A PDF document is often the best format to share documents, booklets, etc., as it lets you share the content in a rich format without any damage to the formatting. But sometimes you need to convert the document in Word format. How can one easily convert any PDF file to Word document for free?

In an earlier post, we talked about free online PDF to Word converters. But they have their own limitations:
1. Online PDF converters cannot handle password-protected files.
2. The output is emailed to you, which might take some time to arrive. So if you are in a hurry, online PDF converters are not recommended.
3. All online PDF converters have a file size limit. If your file exceeds the limit, you are out of luck.
4. It requires you to upload file to the Web, which may be a hindrance if you are stuck with a poor Internet connection.

Converting PDF to Word

AnyBizSoft PDF to Word Converter is a free Windows application for converting PDF files into formatted Word DOC files on a click, provided you have Microsoft Word 2003/2007/2010 installed on your computer. (It's free only for non-commercial use.) After installing the application using the under-7MB Windows installer, you will have to register the product by getting a key code from their website by giving your name and email.

I personally don't like being forced to get registered for using some free product. If I have to, I use any disposable email such as GuerrillaMail instead of my email address. I hope the product company will get rid of this annoyance in future versions.

The application has a simple interface where one can add (or drag-and-drop) multiple PDF files to be converted into Word documents. If only a few pages of any PDF file needs to be converted, the page numbers can be specified.

The tool can even convert your password-protected PDF files into Word. It shows a padlock icon next to protected PDF files. To unlock the file from the PDF to Word Converter's interface itself, click on the lock icon or right-click on the file and choose unlock option. Enter the password in the pop-up dialogue box. If you don't provide the password, the tool skips the protected file and continues processing other files.

The PDF to Word Converter does a good job in retaining the original format, images, graphics and links. However, it's formatting for tables can deviate from the original, given the complexity of the task. It's a fair deal as a free PDF to Word converting application.

The PDF to Word Converter cannot convert scanned PDF files into Word. If you want to convert scanned images and PDFs into text, use free online OCR tools.