How to Save a Word Doc as PDF Without Comments

To save a Word doc as a PDF without comments in desktop Word, choose File → Save As or Save a Copy → PDF, open More Options → Options, and set Publish what to Document rather than Document showing markup. If you create the PDF through the Print screen, clear Print Markup. Both methods can leave the comments in the original .docx file while excluding them from the PDF.

Key Takeaways

• For a clean PDF, export Document, not Document showing markup.
• When using Print to PDF, make sure Print Markup is turned off.
• No Markup hides review content but does not delete comments or tracked changes.
• In Word for the web, select Download as PDF, not Download as PDF with comments.
• In WPS Writer, leave Comments unchecked under PDF Advanced Settings → Content.

Choose Whether to Hide or Remove Comments

Before exporting, decide whether you only need a clean PDF or also need to clean the Word source file. These are different tasks. Word can keep comments and tracked changes in the .docx file while producing a PDF that shows only the final document.

Your goal	Best method	What happens to the Word comments?
Create a clean PDF but keep review history	Export Document instead of Document showing markup	They remain in the .docx file
Print or create a PDF without visible markup	Clear Print Markup	They remain in the .docx file
Deliver a clean Word file and PDF	Delete comments and accept or reject tracked changes	They are removed from the cleaned copy
Remove review data and personal information	Run Document Inspector on a copy	Selected review data is removed

Changing the display to No Markup can help you preview the clean document, but it is not the same as deleting review data. Likewise, resolving a comment thread marks the discussion as finished; it does not erase the thread from the source file.

Save as PDF Without Comments in Word for Windows

This is the most reliable desktop method because Word lets you choose whether the PDF contains markup.

1. Open the document and save your latest changes.
2. Select File → Save a Copy. For a new or unsaved file, use File → Save As.
3. Select a folder, then choose PDF (*.pdf) as the file type.
4. Select More Options, then open Options.
5. Under Publish what, choose Document. Do not choose Document showing markup.
6. Select OK, save the PDF, and open it to inspect every page.

You can also use File → Export → Create PDF/XPS. The important setting is still Publish what: Document. The separate Document properties checkbox controls metadata such as document properties; it is not the setting that removes comment balloons or tracked-change markup from the PDF.

If you want to keep the comments for your internal team, stop here. You do not need to delete them from the Word file. For instructions on temporarily hiding the review interface while you work, see how to turn off comments on a Word document.

Use Print to PDF Without Comments

Print to PDF is another option, especially when a system or workflow requires a printed PDF. However, you must check the print setting because Word can print comments and tracked changes when markup is enabled.

1. Select File → Print.
2. Under Settings, open the menu that normally says Print All Pages.
3. If Print Markup is checked, select it to clear the check mark.
4. Choose Microsoft Print to PDF or another PDF printer.
5. Select Print, name the file, and save it.

Use the print preview as your first quality check. If the preview still has a wider right margin, comment balloons, revision bars, or deleted text, return to the settings and confirm that Print Markup is off. Save As or Export is usually preferable when you need Word's PDF options, accessibility tags, or document bookmarks.

Save as PDF Without Comments on Mac

Word for Mac uses a simpler Save As workflow. Hide review markup before exporting, then verify the resulting PDF.

1. Open the Review tab and set the review display to No Markup if comments or tracked changes are visible.
2. Select File → Save As or Save a Copy.
3. Open File Format and choose PDF.
4. Name the file, choose a location, and select Save.
5. Open the PDF and confirm that no comment balloons, reviewer names, or revision marks appear.

If you create the PDF from the macOS Print dialog instead, check the Word print options and make sure markup is not included. Interface wording can vary by Word version, so the preview is the final authority. For documents containing confidential review history, make a separate clean copy before removing anything.

Download a PDF Without Comments in Word for the Web

Word for the web now separates the two export choices clearly.

1. Select File.
2. Select Export.
3. Choose Download as PDF to exclude comments.
4. Do not choose Download as PDF with comments.
5. Select Download and inspect the saved file.

This method lets you preserve comments in the online Word document while downloading a clean reading copy. If you cannot find the export choices, check that the file is open in Word for the web rather than a browser preview or another Microsoft 365 viewer.

Export a Clean PDF in WPS Writer

WPS Writer can export a .docx file to PDF and lets you decide whether comments are part of the exported content.

1. Open the Word document in WPS Writer and review the comments under Review.
2. Select Menu → Export to PDF. Some versions also provide an Export to PDF shortcut near the top-left corner.
3. In the export window, open Advanced Settings.
4. Under Content, leave Comments unchecked.
5. Choose the page range and save location, then select Confirm and Export to PDF.
6. Open the PDF in WPS PDF or another viewer and inspect the pages.