as an Illustrator-compatible PDF.
Photoshop: File > Export exports your native PSD file as a PDF with options for reduced file sizes.
InDesign: File > Adobe PDF Presets contains five popular formats for exporting PDFs. You can also File > Export as an Interactive PDF for accessibility and other interactive formats.
Create a PDF from image formats
Similar to how you save word processor files to PDF, you save image files in various formats, such as PNG, JPG, and SVG to a PDF. You can save the files individually or in batches for proofing and portability. Pro tip: Select multiple image files from your desktop, right-click, and choose Save As PDF.
You can also create a PDF directly from Acrobat without having to open any other program. Access the Create PDF tools by the traditional File > Create method. Acrobat also provides Create PDF access from the Tools menu at the top of the screen, or through the convenient icons in the toolbar on the right side of the screen.
Create a PDF from a scanned document
Import files directly from your scanner. Acrobat will recognize any connected scanner and give you the option to append (add) the scanned document to an existing file or create a file.
Open Acrobat.
Select the Create PDF tool from the right menu and choose Scanner.
You can adjust your scanner settings or use the default profiles based on document type: Auto Detect Color Mode, Black and White Document, Color Document, Grayscale Document, or Color Photograph.
Create PDF from your clipboard
There may be some instances where you’ll want to create a PDF from an item you copied onto your computer’s clipboard. This could be a screenshot from a web page, or an image or copy inside another program. In general, if you can copy it, then you can create a PDF from it.
Select and copy the content from the desired source to your clipboard.
Open Acrobat.
Select the Create PDF tool from the right menu and choose Clipboard.
Acrobat will instantly create a PDF from your copied content.
Save the PDF to the location of your choice.
The universal nature of PDF documents provides a standard platform that almost any user can view, on virtually any device that runs Acrobat Reader. Creating PDFs within Acrobat and other partner products means delivering consistent-looking content no matter what the source.