Word not responding when saving as PDF

Microsoft Word allows users to save a document as a PDF. You can select the format of the Word file as PDF while saving it on your PC. However, for some users, Microsoft Word is not responding when saving as a PDF. Some users also complained that Microsoft Word crashes every time they try to save a document as a PDF. If you experience such an issue with Microsoft Word, the solutions provided in this article will help you.

Word not responding when saving as a PDF

Use the following suggestions if Microsoft Word is not responding when saving as a PDF.

Update Microsoft Office
Use the Export to PDF option
Use the Microsoft Print to PDF option
Remove the Network Printer (if applicable)
Try to save the Word document in Safe Mode
Repair or reinstall Microsoft Office

Below, I have explained all these fixes in detail.

1] Update Microsoft Office

The first thing that you should do is update Microsoft Office to the latest version. An outdated version of Microsoft Office can cause issues with different Office applications. Therefore, the first step is to update Microsoft Office to the latest version.

2] Use the Export to PDF option

If Microsoft Word is not responding or crashing every time you use the Save As PDF option, you can use the Export option to save your Word file as a PDF. The following instructions will help you with that:

Open the Microsoft Word document.
Go to File > Export.
Now, select the Create PDF/XPS Document option.
After that, click on the Create PDF/XPS button.
The Publish as PDF or XPS dialog box will appear on your screen.
Select PDF in the Save as type drop-down and give a name to your document.
Now, click on the Publish button. Don’t worry, Word will not publish your Word document online.

The above steps will save your Word document as a PDF at the selected location on your system.

3] Use the Microsoft Print to PDF option

You can also use the Microsoft Print to PDF option to save your Word file as a PDF. This option will also save your Word file as a PDF. The steps to do this are as follows:

Open the Microsoft Word document.
Go to File > Print.
Select Microsoft Print to PDF in the Printer option.
Now, click on the Print button.
Give a name to your document and click on the Save button.

Check if Word hangs or crashes this time.

Read: Microsoft Word keeps crashing or freezing

4] Remove the Network Printer (if applicable)

One possible cause of this problem is your computer being connected to a Network Printer. If your computer is connected to a Network Printer and the printer is offline, you may experience this problem. To check this, uninstall or remove the Network Printer from your computer and then check if you can save the Word file as a PDF.

You can remove the Network Printer from your computer through Windows 11/10 Settings. Follow the steps provided below:

Open Windows 11/10 Settings.
Go to Bluetooth & devices > Printers and scanners. In Windows 10, you will find the Device category instead of the Bluetooth & devices.
Select your Network Printer and click on the Remove button.

Read: Fix Microsoft Word is not responding error

5] Try to save the Word document in Safe Mode

There might be a problematic add-in causing this problem with Microsoft Word. To check this, you need to start Microsoft Word in Safe Mode and then save your document in PDF format. If the problem does not persist in the Safe Mode, your next step is to find the problematic add-in.

For this, exit Safe Mode and open Word in normal mode. Follow the steps provided below:

Click on Options or go to File > Options (if you have already opened a document).
Select Add-ins from the left side. Select COM Add-ins in the drop-down on the right side and click Go.
Uncheck one of the checkboxes and click OK. This will disable that add-in.
Now, print the Word document and see what happens.

Repeat the above steps until the issue disappears. When the issue disappears, the add-in you have just disabled is the culprit.

6] Repair or reinstall Microsoft Office

The last resort is to repair or reinstall the Microsoft Office application. The issue might be occurring due to the corrupted Word files. Repairing the Microsoft Office application will fix this issue. If repairing Office does not help, you can uninstall and reinstall Office.

To completely remove Microsoft Office from your system, you can use the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) tool. After that, restart your PC and then reinstall Office. Before uninstalling Office, make sure that you have its product activation key as it will be required the next time you install Office.

That’s it. I hope this helps.

Why is my Word document not saving as a PDF?

There can be many reasons why a Microsoft Word document is not saving as a PDF. One possible cause is the corrupted Word files. In his case, repairing Office can help. Another cause is the offline Network Printer connected to your PC. You can try other options to save the Word file as a PDF.

How to convert PDF to Word?

If you have a PDF file and you want to convert it to Microsoft Word file format, you can use the free PDF to Word Converter tools. Some of these tools may have a limit for free account holders.