How to Insert a PDF into Word: 2 Easy Methods

Knowing how to insert a PDF into Word is useful whenever you need to combine reference materials, attach supporting files, or edit PDF content directly inside a report. Microsoft Word lets you embed a PDF as an object, display it as an icon, or convert it into fully editable text.

In this guide, you’ll learn both methods, when to use each one, and how to fix common issues when a PDF won’t open or convert properly.

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Why Insert a PDF into Word?

Adding a PDF to a Word document is useful for:

• Combining multiple documents into one file
• Sharing supporting materials and references
• Creating reports with attached source documents
• Embedding forms and manuals
• Editing PDF content directly in Word

The right method depends on what you want to do with the PDF: view, open, or edit it.

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How to Insert a PDF into Word: Step-by-Step

There are two main approaches: embedding the PDF as an object, or converting it into editable Word text. Both are covered below.

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Method 1: How to Insert a PDF into Word as an Embedded Object

This is the most common method and places the PDF directly inside your document.

1. Open your Word document and click where you want the PDF to appear.
2. Select the Insert tab.
3. In the Text group, click Object.

4. Choose Object from the drop-down menu.
5. Select the Create from File tab and click Browse.

6. Locate your PDF file, select it, and click Insert.

Word now offers a few options for how the PDF object behaves.

Leave Everything Unticked (Recommended)

With both boxes unchecked, the PDF is fully embedded — it travels with the document, requires no external links, and stays accessible when shared. This is the best choice for most users.

Display as Icon

This inserts the PDF as a clickable icon instead of showing the document itself. You can change the icon and rename the displayed file — useful for a cleaner layout.

Link to File

This connects to the original PDF location, keeping the Word file smaller and updating automatically if the PDF changes. The downside: links break if the file is moved, renamed, or shared without it — for this reason, embedding is usually preferred.

Opening and Managing an Embedded PDF

Double-click the PDF object and select Open to view it in your default PDF reader (Edge, Adobe Acrobat, or Chrome). To rename the object, view its properties, or open it again later, right-click the object and select Object.

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Method 2: How to Insert a PDF into Word as Editable Text

If you need to edit the PDF’s content rather than just display it, Word can convert the file into an editable document.

1. Open Microsoft Word and click File → Open → Browse.

2. Locate and select your PDF file, then click Open.

3. Click OK when Word explains it will convert the PDF into an editable document.
4. Click Enable Editing if prompted, and confirm any further messages.

Word converts the PDF content into editable text and objects you can modify directly. This works best with text-based PDFs, simple layouts, standard reports, articles, and basic forms — formatting often stays close to the original.

Conversion is less reliable with scanned documents (which are essentially images), flattened PDFs saved as a single image layer, files with charts, diagrams, SmartArt, or embedded objects, and large multi-page documents where layouts can shift.

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Which Method Should You Use?

Feature	Embedded PDF (Method 1)	Converted PDF (Method 2)
View PDF inside Word	Yes	No
Open original PDF	Yes	No
Edit PDF content	No	Yes
Keeps original formatting	Yes	Sometimes
Easy to share	Yes	Yes

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Common Problems When Inserting PDFs

PDF Won’t Open

Make sure a PDF reader is installed and set as the default application.

PDF Displays as an Icon

This happens when Display as Icon was selected during insertion — re-insert and leave the boxes unticked instead.

Formatting Changes After Conversion

Complex PDFs often lose some formatting during conversion — review the converted document carefully before relying on it.

Link to File Stops Working

The original PDF may have been moved, renamed, or deleted — re-link or switch to embedding instead.

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Pro Tips

• Embed PDFs rather than linking when sharing documents — links can break once the file leaves your computer.
• Keep the original PDF as a backup before converting it, in case formatting shifts.
• If you only need a quick reference rather than an editable copy, an Excel-style data table may suit better — see our guide on how to insert an Excel sheet in Word.
• Once your document is finished, you can save it back as a PDF — see our guide on how to save a Word document as a PDF.
• To add sound to a document, see How to Add Audio Files to Microsoft Word.

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FAQs

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Conclusion

Now you know how to insert a PDF into Word — whether by embedding it as an object for sharing, displaying it as an icon, or converting it into editable text.

If your converted PDF includes tables that need cleaning up, our guide on three ways to insert a table in Word covers formatting them correctly afterwards.

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Related Tutorials

• How to Convert a PDF to a Word Document
• How to Save a Word Document as a PDF
• How to Insert an Excel Sheet in Word