PDFs are everywhere. From work reports and contracts to eBooks and resumes, they’re the go-to format for sharing documents that look polished and professional.
But what happens when you need to edit that PDF? Maybe your boss sent you a contract to tweak, or you’re trying to extract data from a research paper. That’s where the struggle begins.
For instance, imagine you receive an important contract in PDF format, but you must tweak a few clauses before sending it back. Instead of retyping everything manually, wouldn’t it be easier to convert the PDF document into a Google Doc and make edits instantly?
That’s exactly what we’ll cover in this guide. From quick conversion methods to formatting tricks and common pitfalls, we’ll show you how to transform PDFs into editable Google Docs seamlessly.
How to Convert a PDF to a Google Doc Easily
Summarize this article for me please⏰ 60-Second Summary:
- There are three ways to convert PDF to Google Docs: With Google Drive, with Adobe Acrobat Reader, or using an online PDF converter, such as ILovePDF
- For the first method, open Google Drive, upload the PDF, and select Open With Google Docs
- To use the Adobe Acrobat Reader, first download the application, upload the PDF, and convert the PDF into .docx format. Then, upload the file to Google Drive and open it as a Google Doc
- You can also convert the PDF into Word with an online PDF converter and then upload it to Google Drive to convert it to a Google Doc
- However, while converting PDF into Google Doc, you might face challenges like inconsistent formatting and misplaced images
- If you want to retain the formatting and ensure all the information remains intact, try ClickUp Docs. Its rich editing features help present the information in a professional manner
Summarize this article for me pleaseHow to Convert PDF to Google Doc
Converting a PDF file into an editable Google Doc might seem tricky initially, but it’s quite simple once you know the right methods. Let’s explore the best ways to turn PDFs into Google Docs without spending hours manually adjusting the text.
Method 1: Convert a PDF to Google Doc using Google Drive (quickest method)
Google Drive offers a built-in option to open PDFs as Google Docs, making it the fastest way to get started. However, complex formatting (like tables, special fonts, or images) may not transfer perfectly.
Steps to convert PDF into Google Docs using Google Drive:
- Upload the PDF to Google Drive
- Open Google Drive
- Click New > File Upload, then select your PDF file
- Open the PDF in Google Docs
- Once the file uploads, right-click the PDF
- Select Open with > Google Docs
- Edit and save the document
- The PDF will now open as a Google Doc, allowing you to edit the text
- It saves your edits automatically
🌟 Best for: Quick text-based edits when formatting isn’t a top priority. If you need extra help, try AI tools for writing, like ClickUp Brain!
Method 2: Convert PDF to Google Doc with Adobe Acrobat Reader (best for retaining formatting)
If formatting accuracy is crucial, Adobe Acrobat lets you quickly convert PDF files to Word documents first. This helps preserve the PDF layout before opening it in Google Docs.
Steps to convert PDF using Adobe Acrobat:
- Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader if you don’t have it already
- Open the PDF file
- Export the PDF as a new Word Document
- Click File > Export To > ‘Microsoft Word’
- Choose .docx format and save the file
- Open Microsoft Word and check for the file
- Upload and Open in Google Docs
- Go to Google Drive and upload the converted Word file
- Right-click the file and select Open with Google Docs
🌟 Best for: Documents with complex formatting, tables, and images.
Method 3: Use an Online PDF converter (great for complex PDFs)
Online tools like Smallpdf, ILovePDF, or PDF2DOC offer free conversion with better formatting retention than Google Drive alone.
Steps to convert PDF using an online tool:
- Go to an online PDF-to-Word converter
- Visit Smallpdf or ILovePDF
- Upload Your PDF
- Click the Select PDF File button and choose your PDF
- Convert the PDF to Word
- Click Convert to WORD and wait for the process to complete
- Download the converted .docx file
- Upload the Word File to Google Drive & Open in Google Docs
- Right-click the file and choose Open with > Google Docs
🌟 Best for: PDFs with images, columns, and intricate formatting
Summarize this article for me pleaseHow to retain formatting when converting a PDF
One of the biggest headaches when converting PDFs is losing original formatting, which results in misaligned tables, missing images, or jumbled text. Here’s how to minimize formatting issues while converting a PDF into a Google doc:
1. Use a PDF-to-Word converter first
Google Docs don’t always handle complex formatting well, but converting your PDF to Word first using Adobe Acrobat online or any other online tool can retain layouts, fonts, and tables before opening it in Google Docs.
