File Format & Compatibility

Fix Incorrect Symbols When Converting Adobe PDF to Word

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users encounter an issue where converting Adobe PDF files to Microsoft Word format results in garbled text, incorrect symbols, or unexpected languages.

Product: PDF to Word Converter
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Converting an Adobe PDF document into an editable Microsoft Word document.
Observed behavior: The converted Word document displays random symbols or text that appears to be in a different language, even when both Windows and Office settings are configured to English.

Before you start

Verify that your Windows operating system and Office application language preferences are correctly set to English, and check if the original PDF displays correctly in a standard PDF reader before proceeding.

Solution 1Recommended

Submit Files to Support for Secure Investigation

If standard conversions result in garbled text, providing the original and converted files directly to the support team is the most effective way to identify specific font encoding issues.

Incorrect symbols often stem from missing Unicode mappings or custom font encodings within the original Adobe PDF file. Our technical team can analyze the file structure to find a precise solution without compromising your data.

Gather the files

Locate the original Adobe PDF file and the incorrectly converted Word document.

Take screenshots

Capture screenshots of the garbled text in the Word document and your current system language settings.

Document your process

Note down the specific conversion method or software tool you used to perform the PDF to Word conversion.

Send a private message

Submit the gathered files, screenshots, and conversion details to the official support team via private message so the issue can be investigated safely without exposing sensitive content.

Solution 2

Use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) for Conversion

Using an OCR-enabled converter forces the software to read the visual shapes of the text rather than relying on corrupted underlying font data.

Seamless PDF to Word Conversion

Convert PDF to Word Accurately with WPS Office

WPS Office features a powerful built-in PDF to Word converter equipped with advanced OCR technology. It accurately extracts text while preserving your original formatting, effectively bypassing the encoding errors that cause incorrect symbols.

1. Launch WPS Office: Open WPS Office and navigate to the 'PDF' tab on the main dashboard.
2. Select PDF to Word: Click on the 'PDF to Word' tool and add the Adobe PDF file you want to convert.
3. Configure OCR settings: Select the output format as '.docx' and enable the OCR feature if your document contains non-standard text encoding.
4. Start conversion: Click 'Start' to convert the file. The accurately formatted Word document will open automatically for editing.

Advanced OCR technology for highly accurate text extraction from scanned or encoded PDFs.Seamlessly converts PDF files to fully compatible Microsoft Word formats (.docx).Maintains the original document layout, formatting, and standard fonts.Lightweight, fast, and completely secure for processing sensitive documents.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my converted Word document show strange symbols instead of English text?

This typically happens when the original PDF was created with embedded fonts that lack standard Unicode mapping, or if the PDF relies on a custom encoding. When the converter tries to extract the text layer, it misinterprets the data, resulting in garbled symbols.

Will changing my Windows language settings fix the PDF conversion error?

While it is important to ensure Windows and Office are set to English, it often will not resolve garbled text if the PDF's internal font data is missing or corrupted. The issue usually lies within the PDF file's structure rather than your system settings.

Is my original PDF file damaged if it converts to incorrect symbols?

Not necessarily. The PDF might display perfectly in a reader because it contains the visual font shapes needed for viewing. However, it may lack the underlying text data layer required for a clean text extraction and conversion to Word.

How can I extract text from a PDF if standard conversion keeps failing?

If standard conversion fails due to encoding errors, using a PDF converter with an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) feature is the best workaround. OCR scans the visual shapes of the letters instead of relying on the corrupted text layer.

Document & File Issues