How to Save a Resume as a PDF in 3 Steps (Word, Docs, Phone)

To save a resume as a PDF, open it in the app you wrote it in, choose Export or Download and pick PDF, then name the file and check it: 3 steps that work in Word, Google Docs, Pages, Canva and on your phone.

TL;DR: The menu path changes from app to app. The 3 steps don’t. Word: File > Save As > PDF. Google Docs: File > Download > PDF Document (.pdf). Pages: File > Export To > PDF. On a phone, use the app’s Export option or Print > Share > Save to Files. Then send the PDF, unless the job posting asks for Word. If you would rather start from a resume that is already written for the job, ResuFit tailors your resume to a job posting and exports it as a PDF.

What you’ll take away:

• The 3-step method that works in every resume app, plus the exact menu path for each one
• How to save a resume as a PDF on iPhone and Android
• When to send PDF and when to send Word
• How to send the PDF by email or upload it to a job portal
• What to name the file, and how to fix a PDF that looks wrong

How do you save a resume as a PDF in 3 steps?

Every method in this guide follows the same 3 steps:

1. Open the resume in the app you wrote it in. Always export from the original file (Word, Google Docs, Pages, Canva). Exporting from the source keeps the text selectable, which is what applicant tracking systems read.
2. Export or download it as a PDF. The option is called Save As, Export, Download or Print depending on the app. The table below lists the exact path.
3. Name the file and check it. Use FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf, then open the PDF once and look at page breaks, fonts and links.

App	Where the PDF option is	Watch out for
Word (Windows)	File > Save As > Save as type: PDF	Choose “Standard” quality so links stay clickable
Word (Mac)	File > Save As > File Format: PDF > Export	“Best for printing” can break hyperlinks on Mac
Word for the web	File > Export > Download as PDF	Pick “Download as PDF”, not the version with comments
Google Docs	File > Download > PDF Document (.pdf)	Page breaks can move; check the last page
Apple Pages	File > Export To > PDF	Pick “Good” or “Better” image quality
Canva	Share > Download > PDF Standard	Text inside images or graphics is not machine-readable
iPhone	App’s Export option, or Share > Print > Share > Save to Files	Margins can shift; open the file before sending
Android	⋮ menu > Print > Save as PDF	Select “Save as PDF” as the printer first

How to save a resume as a PDF in Word

Microsoft Word has PDF export built in on every platform. Microsoft’s own instructions cover all versions; here are the short paths.

Word on Windows

1. Click File > Save As and pick a folder
2. In the Save as type list, select PDF (*.pdf)
3. Under Optimize for, keep Standard (publishing online and printing)
4. Name the file FirstName_LastName_Resume and click Save

To keep your fonts exactly as designed, open File > Options > Save and tick Embed fonts in the file before you export.

Word on Mac

1. Click File > Save As
2. In File Format, select PDF
3. Choose Best for electronic distribution and accessibility
4. Click Export

Microsoft notes that the “Best for printing” option may not convert hyperlinks correctly on Mac, so use the electronic option for a resume with a LinkedIn or portfolio link (Microsoft Support, 2026).

Word for the web

1. Click File > Export
2. Choose Download as PDF
3. Confirm with Download, then find the file in your downloads folder

How to save a resume as a PDF in Google Docs, Pages, LibreOffice and Canva

Google Docs

1. Open your resume in Google Docs
2. Click File > Download > PDF Document (.pdf)
3. Open the downloaded file and check that nothing moved to a new page

Google Docs converts cleanly as long as you stay with its built-in fonts. If you are still choosing a layout, our guide to the Google Docs resume templates covers the built-in designs and how to keep them ATS-safe. If you keep everything in the cloud, see how to create, save, and share your resume on Google Drive.

Apple Pages

1. Click File > Export To > PDF
2. Set Image Quality to Good or Better
3. Click Next, choose a folder and click Export

LibreOffice Writer

1. Click File > Export As > Export as PDF
2. Leave Hybrid PDF unticked and tick Tagged PDF
3. Click Export and choose where to save the file

Canva

1. Click Share > Download
2. Choose PDF Standard as the file type (Print adds crop marks you don’t need)
3. Click Download

Canva makes good-looking resumes, but text that sits inside a graphic or image is not text to a parser. If you designed your resume in Canva, check that you can select every line of the exported PDF with your cursor.

How to save your resume as a PDF on iPhone and Android

Plenty of people now finish and send applications from their phone. The 3 steps stay the same; only the buttons move.

iPhone and iPad

• Word app: tap File > Export > PDF (Microsoft Support)
• Google Docs app: tap ⋮ > Share & export > Send a copy > PDF
• Any other app (Pages, Files, a mail attachment): tap Share > Print, then tap the Share icon at the top of the print options and choose Save to Files. On older iOS versions, pinch outward on the print preview to open it as a PDF.

