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Fix Blank Boxes or Gibberish When Converting PDF to Word
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where converting a PDF to a Word document results in unreadable text, such as blank boxes or question marks.
- Product
- PDF to Word Converter
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting a PDF file to an editable Word document using an online conversion service.
- Observed behavior
- The resulting Word document displays blank boxes, question marks, or gibberish instead of the actual text because the online service lacks the fonts used in the original PDF.
Verify if your original PDF contains unique or custom fonts, and ensure you have those font files locally installed on your device before proceeding with any desktop conversion.
Embed Fonts Before Creating the PDF
Embedding fonts in your source document ensures that any PDF converter can correctly interpret and render the text without substituting unknown characters.
Online conversion services often have a limited library of fonts. If your document uses a font they do not recognize, they will replace it with fallback symbols like blank square boxes or question marks.
To prevent this, you should embed the fonts into the PDF when it is initially created.
Open the original source file (e.g., in Microsoft Word or WPS Writer) that was used to create the PDF.
Go to 'File' > 'Options' > 'Save'. Look for the section regarding font preservation.
Check the box that says 'Embed fonts in the file'. Click 'OK' to apply the changes.
Go to 'File' > 'Export' or 'Save As', choose 'PDF' as the format, and save the document. Retry the conversion process with this new PDF.
Use a Local Desktop PDF Converter
Switching from an online subscription service to a local desktop software allows the converter to access the fonts installed directly on your computer.
Convert PDF to Word Accurately with WPS Office
WPS Office provides a powerful, locally installed PDF to Word converter that directly utilizes your system's fonts, easily avoiding the gibberish and blank box issues common with online converters.
- 1. Launch WPS Office: Open WPS Office on your computer and navigate to the 'PDF' tab on the main dashboard.
- 2. Select PDF to Word: Click on the 'PDF to Word' tool in the conversion menu.
- 3. Add Your File: Drag and drop your PDF file into the converter window, or click 'Add Files' to select it manually.
- 4. Start Conversion: Choose '.docx' as your output format and click 'Start' to convert. Your document will render with accurate fonts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do question marks appear when I convert a PDF to Word?
Question marks or blank boxes appear when the PDF converter cannot recognize or access the specific fonts used in your original document. It substitutes the unreadable characters with default fallback symbols.
Can I fix a Word document that already has gibberish text?
Once the conversion process translates the text into gibberish or blank boxes, simply changing the font in Word will not restore the original text. You must re-convert the original PDF using a tool that supports or recognizes those fonts.
Are online PDF converters less accurate than desktop software?
Online converters are convenient but often rely on a limited set of cloud-based fonts. Desktop software can utilize all the fonts installed on your personal computer, resulting in higher accuracy for documents with custom formatting.
Does WPS Office support converting scanned PDFs?
Yes, WPS Office includes Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, which can intelligently scan images and scanned PDFs, recognizing the text and converting it into editable Word documents.
