How to Insert PDFs into Microsoft Word Documents (PC & Mac)

This tutorial shows how to insert PDFs into Microsoft Word documents. Once inserted, the PDFs’ text and images will become editable parts of the Word documents.

Important Notes:

The inserted PDF won’t retain a connection to the original PDF.
The inserted PDF’s formatting may change in the Word document.
Interactive PDF elements, such as those found in forms, won’t be inserted into the Word document.

This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 150 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365 and Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac. These steps also apply to Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, and Word 2013.

How to Insert PDFs into Microsoft Word Documents

Place your cursor in the Word document where you want to insert the PDF.

Cursor inserted in text in Word 365 — Figure 1. Cursor inserted in text

Select the Insert tab in the ribbon.

Insert tab in Word 365 — Figure 2. Insert tab

Select the Object menu arrow in the Text group.

Object menu arrow in the Insert tab in Word 365 — Figure 3. Object menu arrow

Select Text from File from the drop-down menu.

Text from File option in the Insert tab in Word 365 — Figure 4. Text from File option

Locate and select the PDF in the Insert File dialog box.

PC Users: If the PDF is not available, select All Files.

All Files option in the Insert File dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 5. All Files option

Mac Users: If the PDF is grayed out, select the Options button, and then select All Files in the Enable menu.

Options button and Enable menu in the Insert File dialog box in Word for Mac 365 — Figure 6. Options button and All Files option (Mac)

Select the Insert button.

Insert button in the Insert File dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 7. Insert button

Select the OK button in the dialog box explaining that the PDF will be converted to a Word document. (Mac users will see a dialog box but don’t have to select a button.)