Android

1. Open the resume in Google Docs, Word or your file viewer
2. Tap the ⋮ menu and select Print (in Google Docs: Share & export > Print)
3. At the top, change the printer to Save as PDF
4. Tap the round PDF button and choose a folder

Can’t find the file afterwards? Our guide on how to find your resume on your phone walks through the Files app, Downloads and cloud folders on both systems.

Where can you create a resume that is already a PDF?

If you don’t have a resume file yet, you can skip the conversion step entirely. Resume builders produce the PDF for you.

ResuFit builds a resume for the specific job you are applying to. Paste the job posting, and ResuFit rewrites your bullet points for that role, scores the match and exports the result as a PDF (or a ZIP of your application documents). A word processor gives you a blank page. ResuFit rewrites your resume for the job.

Two facts to know before you start:

• Export format: ResuFit exports PDF and ZIP. It does not export Word (.docx) files, so if a posting insists on Word, use Word or Google Docs for that application.
• Cost: the free plan includes resume analysis and a preview of your tailored resume (the full PDF comes with Pro).

Already have a PDF? ResuFit’s free resume checker reads it (PDF uploads only) and shows your score and the top issues to fix; a free account unlocks the full breakdown.

Should you download your resume as PDF or Word?

Send a PDF unless the job posting asks for something else. A PDF looks the same on the recruiter’s laptop, phone and printer, and a Word file can reflow when it opens in a different version or on a Mac.

Applicant tracking systems generally accept both. Greenhouse, for example, lists .pdf, .doc, .docx, .rtf and .txt as supported candidate uploads (Greenhouse Support). What varies between systems is how well they parse a given layout, and nobody outside the vendor can promise that every line of your resume lands in the right field. Two habits keep the odds on your side:

• Export a text-based PDF. If you can highlight the words with your cursor, a parser can read them. A scanned or photographed resume is an image.
• Keep the layout simple. One column, standard section headings, no text boxes for important content.

Keep your editable original (the .docx or Google Doc) as well. You will need it to update the resume, and some recruiters and staffing agencies ask for Word so they can add their own branding. If you need a Word version that stays ATS-friendly, start from one of these ATS-friendly Word templates.

How do you send your resume as a PDF?

By email

1. Write the job title and your name in the subject line, for example “Application: Marketing Coordinator, Jane Smith”
2. Put a short cover note in the email body: the role, one line on why you fit, and a thank-you
3. Attach the PDF (not a Google Docs link that the recruiter might not have access to)
4. Send it to yourself first to check that the attachment opens

Through a job portal

Upload the PDF in the resume field. Many portals then fill out the application form from your file, so check each auto-filled field before you submit; it is the fastest way to spot a parsing problem. Portals set their own size limits and accepted formats, which our guide to uploading your resume for job applications covers in detail.

Keep the file small

A text-only resume PDF is small. Photos, background images and embedded graphics are what make it heavy. If your PDF is several megabytes, re-export it with a lower image quality setting or remove decorative images.

What should you name your resume PDF file?

Recruiters download dozens of files called resume.pdf. Make yours findable:

• FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf
• FirstName_LastName_JobTitle_Resume.pdf when you apply for a specific role
• No spaces, special characters or version labels like resume_final_v3.pdf

Use the same pattern for your cover letter (FirstName_LastName_Cover_Letter.pdf) so the two files sort together.

Why does my resume PDF look wrong?

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Fonts look different	The font wasn’t embedded	Word: enable Embed fonts in the file, or switch to Arial, Calibri or Georgia
An extra blank page	Trailing empty lines or a page break at the end	Delete the empty paragraphs after your last line and export again
Links don’t click	“Best for printing” or print-to-PDF was used	Export with the Standard or electronic-distribution option
Text can’t be selected	The PDF is an image (scan, photo or flattened design)	Export again from the original file
File is too large	High-resolution photos or background images	Lower the image quality on export or remove decorative images

Need to change a resume PDF you already saved?

Go back to the original file, fix it there and export a new PDF. That keeps the text clean. If the original is lost and all you have is the PDF, a PDF editor can change the text directly: our comparison of the 5 free resume PDF editors covers which ones handle resumes well.

Save it, check it, send it

Saving a resume as a PDF takes 3 steps in any app: open the original, export or download as PDF, then name and check the file. The time goes into the content of the resume, and that part changes with every job you apply to.

If you want the tailoring done for you, ResuFit matches your resume to each job posting and exports it as a PDF, ready to send.