Save a Word document as a PDF and email it

This walks through the whole job start to finish: making a folder to keep things tidy, turning a Word document into a PDF, and sending it as an attachment. The last part covers Yahoo Mail and Gmail, so use whichever you have.

Save the document as a PDF

A PDF looks the same on every computer and phone, and the person receiving it cannot change it by accident.

1. Open Word, then open the document you want to send. What you see now is exactly what the PDF will show.
2. Click File in the top left, then Save As. If your Word says Save a Copy, that is the same thing.
3. Click Browse.
4. In the list down the left side, click Desktop, then double-click your Files to email folder.
5. Underneath the file name box is a second box called Save as type. Click it and choose PDF.
6. Click Save.

Word makes the PDF and usually opens it so you can see it. Your original Word document is untouched and still where it was.

Attach it and send it

1. Open your web browser and go to mail.yahoo.com for Yahoo Mail, or gmail.com for Gmail. Sign in.
2. Click Compose in the top left. To reply to a message instead, open it and click Reply at the bottom.
3. Fill in To with the address, and give it a short Subject.
4. Click the paperclip icon along the bottom of the message.
5. Click Desktop on the left, double-click Files to email, click your PDF, then click Open.
6. Wait until the file name shows up underneath your message. That is how you know it attached.
7. Type your message and click Send.

Worth knowing. You can also drag the PDF straight into the message. Open the Files to email folder, then drag the PDF on top of the message you are writing and let go.

On a Mac

Same steps, two small differences. To make the folder, hold Control and click the desktop, then choose New Folder. To make the PDF, click File, then Save As, and choose PDF in the File Format box.