The three ways to insert a PDF into Word

You can add a PDF to a Word document in three different ways, depending on what you want to do with it afterward. You can embed it as an image so it displays on the page, insert it as a linked object that opens in a separate window, or copy text from the PDF and paste it directly into Word. Which method works best depends on whether you need the PDF to stay editable, whether you want readers to see it inside the document, and how much of the PDF you actually need.

The simplest route for most people is inserting the PDF as an image — it shows up right on the page, looks professional, and takes about 30 seconds. If you need the PDF to remain a separate, clickable file that opens in its own window, you'll use the object insertion method instead. If you only need specific text or data from the PDF, copying and pasting is fastest.

Key Takeaways

  • Inserting a PDF as an image embeds it directly into the Word document so readers see it on the page without opening a separate file.
  • Linking a PDF as an object keeps the file separate and lets readers open it in their PDF reader by double-clicking it in the document.
  • Copying text from a PDF and pasting it into Word works when you only need specific content, not the entire PDF.
  • The image method works on Windows and Mac; the object method works on Windows but has limited support on Mac.
  • File size matters — embedding multiple PDFs as images can make your Word document very large and slow to open.

Inserting a PDF as an image (works on Windows and Mac)

This is the most common method because the PDF appears directly in your document where readers can see it without clicking anything. Open your Word document and place your cursor where you want the PDF to appear. Go to the Insert tab at the top, then click Pictures and select This Device. Navigate to your PDF file, select it, and click Insert.

Word will convert the PDF into an image and embed it on the page. You can resize it by dragging the corners, and you can move it around like any other image. The PDF becomes part of the Word file itself, so the document will be larger than before — a single-page PDF typically adds 100 to 500 kilobytes, depending on the PDF's resolution and complexity.

One limitation: if your PDF has multiple pages, Word will only show the first page. If you need all pages visible, you'll have to insert each page separately as its own image, which gets tedious quickly. Also, the image won't be searchable — if someone uses Ctrl+F to search your document, the text inside the embedded PDF won't show up in the results.

Linking a PDF as an embedded object (Windows only)

This method keeps the PDF as a separate file that readers can open by double-clicking it inside your Word document. The PDF doesn't get converted to an image; instead, Word creates a link to the original file. Go to Insert, then click Object (you may need to click the arrow next to it to see the full menu). Select Create from File, then browse to your PDF and click Insert.

You'll see a small icon or preview in your document. When someone opens the Word file and double-clicks that icon, the PDF opens in their default PDF reader. This keeps your Word document file size small because the PDF stays separate. It also means the PDF remains editable — if you update the original PDF file, readers can see the updated version when they open it from the Word document.

The downside is that this method only works reliably on Windows. Mac users can insert objects, but the functionality is limited and inconsistent. Also, if you move or delete the original PDF file, the link breaks and readers will get an error when they try to open it. You'll need to keep both files together in the same folder or update the link manually.

Copying and pasting text from a PDF

If you only need specific text or data from the PDF — not the entire document — you can open the PDF in any PDF reader, select and copy the text you want, then paste it into Word. Open your PDF in Adobe Reader, Preview (on Mac), or any other PDF viewer. Highlight the text you need, press Ctrl+C (or Cmd+C on Mac), then switch to Word and press Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V).

The text will paste into your document, though the formatting might not match perfectly. Headings might lose their size, colors might change, or spacing might shift. You can fix these by selecting the pasted text and using Word's formatting tools to match the rest of your document. This method works well when you're pulling a quote, a table, or a specific section from a larger PDF.

One thing to watch: some PDFs are protected or scanned as images rather than text. If you try to copy from a scanned PDF (one that's just a photograph of a page), nothing will paste because there's no actual text to copy. You'll need to use the image insertion method instead.

Choosing between methods based on your needs

Use the image insertion method if you want readers to see the PDF content directly in your document without clicking anything, and if the PDF is short enough that file size doesn't matter. This works best for single-page PDFs or when you're creating a document that will be printed or shared via email where people expect to see everything on the page.

Use the object linking method if you're on Windows, the PDF is large, and you want to keep your Word document file size small. This also works well if the PDF might be updated later and you want readers to see the latest version. Don't use this method if you're sharing the file with Mac users or if you can't may provide the original PDF file will stay in the same location.

Use copy and paste if you only need a small piece of the PDF — a table, a quote, or a few paragraphs. This gives you the most control over formatting and keeps your document file size minimal. It's also the only method that makes the content searchable in your Word document.

Troubleshooting common problems

If your PDF won't insert as an image, the file might be corrupted or in an unusual format. Try opening the PDF in your PDF reader first to confirm it opens correctly. If it does, try saving it again with a different name and inserting that copy. If Word still won't accept it, the PDF might be too large or too complex — try reducing the file size using an online PDF compressor before inserting it.

If an embedded object link breaks, it means the original PDF file has moved or been deleted. To fix it, go to File, then Info, then Edit Links to Files. Select the broken link and click Change Source, then navigate to the PDF's new location. If you can't find the original file, you'll need to delete the object and re-insert it using the image method instead.

If pasted text looks wrong, select it and use Paste Special instead of regular paste. Go to Edit (or Home on newer versions), click Paste Special, and choose Unformatted Text. This strips away formatting from the PDF and lets you explore Word's formatting instead, which usually looks cleaner.

File size and performance considerations

Embedding multiple PDFs as images can make your Word document slow to open and difficult to email. A document with five embedded single-page PDFs might be 2 to 3 megabytes, which is large enough to cause problems on slower internet connections or older computers. If you're creating a document with many PDFs, consider using the object linking method instead, or create a separate folder with the Word document and all the PDFs together, then share the whole folder.

If file size is a concern, you can also reduce the resolution of embedded images. After inserting a PDF as an image, right-click it and select Compress Picture. Choose a lower resolution (72 or 96 DPI is fine for screen viewing, 150 DPI for printing). This can cut the file size in half or more without making the PDF look noticeably worse on screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit the PDF after I insert it into Word?

No. If you insert it as an image, it becomes a picture that you can resize and move but not edit. If you link it as an object, you can double-click to open it in your PDF reader and edit it there, but changes won't automatically update in Word. If you need to edit the content, copy the text out, paste it into Word, and edit it there instead.

What if the PDF has multiple pages and I need all of them to show in Word?

Insert each page separately as its own image. Open the PDF in your PDF reader, take a screenshot of each page, save each screenshot as an image file, then insert each image into Word. This is tedious for long PDFs, so consider using the object linking method instead — readers can open the full PDF by clicking it.

Will the PDF stay in the document if I move or rename the Word file?

If you embedded it as an image, yes — the PDF becomes part of the Word file. If you linked it as an object, no — the link will break if you move the Word file without moving the PDF file too. Keep both files in the same folder to avoid this problem.

Can I search for text inside an embedded PDF?

No, not if it's embedded as an image. Word's search function won't find text inside the image. If searchability matters, copy the text from the PDF and paste it into Word instead, or use the object linking method so readers can open and search the PDF directly.

Does this work the same way on Mac?

Image insertion works the same on Mac. Object linking is available but less reliable — some features may not work as expected. If you're sharing with Mac users, stick with the image insertion method or copy-and-paste method instead.