2. Check If your PDF is text-based or image-based
If your PDF is text-based, Google Docs can usually extract and format it easily. However, if your PDF is image-based (scanned documents, handwritten notes, etc.), you’ll need OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to convert image files into editable text.
You can use Adobe Acrobat Pro or Google Drive OCR (Right-click the PDF in Drive > Open with Google Docs) to extract text from images.
✨Fun Fact: Over 2.5 trillion PDFs are created annually.
3. Preserve fonts and styling
Some fonts may not transfer correctly in converted Google Docs. Before converting the PDF, check the font compatibility (Google Docs supports popular fonts but may substitute unavailable ones). If fonts don’t match, manually adjust them in Google Docs after conversion.
4. Use tables instead of tabs for layouts
If your PDF has complex layouts, tables are more stable than using multiple spaces or tabs. When pasting content into Google Docs, format sections using tables instead of manual spacing for better alignment.
🧠 Did you know? The PDF (Portable Document Format) was invented by Adobe in 1993 and was initially called “The Camelot Project.” It was designed to create a universal file format that could be viewed the same way on any device
5. Make manual adjustments after conversion
Even with the best tools, minor formatting tweaks may still be needed. After conversion, do a quick review:
- Check headings, spacing, and bullet points
- Resize images if necessary
- Adjust line breaks and paragraph spacing
Despite the convenience of converting PDFs to Google Docs, the process isn’t always seamless. Formatting issues, missing elements, and compatibility limitations can sometimes make the conversion frustrating.
Let’s look at some common challenges when using this method.
📖 Read More: How to Convert Word to Google Docs
Summarize this article for me pleaseLimitations of Converting PDF to Google Doc
While Google Docs offers a quick and free way to convert PDFs into editable text, it’s not without its drawbacks. If you’ve ever opened a converted file only to find a messed-up layout, missing images, or strange formatting, you’re not alone.
Here are some key limitations you should be aware of while converting PDF to Google Docs:
1. Formatting may get distorted
Google Docs struggles with preserving complex formatting, such as tables, multi-column layouts, bullet points, and headers. If your PDF contains structured elements, you may find that:
- Tables turn into plain text
- Text alignment gets messed up
- Fonts may not match the original file
✅ Solution: If formatting is critical, use Adobe Acrobat or an online converter before importing the file into Google Docs.
📖 Read More: How to Add a New Page on Google Docs
2. Images and graphics may be lost
If your PDF has embedded images, charts, or logos, Google Docs may:
- Remove them entirely during conversion
- Misplace them, requiring manual adjustments
- Change their resolution, making them blurry
✅ Solution: If your document relies heavily on visuals, consider using ClickUp Docs, which allows seamless document imports while maintaining high-quality images.
✨ Fun Fact: The longest scanned document is 1,181 meters (3,875 feet) long.
3. Scanned PDFs require OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
If your PDF is scanned from a physical document, Google Docs may not recognize the text at all—it will treat it as an image instead.
- OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is needed to extract text from scanned PDFs
- Google Drive has a basic OCR tool, but it doesn’t always work well with handwritten notes or faded text
✅ Solution: Use Adobe Acrobat Pro or an advanced OCR tool before converting the document.
4. File size limitations
Google Docs may not handle large PDFs efficiently. If your document exceeds 2MB, you might experience:
- Slow processing times
- Partial conversions, where only a portion of the document gets imported
- Crashes or errors when trying to open the file
✅ Solution: Reduce your PDF size using Smallpdf or ILovePDF before uploading it to Google Docs.
💡Pro Tip: If your PDF is large and not converting properly, try breaking it into smaller sections/pages using a free online PDF splitter before uploading it to Google Docs
5. Limited support for non-standard fonts
Google Docs only supports a limited number of fonts. If your PDF uses a custom or uncommon font, the converted text may:
- Appear in a default font like Arial or Times New Roman instead
- Lose bold, italic, or underlined effects
- Change spacing and line breaks, making the document look different from the original
✅ Solution: If font accuracy is crucial, consider importing your document into ClickUp, which allows more flexibility with formatting.
