How to Fix Microsoft Word Save as PDF Errors on Mac After macOS Upgrade
Question details
Users are unable to successfully save or export Microsoft Word documents as PDF files after performing a macOS system upgrade.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to use the Save As > PDF function in Microsoft Word after recently upgrading the Mac operating system.
- Observed behavior
- The PDF conversion fails or displays an error message, despite the exact same function working correctly on other Mac computers.
Ensure your Mac is connected to the internet so you can download necessary driver updates, and manually save your current Word document as a standard .docx file to prevent any data loss.
Update Printer Drivers and Reset macOS Print Services
Because macOS uses its underlying print services to generate PDFs from Microsoft Word, resetting the print system and installing compatible drivers usually resolves PDF export failures.
On macOS, the 'Save as PDF' function is heavily tied to the system's printing infrastructure. An OS upgrade can cause existing printer drivers to become incompatible or corrupt the print spooler, breaking Word's ability to create PDFs.
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, select 'System Settings' (or 'System Preferences'), and click on 'Printers & Scanners'.
Right-click (or Control-click) anywhere in the list of devices on the left side of the Printers & Scanners window, and select 'Reset printing system...' from the context menu. Confirm the action when prompted.
Visit the official website of your printer manufacturer, download the latest driver version explicitly compatible with your new macOS version (such as macOS Big Sur or later), and install it.
Restart your Mac to apply the changes. Open Microsoft Word, load your document, and try using 'File' > 'Save As' > 'PDF' again.
Easily Convert Documents to PDF with WPS Office
If Microsoft Word continues to struggle with macOS print services, consider switching to WPS Office. It comes with a built-in, independent PDF converter that reliably exports documents to PDF without relying on the macOS printing system.
- 1. Install WPS Office for Mac: Download and install the free WPS Office application directly from the official WPS website.
- 2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Microsoft Word (.docx) file.
- 3. Export to PDF: Click on 'Menu' and select 'Export to PDF' to quickly and flawlessly save your document as a PDF.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Microsoft Word rely on printer drivers to save a PDF on Mac?
On macOS, the PDF creation process is natively integrated into the operating system's core printing dialog. When you select 'Save as PDF' in Microsoft Word, it effectively acts as a virtual print job. If the print spooler or drivers are malfunctioning after an update, the PDF generation will fail.
Will reinstalling Microsoft Word fix the Save as PDF error?
Reinstalling Microsoft Word alone rarely fixes this specific issue. Because the error is typically rooted in the macOS print services rather than the Word application itself, resetting the Mac printing system and updating drivers is the most effective solution.
Are there other ways to convert my Word document to PDF on a Mac?
Yes. If the local Word export continues to fail, you can upload the document to an online PDF converter, open the file in Apple Pages to export it, or use a free alternative like WPS Office, which features an independent PDF export tool that does not depend on macOS print drivers.
