How to Preserve Custom PDF Page Sizes Across Word Sections
Question details
The user needs to maintain a custom page size across all pages when converting a multi-section document to PDF, rather than having only one section keep the custom size.
- Product
- Microsoft Word 2010
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting a Microsoft Word document containing multiple sections and a custom page setup into a PDF file.
- Observed behavior
- After conversion, only one section of the document retains the custom page size, while the other sections automatically default back to standard A4 size.
Ensure you know the exact dimensions of your custom page size and check that your document's section breaks are intentionally placed.
Apply Custom Page Setup to the Entire Document
Fix the issue at the source by ensuring your custom page dimensions are globally applied to all sections of the Word document before conversion.
In Microsoft Word, page setups (like margins, orientation, and paper size) are applied on a per-section basis. If your document has section breaks, changing the paper size might only affect the current section. You must explicitly apply the custom size to the whole document.
Navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab on the ribbon. Click the small diagonal arrow in the bottom-right corner of the 'Page Setup' group to open the Page Setup dialog box.
Switch to the 'Paper' tab. Under 'Paper size', select 'Custom size' and manually enter your desired Width and Height.
Look at the bottom of the dialog box for the 'Apply to' dropdown menu. Change the selection from 'This section' or 'This point forward' to 'Whole document'.
Click 'OK' to save the settings. Save your document, then try saving or printing to PDF again.
Configure Virtual PDF Printer Settings
Adjust the settings of your PDF creator (like Acrobat PDF Maker) to prevent it from substituting unrecognized page sizes with A4.
Use WPS Office for Flawless Word to PDF Conversion
WPS Office features a powerful, built-in PDF converter that accurately interprets section breaks and custom page dimensions from Word documents, ensuring your file looks exactly the same in PDF format without complex printer configurations.
- 1. Open Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your Word document that contains the custom page sizes.
- 2. Select Export to PDF: Go to the 'Menu' button in the top left corner, hover over 'Export to PDF', and click it.
- 3. Configure Export Settings: In the dialog box, ensure 'All pages' is selected so every section is included. Check that the save path is correct.
- 4. Export and Verify: Click 'Export to PDF'. Open the resulting file to verify that all sections have perfectly retained your custom dimensions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some pages of my Word document default to A4 during PDF conversion?
This usually occurs when your document contains multiple sections, and the custom page size was only applied to the active section. When the PDF converter reaches a new section, it reverts to the document's default page size, which is typically A4.
How do I check if my Word document has multiple sections?
Go to the 'Home' tab and click the 'Show/Hide ¶' button (or press Ctrl+*) to display hidden formatting marks. Scroll through your document and look for double-dotted lines labeled 'Section Break (Next Page)' or 'Section Break (Continuous)'.
Can I have different custom page sizes in the same PDF document?
Yes, PDF files support mixed page sizes. To achieve this from a Word document, you must apply specific page sizes to each individual section using the Page Setup dialog, and ensure your PDF converter is set to rely on the document's layout settings rather than a globally forced printer paper size.
Does 'Microsoft Print to PDF' support custom paper sizes natively?
By default, the 'Microsoft Print to PDF' virtual printer has a limited list of standard paper sizes and doesn't easily allow custom dimensions. To bypass this, it is better to use the built-in 'Save As > PDF' feature or a dedicated office suite like WPS Office that handles custom sizes natively during export.
