How to Create Fillable PDF From Word.

Businessman looking at a computer and printed form

Keen to gather customer or employee information using a digital form? Discover what you need to do to create a fillable PDF from Word.

There are plenty of good reasons to create a PDF form from a Word document. You may be the owner of a customer-facing business or the organizer of a local sports team, for example. Whatever your goals and needs, fillable PDF forms allow you to:

Read on to explore how to make a fillable PDF in Word. With a little help from Adobe Acrobat, you’ll soon be on your way.

What You’ll Learn.

How to Create a Fillable PDF From Word.

You’ll generally require two pieces of software to convert a Word document to a fillable PDF. As you’d probably expect, the first of these is Word. The second is Adobe Acrobat.

Here’s the main way to generate a fillable PDF from Word:

  1. Open Word, click File and choose to create a new document.

The file option menu in Word.

  1. Enter the questions, sections and any other details you want to include on your form.
  2. Enter underscores _ like this _ to help Acrobat identify where fillable fields should go.

A screenshot showing underscores and text in a Word document.

  1. Once you’ve typed everything into your Word document, it’s time to save the form as a PDF. Go File > Save As. When saving, select PDF as the format.

Screenshot showing how to save a Word doc as a PDF.

  1. Ensure your computer has Acrobat. Then right-click your PDF file and choose Open with Acrobat Reader.
  2. In Acrobat, select Tools > Prepare Form. Acrobat will then identify any horizontal lines and create fillable fields.

Screenshot showing the Prepare Form option, among others, in the Tools option box.

  1. Once that’s done, go File > Save As and choose the folder you want to store your fillable PDF form.

How Else Can I Make a PDF Editable in Word?

You’ve also got a few other options to create an editable PDF from Word. Below are the main steps to follow.

How to Make an Editable PDF From Word Using Templates.

  1. Open Word and go File > New.
  2. Type ‘Forms’ into the search bar ‘Search for online templates. Hit Enter.

Screenshot showing the ‘Search for online templates’ box.

  1. You’ll see a list of different form templates. Choose the one that best suits your needs. Then click Create or Download.

Screenshot showing the form templates available in Word.

How to Make a Word Document Fillable Using Content Controls.

The Developer tab in the top navigation of Word allows you to insert ‘controls’ — ringfenced boxes designed to contain specific pieces of content. For example, a respondent’s name or date of birth. They fix the position of particular words, making them useful when creating a structured form.

Here’s how to set up controls in a Word document:

  1. Open Word, then go File > New and select Blank Document.

Screenshot showing Blank Document option in Word.

  1. Find the Developer tab at the top of your screen. Select the area of the document you want to insert a control.
  2. Go to Developer then Rich Text Content Control or Plain Text Content Control.

Screenshot showing the Developer tab on a Word document.

While it’s useful to know how to turn a Word document into a fillable PDF, Adobe Acrobat can provide a more direct option.

It’s simple to create a PDF form using our online Acrobat service. We make it easy to customise fields or select from existing templates.

And once it’s time for people to complete the document, our Fill and Sign and e-signature collection tools can get the job done. You can also protect a PDF form if you need to.

FAQs

How do I convert a PDF into a fillable form?

To create a fillable PDF, you’ll need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Open the program and then:

  1. Prepare Form. Click on Tools > Prepare Form on the menu bar.
  2. Select your document. Choose the PDF or file you want to become a fillable form and Adobe will automatically analyse and add any fillable fields.
  3. Add form fields. You can adjust and add form fields using the toolbar.
  4. Save your file. Once the forms are adjusted to your liking you can your file and share it.
What is a fillable form?
A fillable form is a type of interactive document. In the case of a PDF, it’s a document which allows users to enter information on the form often in specific locations. These can be great for information collection.
How long does it take to convert a Word document to a fillable PDF?
The process of converting a Word document to a PDF file normally takes a matter of seconds. You can do this through the Save As function in Word or use our online PDF converter tool.

Related Content.

How to Add Page Numbers to PDF.

How to Add and Remove Highlights in PDF.

How to Open and Edit PDF on Android.

style
reading width