How to Save a Google Doc as a PDF

The Portable Document Format (PDF) stands as one of the most widely used document types. Its universal compatibility, security features, and ability to maintain formatting across platforms make it a preferred choice for professionals and casual users alike. Whether you're drafting a contract, preparing a report, or simply sharing a document, converting it to a PDF ensures that its content remains consistent and unaltered, regardless of where it's viewed.

Google Docs, a tool that has become synonymous with online document creation and collaboration, offers seamless integration with the PDF format. Given the ubiquity of Google Docs, especially in professional settings, knowing how to convert these documents to PDFs is an essential skill. This not only allows for enhanced document security but also ensures that the recipient views the document exactly as intended, without any formatting discrepancies.

In this tutorial, we will delve into three straightforward methods to save your Google Doc as a PDF file.

How to Turn a Google Doc Into a PDF via Download

In various scenarios, having a local copy of your document is essential, be it for offline access, backup, or sharing via external drives. This method guides you on how to download your Google Doc directly as a PDF, ensuring you have a consistent and uneditable version of your document stored on your device.

1. Click “File” in the menu, then “Download” and select “PDF Document (.pdf)”
    
   
   
2. This will save the Google Doc as a PDF through downloading it on your device
    
   If you want to store the PDF-version of the Google Doc on your Google account, simply upload it via Google Drive or use the last method to save the PDF on your Google Drive directly.
    
   

How to Email a PDF Version of a Google Doc

Email remains one of the most common methods of document sharing, especially in professional settings. By emailing a Google Doc as a PDF, you ensure that the recipient receives a version that maintains its original formatting and is protected from unintentional edits. This section will walk you through the steps to directly email your Google Doc as a PDF attachment, making document sharing seamless and efficient.

1. Click “File” in the menu, then “Email” and select “Email this file”
    
   
   
2. Add the recipient(s), select “PDF” as file format in the lower left corner and click “Send”
    
   Optionally you can add a “Subject” line and a “Message” to the email.
    
   

How to Save a PDF Version of a Google Doc to Google Drive

Google Drive offers a collaborative platform for storing and sharing documents. There might be times when you want to save a non-editable version of your document within Google Drive, either for record-keeping or to share with collaborators. This method will teach you how to save your Google Doc as a PDF directly to Google Drive, combining the benefits of both the PDF format and Google Drive's sharing capabilities.

While you can use the first method to download a PDF version of your Google Doc and reupload it manually, this method allows you to save the PDF on your Google Drive directly.

1. Click “File” in the menu and then “Print”
    
   
   
2. Select “Save as PDF”
    
   
   
3. Select your “Google Drive” as the saving location
    
   
   
4. Change the filename if needed and click “Save”
    
   

Extra: Windows 10: How to Save to / Print to PDF with any App

Users quite often need to save a document as a PDF, but not every application supports that functionality. That's where the concept of PDF printing comes in. In our other guide, we show you how to use Microsoft Print to PDF and the Bullzip PDF Printer to save as PDF from any app with basic or advanced options.
 

Extra: How to Add Notes to a PDF

If you work with PDF files regularly, you may want to know how to annotate and edit them effectively. PDF annotations are comments or notes you can add to a PDF document to provide feedback, suggestions, or instructions. In our other guide, we introduce some of the most common types of annotations and edits that are supported by the PDF standard, and how you can use them with different programs.
 

Extra: How to Insert a Text Box in Google Docs or Sheets

The process to insert a text box in Google Docs isn't as intuitive. For whatever reason, Google has hidden the feature behind an entirely different menu that is rarely frequented. In our other guide, we show you how to insert a text box in Google Docs or Google Sheets, while disclosing a small trick to put a text box over an image.