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10 Best PDF Converters for Windows in 2024
PDF files have become an essential part of our digital lives. They are often used to share papers, forms, and diverse types of information. However, sometimes we need to convert them to other formats, such as Microsoft Word or Excel, to make corrections or extract important data. That’s where PDF converter apps come in.
Whatever the task is, having the right tool on hand helps save you time and energy. But with so many options available nowadays, knowing which is best suited to meet your needs can be a bit overwhelming. Therefore, let’s explore the top PDF converters for Windows in 2024. We’ll go over each app’s features, functionality, and more!
Points to Consider When Choosing a Tool to Convert PDF Files
Changing PDF documents to another format is necessary for various purposes. But, in any case, before jumping to the top of the apps, there are some essential things to take into consideration.
- Formats.
First, you need to look at the diversity of supported formats. Most PDF converter programs allow conversion to popular types like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. However, you may also need to change your files to less common HTML or TXT, so check if the required formats are available.
- Quality.
The output should look the same as the original PDF and have no formatting or layout issues, even if the uploaded file was image-based or scanned. Study if the software supports high-quality OCR (optical character recognition) to ensure that the result is accurate.
- Usage.
The best PDF converter for Windows should be user-friendly and effortless to navigate. The interface should be intuitive, allowing you to easily pick the source file and output format. Some tools also provide batch conversion, which is crucial if you plan to work with multiple documents simultaneously.
- Speed.
Nobody wants to wait hours for a single file to convert. So, look for PDF converters that can process the conversion quickly and efficiently.
- Price.
Finally, think of the software cost. Some PDF converter programs offer free trial or demo versions, while others require a one-time or subscription-based payment. Determine your budget and pick the tool that fits within it.
10 Tools for High-Quality PDF Documents Conversions
Here is a table from which you can right away find out which PDF converters we’ll be examining and discover their price and free trial period.
| Name | Free Trial | Price |
| CoolUtils | 30 days | License for $39.90 |
| Adobe Acrobat DC | seven days for Pro | Pro subscription: annual for $19.99/mo, monthly for $29.99Standard subscription: annual for $12.99/mo, monthly for $22.99 |
| TalkHelper | unlimited trial, limited functionality | One-user license for $29.95 ($49.95 with 500 OCR pages) |
| Foxit Editor | 14 days | yearly subscription for 12 – $79.00 (or $14.99/mo)PRO12 – $99.00 (or $16.99/mo)PRO+12 – $149.00 |
| Icecream | unlimited trial, limited functionality | Perpetual license for $29.95Pro package for $115 |
| Soda | unlimited trial, limited functionality | Annual subscription for Pro – $10/42/moStandard – $6.75/moBusiness – $16.67/mo |
| Wondershare PDFelement | 14 days | Yearly plan for $129Perpetual plan for $159 |
| Lumin | unlimited trial, limited functionality | Starter for $9/moPro for $19/moBusiness for $199/mo |
| Nitro | 14 days | One-user license for $179.99 (eSign is separated for $9.99/mo) |
| Smallpdf | 14 days | Annual pro for $9/mo, monthly for $12 |
We are sure you’ve already noticed some interesting options. Now let’s look at each of them in detail!
#1: CoolUtils
Our software application begins this list of the top PDF converters for many reasons. It converts PDFs into over 25 formats, including DOC (or DOCX), XLS, HTML, TIFF, EPS, RTF, PS, TXT, CSV, and images in batch. The tool features a user-friendly interface, making it easy to process multiple files simultaneously while preserving the original document’s layout, images, and text formatting.
Our best PDF converter software is available for all Windows versions. Suitable for personal and professional use, it can add pagination, a signature, and text or image watermarks to the output header or footer. Moreover, you can omit images from the source files or get the result with pictures only, split multi-page files, and combine several ones into one TIFF image. All in all, with our high-quality product, dealing with PDFs becomes a breeze!
#2: Adobe Acrobat DC
Adobe Acrobat DC is also one of the most prominent PDF converter apps for Windows, and that’s not surprising considering that the company invented the Portable Document Format itself. Novices may find the product interface a bit complicated. However, it’s easy to use once you master navigation. The current version is suitable for Windows 10 and 11.
Besides viewing, storing, sharing, and editing PDF documents, Adobe Acrobat can easily convert PDF to Word and other file formats. The output content remains intact, requiring no re-edits. There’s also a merger, compressor, filling, and signing tool. Additionally, Adobe Acrobat DC conversion software possesses OCR, easing the processing of scanned PDF files.
#3: TalkHelper
TalkHelper is an all-in-one solution among PDF converters. This comprehensive software with a simple user interface is supported by Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10, delivering plenty of advantages to its users. With its help, you can change the PDF format to the following:
- Word files (DOC/DOCX/ODT);
- PowerPoint (PPT);
- Excel (XLS/XLSX/ODS);
- Hypertext (HTML);
- eBook (EPub);
- images (JPG/TIFF/PNG/GIF/BMP).
All these formats can also be turned into PDFs while maintaining their original quality. In addition, the product provides a partial conversion tool, meaning you can extract particular pages instead of processing the entire document. Other program functionality includes splitting, merging, and batch conversion for multiple PDF files.
Furthermore, this PDF converter for Windows has advanced OCR technology that supports 46 languages. This useful feature makes it possible to convey scanned or image-based PDFs to Word or Excel and modify them.
#4: Foxit Editor
The Foxit company has become as well-known as Adobe by providing PDF editing software for years. Foxit Editor, its most recent product, is deemed the best software for converting PDFs to Word documents and vice versa. You can easily share your whole document or its selected area by also exporting it to Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, RTF, and images. Moreover, you may even make a portfolio to share multiple files. The program holds many editing features, such as:
- changing the layout;
- modifying text font, size, or line spacing;
- moving content across columns, paragraphs, and pages;
- adding multimedia;
- creating eSign.
