File Format & Compatibility

How to Fix Word Text Turning Vertical After PDF Export or Printing

John Wilson Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to fix an issue where text orientation and positioning become distorted when exporting or printing a Word document.

Fix Word Text Turning Vertical After PDF Export or Printing

Product: Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Exporting a Word document to PDF format or sending it to a printer.
Observed behavior: Text that displays correctly horizontally in the Word editor suddenly renders vertically or appears in random positions on the exported PDF or printed page.

Before you start

Check your document's Print Preview (File > Print) to confirm if the text misalignment is visible there before proceeding with further exports or printing attempts.

Solution 1Recommended

Save the Document as RTF Before Exporting to PDF

Saving the problematic Word file as a Rich Text Format (RTF) file clears hidden formatting bugs that cause rendering errors.

Often, internal document corruption or metadata conflicts within the DOCX format can cause the conversion engine to misinterpret text direction.

By converting the document to RTF first, you strip away complex, problematic code while retaining the core layout, allowing for a clean PDF export.

Open Save As Menu

Open the problematic document in Word, then navigate to File > Save As.

Choose RTF Format

Click the file format dropdown menu and select 'Rich Text Format (*.rtf)', then click Save.

Export RTF to PDF

Close the original document, open the newly saved RTF file, and try exporting it to PDF or printing it again.

Save the Document as RTF Before Exporting to PDF

Highly Effective Workaround: User testing confirms this is the most reliable method for resolving unexpected vertical text glitches during export.

Solution 2

Use an Online DOCX-to-PDF Converter

Bypassing the local Word engine's export feature can often avoid printer driver or local font rendering glitches.

Solution 3

Update Printer Drivers and Verify Settings

Outdated printer drivers can interfere with how fonts are rendered during both printing and the PDF generation process.

Seamless Word to PDF Conversion

Export Word to PDF Without Formatting Errors in WPS Office

Use WPS Office to export your documents to PDF seamlessly. Its built-in PDF converter ensures that your text orientation, fonts, and layouts remain exactly as they appear on your screen, avoiding the vertical text glitch.

1. Open File in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your DOC or DOCX file in WPS Writer.
2. Access the Export Menu: Click on the 'Menu' button in the top left corner of the interface.
3. Select Export to PDF: Choose 'Export to PDF' from the dropdown list.
4. Save the Document: Adjust your preferred export settings if needed and click 'Export to PDF' to save your perfectly formatted document.

Flawless conversion from Word to PDF with exact layout retention.High compatibility with all Microsoft Office file formats including DOC, DOCX, and RTF.Free and lightweight suite including Writer, Spreadsheet, Presentation, and a PDF editor.Built-in PDF toolkit for easy editing and annotating after conversion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my text turn vertical when converting Word to PDF?

This usually happens due to glitches in the local printer driver, corrupted font rendering in the word processor, or conflicts during the DOCX to PDF conversion process. The system misinterprets the text orientation metadata.

Does changing the font fix the vertical text issue in PDF exports?

Sometimes changing fonts can help if the original font file is corrupted. However, if the issue persists across standard fonts like Arial and Calibri, saving the document as an RTF file first is a much more reliable workaround.

How can I preview how my document will look before exporting to PDF?

Use the Print Preview feature, usually found under File > Print, to see exactly how the document will be rendered. If it looks correct in Print Preview but still exports incorrectly, try using a different PDF conversion tool.

Document & File Issues