📖 Read More: How to Convert a Word Document to Excel
How ClickUp solves limitations of traditional tools like PDFs and Google Docs
ClickUp addresses the limitations of converting PDF to Google Docs head-on:
| Traditional tool limitations | How ClickUp fixes it |
| Loss of formatting during conversion | ClickUp retains most formatting during PDF import and editing |
| Collaboration is fragmented | Real-time editing, comments, and task integration keep everything in one place |
| File size limits | ClickUp handles large files with ease |
Summarize this article for me pleaseUsing ClickUp for All Document Creation and Management Needs
If you’re tired of losing formatting, struggling with missing images, or dealing with file size limitations when converting PDFs, there’s a better way—ClickUp Docs.
Unlike Google Docs, which primarily focuses on document editing, ClickUp offers an all-in-one workspace where you can create, import, edit, and manage documents seamlessly without compromising quality.
Here’s how ClickUp Docs takes document management to the next level.
Create and edit with ease
Write, format, and style documents directly in ClickUp. You don’t need to switch between apps. Plus, you can use rich text editing features like headings, bullet points, tables, and embedded tasks to keep everything organized while organizing Google Docs takes effort.
Simply use the /command to insert Markdown language in ClickUp Docs and add bullets, bold, italics, strikethroughs, and more.
Collaborate in real time
With ClickUp Docs, you can invite team members to edit or comment on documents for real time collaboration. It enables you to assign tasks directly from the document for better efficiency and embed PDFs, images, and spreadsheets without losing quality.
You can also integrate ClickUp Docs with project management tools so your documents stay connected to your workflow.
Note the version history
Never worry about losing change. ClickUp Docs automatically save the latest versions, so you can revert to an earlier draft with just one click
💡Pro Tip: Always keep a copy of the original PDF before converting it. This way, you can start over if something goes wrong during the conversion process
Get instant insights from any PDF with ClickUp Brain
Want to get information from any PDF? You don’t need to necessarily convert into Google Docs or ClickUp Docs. ClickUp Brain, ClickUp’s powerful knowledge manager, can instantly search PDFs and provide relevant insights.
📮ClickUp Insight: Knowledge workers send an average of 25 messages daily, searching for information and context. This indicates a fair amount of time wasted scrolling, searching, and deciphering fragmented conversations across emails and chats. 😱
If only you had a smart platform that connects tasks, projects, chat, and emails (plus AI!) in one place. But you do: Try ClickUp!
Import PDFs without formatting issues
One of the biggest pain points when converting PDFs to Google Docs is losing tables, images, or custom fonts. ClickUp makes this process effortless with its Import Docs feature, allowing you to import PDFs directly into ClickUp Docs while maintaining structure and design integrity.
To import a document into a ClickUp Doc:
- Open your ClickUp Doc
- Click the ellipsis (⋮) menu in the upper-right corner
- Navigate to Page settings and select Import and Download
- Under the Import section, choose Document Files or another compatible file type
- The required PDF will be imported into the ClickUp Docs
That’s it! Your document will be imported seamlessly while maintaining its structure and formatting.
Save & export Docs as PDFs anytime
One of the biggest advantages of using ClickUp for document management is the ability to save and export your work as a PDF effortlessly.
How to save a ClickUp Doc as a PDF:
- Open your ClickUp Doc
- Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Sharing and Permissions from the drop-down menu
- Select Export and choose PDF format
- Save the file with one click—no messy formatting or missing content
You can also save dashboards as PDFs with ClickUp, making it easy to share reports, progress updates, or team insights with stakeholders.
Summarize this article for me pleaseManage Your Documents Smarter With ClickUp
Converting PDFs to Google Docs is a quick fix, but it’s not always the most reliable solution.
Lost formatting, missing images, and file size limitations can turn a simple task into a frustrating experience.
ClickUp simplifies every step, from seamless document creation and editing to effortless collaboration and PDF management.
Try ClickUp for free today and take your document creation and management to the next level.
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
