How to Insert a PDF into Word (4 Quick Ways)

Getting your PDF content into MS Word can be tricky. If you’re collaborating, reviewing, or presenting the content via MS Word, you’ll want your PDF content to come out looking and behaving the way you want.

However, factors like the type of PDF content you have, how you're going to use it, and if you need others to interact with it, will determine how you add PDF into Word.

To help, we're covering every possible option at your disposal with the methods below:

• Inserting PDF into Word in Microsoft Word
• Inserting PDF into Word online
• Insert PDF into Word on mobile
• Manually copy pasting PDF into Word

Some methods are better than others, but it all comes down to what you need and how quickly you want the task done.

Now let's start bridging the gap between the two formats and go over ways to put a PDF into Word.

How to insert PDF into Word using Microsoft Word

In Microsoft Word, you can insert a PDF using the Insert Object feature that'll let you insert your PDF in two ways.

Insert PDF into Word as text

The first way is to insert your PDF as text from your file. Here's how:

1. Open your Word document in MS Word.

2. Click on the Insert tab.

3. Select Object, and then select Text from File.

4. Select the PDF you wish to insert into the current Word document. Press and hold down the Ctrl button to select more than one document.

5. Click on OK.

This method will transfer your PDF to Word, which you’ll be able to edit. But beware that the formatting may be off, requiring some heavy post-transfer edits.

Insert PDF into Word as an object

To insert a PDF into your Word document as an object, follow the steps below:

1. Open your Word document.

2. Go to the Insert tab > Object.

3. In the dialog that appears, you’ll have two options:

a) Create New: Insert a PDF as an object to your document. Select Adobe Acrobat Document (opt to Display as icon or not) > OK. Browse for and select your PDF. Click on Open.

b) Create from File: Insert and link to the source PDF from within your Word document. This lets you access the latest version of the linked PDF. Click on Browse and select your PDF.

4. Customize the appearance of your PDF object. Otherwise, MS Word will insert the first page of your PDF as an image by default.

Here are your options:

• Link to file: This option will create a shortcut to the source file itself and let you view the original PDF.
• Display as icon: Use a standard or customized icon to represent your inserted PDF.

5. Click on OK.

Now, this method won’t let you edit the PDF in the Word document itself. Clicking on it will open the PDF in Adobe PDF Reader.

Also, the image of the PDF page displayed may be of low quality. While you can crop and resize it, it can't be edited. It only acts as a place holder for the PDF object.

The best way to insert a PDF into Word is to do it online – you can work when and where you need, keeping your work precise, editable, and agile.

How to insert PDF into Word online 

To insert your PDF into Word both quickly and accurately, convert it with a free online PDF to Word converter like Xodo.

This method will pull out your PDF content out as-is and make it accessible in MS Word to edit or copy and paste it into other Word documents.

1. Go to Xodo’s PDF to Word Converter.

2. Upload your PDF file.

3. Click on Convert.

4. Download your converted file to your device .

Xodo PDF to Word is also advanced enough to process multiple PDFs at once if needed – just batch upload your PDFs to the conversion queue.

And if you need to insert content from scanned PDFs, Xodo has OCR technology for converting scanned PDFs to Word, as well.

Inserting PDF into Word on mobile

On top of using Xodo online, you can also use Xodo on your mobile. The platform is cross compatible with an Android app and an iOS app so you can insert a PDF into Word while on the go.

Simply open your PDF in either the Android or iOS Xodo app, tap on the Lightning bolt icon and select PDF to Word. Then tap on Convert.

You can then use and insert the newly converted content into any other MS Word document you need.

But what happens if you only a section of your PDF to get into MS Word and not the entire PDF? We have one last method you can try. 

How to copy and paste a PDF into Word

If you want to insert a couple of sentences from PDF to Word, you can do so manually by following the steps below:

1. Open the PDF you want to copy your content from and the MS Word document you wish to copy the content into.

2. Select the text in your PDF document, right-click and select Copy, or press Ctrl + C.

3. Click onto your Word document, right-click and select Paste, or press Ctrl + V.

This is just one method of copying and pasting content from PDFs. There are multiple ways to do it. You can find out more with our guide on copying text from PDFs.

For larger files with a lot of pages, copying and pasting can be very time-consuming and tedious. So, only use this method for short sections you want to insert.

Take Your Document Workflow to the Next Level

With the above tips for inserting PDFs into Word in MS Word, online, on mobile, and manually, there’s no shortage of ways to get the task done– it all depends on your needs.

While Xodo can help you with the PDF to Word method, it isn’t just for PDF conversions. Xodo offers 30+ tools that can help you annotate PDF text, rotate and rearrange PDF pages, and even edit DOCX files. Check them out in full!