How to Create a High-Quality Print PDF from Word
Question details
The user wants to create a high-quality print PDF from a Word document containing Illustrator artwork, and is unsure about the correct workflow since they believe Acrobat DC replaced Adobe Distiller.
- Product
- Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting a Word document with inserted graphics into a print-ready, high-quality PDF.
- Observed behavior
- The user is attempting to route artwork through Distiller or use high-resolution raster images, rather than utilizing optimized vector formats and direct PDFMaker exports.
Ensure your Microsoft Word document is fully formatted and all external artwork is saved and inserted in the correct format before starting the PDF export process.
Use Acrobat PDFMaker for Word Documents
The most reliable way to create high-quality PDFs from Word is using the built-in Acrobat PDFMaker add-in rather than routing through Adobe Distiller.
Adobe Distiller has not been replaced and is still included with Acrobat DC for Windows and macOS. However, for modern Office documents, PDFMaker provides better handling of fonts, bookmarks, and high-quality image retention.
Launch Microsoft Word and open the document you wish to convert.
Navigate to the Acrobat tab on the Microsoft Word ribbon and click 'Preferences'.
Ensure your conversion settings are set to 'High Quality Print' or 'Press Quality' to guarantee proper image handling and font embedding.
Click 'Create PDF' on the ribbon, or navigate to File > Save as Adobe PDF to generate your print-ready file.
Import Vector SVG Artwork Instead of Raster Images
Improve the print quality of your Word-to-PDF conversions by using scalable vector graphics (SVG) from Illustrator instead of high-resolution raster images.
Create High-Quality PDFs with WPS Office
WPS Office provides a seamless, built-in feature to export Word documents to high-quality PDFs without the need for expensive third-party plugins or complex distiller workflows.
- 1. Open document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your Word document in the Writer application.
- 2. Access the PDF export tool: Click on the 'Menu' button in the top left corner and select 'Export to PDF' from the dropdown list.
- 3. Configure high-quality settings: In the export dialog window, click on 'Advanced' or 'Settings' and choose the 'High Quality' or 'Print' preset to ensure images and fonts are optimized.
- 4. Save the file: Click 'Export' to save your print-ready PDF file directly to your chosen destination on your computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Acrobat DC replace Adobe Distiller?
No, Adobe Distiller has not been replaced. It is still included with every released version of Acrobat DC (Standard and Pro) for both Windows and macOS.
Should I use Distiller to create PDFs from Word?
For Microsoft Office documents, it is highly recommended to use the Acrobat PDFMaker feature (via the 'Save as Adobe PDF' option) rather than manually exporting postscript files through Distiller.
What is the best format for importing Illustrator artwork into Word?
For the best print quality when converting Word to PDF, save your Illustrator artwork as a vector SVG file and insert that into Word. This provides sharper results than using high-resolution raster images like 1200 dpi JPEGs.
Why are my images blurry when converting Word to PDF?
Blurry images typically result from heavy compression settings during export. Ensure your PDF export preferences in the Acrobat tab are set to 'High Quality Print' or 'Press Quality' to prevent aggressive downsampling of your graphics.