You can use Foxit’s organization tools to split and merge your converted files and incorporate watermarks, stamps, footers, and headers. When dealing with paper docs or images, simply run OCR to receive searchable and editable content. On top of that, there’s a possibility to enable document accessibility for individuals with disabilities using assistive technology to access the content.
#5: Icecream
If you’re looking for creatively designed PDF converter software for Windows, the Icecream conversion tools may be the solution for you. The app possesses a straightforward interface with two parts to convert PDF to Word and vice versa. Other supported format options include spreadsheets, eBooks, hypertext, and images, but they range a little for different types of conversion.
This efficient Microsoft PDF converter has a batch processing feature for dealing with multiple files at once. You can optionally match your docs of various formats into a single one as well. Also, optical character recognition is incorporated into the Icecream PDF converter. It implies that if you’ve converted files, such as images or scanned documents, you can edit them.
Moreover, there’s Icecream’s online PDF converter, PDFCandy. Consider it if you wonder what is the best free PDF converter and don’t want to deal with the installation.
#6: Soda
Another best PDF converter software to think of is the versatile and lightweight Soda PDF. With its great functionality, you can convert PDF files to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, text, and images and use batch conversion to process many docs simultaneously. The program also offers the creation of PDFs from more than 300 multiple formats.
The in-built optical character recognition feature helps transform scanned docs and images into editable and searchable files. It detects text fragments within the pictures automatically, but you may set areas for checking by yourself.
Regarding editing options, Soda PDF presents various tools for adding and removing text content, modifying its size, font, and color, and inserting, clipping, or cropping images. If needed, you can e-sign and protect your files and make interactive PDF forms (invoices, surveys, etc.).
#7: Wondershare PDFelement
Wondershare PDFelement is a PDF converter software for Windows that presents a viewing, organizing, editing, commenting, and conversion tool with a plain design. It can easily convert files from all Microsoft Office formats and supports a variety of image file types.
Available for most popular Windows versions, this program holds an easy-to-use toolbar with options for batch processing, fillable form creation, combining, splitting, and compressing documents. Its editing features resemble Word’s, with the possibility of placing text, shapes, or image content, transforming the text’s font, sizes, and colors, and inserting links or watermarks. This Microsoft PDF converter makes the electronic signing of any contract faster, while OCR technology easily recognizes the content of the scanned files.
#8: Lumin
Lumin is one of the PDF converter apps with OCR that work in the cloud. It’s integrated with Google tools like Google Drive, Google Classroom, and Dropbox, so all your performance will be safely stored.
This conversion software offers a suite of digital tools indispensable for a smooth workflow with custom documents. It’s easy to open your docs on a desktop application, browser, mobile, or tablet device and edit them even without conversion, as well as transform Word, Excel, PPT, or JPG files. You can reduce the file size, combine and split them, build fillable forms, and create eSign seamlessly. Lumin also allows you to mark up your documents for more personalized work.
#9: Nitro
For a streamlined, smarter, and more productive experience with your docs, resort to the Nitro conversion software. Trusted by over 60% of the Fortune 500, this PDF converter tool enables in-depth and accessible editing, creation, eSigning, and more. In short, you can make, change, review, and convert to and from popular file formats, all with professionally designed, uncluttered navigation.
It’s one of the finest PDF converters that perfectly suits everyday necessities with document conversion tools and professional, complex use. Fully integrated with OCR, it offers an array of other beneficial features like arranging, merging, dividing, and securing the files. It accelerates the whole workflow, intuitively and quickly performing essential tasks with your docs.
#10: Smallpdf
This is probably the best PDF converter app for smaller jobs. It’s available as a desktop and mobile version, with a Google Chrome extension, the G Suite, and the Dropbox app.
Smallpdf contains 21 diverse tools to organize and convert files. Once you download this PDF converting software, you can effortlessly convert Word documents, Excel, PowerPoint, and images (JPG and PNG) with a simple drag and drop. Designed with basic modification functions, it provides fast viewing, editing, compressing, combining, and splitting experiences. You can also protect your docs and unlock and eSign them within the app.
Conclusion
This was our list of PDF converters worth paying attention to in 2023. They all offer users the essential tools and features to quickly and effortlessly perform tasks with their PDFs. Trials are included to test the experience with the app before purchasing any plan.
You can always use our list of things to consider when choosing what PDF converting software to work with. But probably the most wonderful choice is our application. It gives the most extended trial period to get accustomed to its functionality, supports many popular file formats, handles conversions easily, and has a unique command line to transform files even without a graphic interface.
FAQ
- How to download PDF converter software?
To download one of your favorite PDF converters, go to its main website and find and click the “Download” button. When the download process is prompted, select a location on your computer. Once the download is complete, locate the file, double-click on it to start the installation, and follow the prompts.
- What is the best PDF to Word converter software?
To find the best software for converting PDF to Word, focus on your personal requirements and consider the points mentioned in the article. Also, check if the software supports both DOC and DOCX file formats. However, if you lack time to research, you can always rely on CoolUtils’ best PDF converter app as a universal and quality solution.
- How can I convert a PDF file for free?
Many free tools are available for this file format conversion, and they typically have similar navigation and functionality. You can open the CoolUtils online tool to convert PDF files for free. Here, you’ll need to select the document in one of the allowed file types on your computer. Next, choose the desired output format from the drop-down menu and specify details if needed. Wait a few seconds to download the converted file.
- What is the best free PDF converter?
There are many free PDF converters, but the best depends on your specific needs and preferences. The CoolUtils multifunctional software application is available in a free online version to convert PDF documents into 16 different formats in just a few clicks. You can specify options such as image DPI and page size for a more accurate result.
