Microsoft Word is usually the first name in modern word processing. Available as part of the Microsoft Office software suite or as its own standalone application, the process of downloading and installing Word typically comes with a price tag attached to it.

If you need to edit or view a file that has a DOC (the default file format used in Microsoft Word 97-2003) or DOCX (default format used in Word 2007+) extension or if you need to create a document from scratch, there are ways to use Microsoft Word or a similar application for free.

How to Edit a PDF in Word on Mac and Windows To edit PDF in Word, you can convert the PDF file to Word format, which is a readable and editable format. There are many online programs and software which are designed to convert PDF files to other editable formats. Writer, part of the open source package available for Linux, Mac and Windows users, provides an easy-to-use word processor interface that allows you to view, edit or create new files from over a dozen formats including DOC, DOCX, and ODT.

Word Online

Word Online offers what is almost a full-fledged version of the popular word processor from right within your browser window, providing viewing and editing features for new or existing documents. While not all features found in the desktop version are in this browser-based app, it lets you store edited files in your cloud-based OneDrive repository as well as on your local disk in DOCX, PDF, or ODT formats.

Word Online also allows you to invite other users to view or even collaborate on any of your active documents. In addition, the app includes a feature that embeds documents directly into a blog post or onto your personal website. Part of the Office Web Apps suite, Word Online runs in the latest versions of most well-known browsers on Linux, Mac, and Windows operating systems.

Microsoft Word App

The Microsoft Word mobile app is available as a free download for Android and iOS devices through Google Play or Apple's App Store.

The app requires an Office 365 subscription if you want to create or edit documents on an iPad Pro. However, the core functionality is accessible for free on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad Air and iPad mini devices and includes the ability to create, edit, and view Word documents. There are some advanced features that can only be activated with a subscription, but for the most part, what you probably need is available in the free edition.

Similar limitations are found on the Android version of the app, where authenticating with a free Microsoft account will unlock the ability to create and edit Word docs on devices with screens 10.1 inches or smaller. What this means is Android smartphone users are in luck, while those running on tablets will need a subscription if they want to do anything other than view a document.

Office 365 Home Trial

If you're looking for some of Word's advanced features not available in the aforementioned options, Microsoft offers a free trial of Office 365 Home which lets you install the complete version of its word processor along with the rest of the Office suite on up to five PCs or Macs as well as the full version of its app on five tablets and phones. This free trial requires you to provide a valid credit card number and lasts for a full month, at which point you will be charged a yearly fee if you have not canceled the subscription. You can register for this trial subscription on Microsoft's Office Products portal.

LibreOffice

While not actually a Microsoft product, the LibreOffice suite offers a free alternative that also supports Word document formats. Writer, part of the open-source package available for Linux, Mac and Windows users, provides an easy-to-use word processor interface that allows you to view, edit or create new files from over a dozen formats including DOC, DOCX, and ODT.

Kingsoft Office

Yet another multi-platform word processor, Kingsoft's WPS Writer supports documents in Word format and also provides some unique features including an integrated PDF converter. Downloadable for free as part of the WPS Office Software package, WPS Writer can be installed on Android, Linux, and Windows devices. A business version of the product is also available for a fee.

Google Docs

Google Docs is a full-featured word processor which is compatible with Microsoft Word file formats and can be used free of charge with a Google account. Docs is completely browser-based on desktop platforms and accessible through native apps on Android and iOS devices. Integrated with Google Drive, Docs allows for seamless document collaboration with several users.

Word Viewer

Microsoft Word Viewer is a free application that runs only on older versions of the Windows operating system (Windows 7 and below). It helps people to view, copy, or print documents saved in one of the multiple Word formats (DOC, DOCX, DOT, DOTX, DOCM, DOTM). If you are running an old operating system and cannot locate Word Viewer on your PC, it can be obtained from Microsoft's Download Center.

• Posted Sept. 24, 2013, 11:40 a.m. - 5 years, 11 months ago

PDFs on Mac: Use Infix Instead of Word for Mac

Microsoft has developed a version of Word specifically for Mac users: Word for Mac. On the surface, it looks more or less the same as the Windows version, and many users happily switch from one to the other without problems.

However, there are a few niggles and differences that can be frustrating for users that have previously used Word on Windows. In particular, there’s a strange quirk relating to the creation of PDF files. As incredible as it sounds, it’s impossible for Word for Mac to create a PDF containing hyperlinks.

Microsoft is aware of the problem, but as its support site proves, it’s not going to do anything about it any time soon.

PDF Problems in Word for Mac

Let’s look at the issue in more detail.

In Word for Mac, users can create a PDF from a Word document in two different ways:

• They can use the File -> Save As menu and select PDF from the drop-down list.
• They can use the File -> Print menu and click PDF.

If you need to quickly export your Word for Mac document as a PDF, these options are both handy. There’s a distinct lack of control over the output, though, but for the basics, either works to some degree.

But there’s a fairly big flaw. Word for Mac cannot create hyperlinks in a PDF document, no matter which method you choose. Naturally, it’s disheartening to have created a Word document containing links that simply don’t function correctly when exported as a PDF, and many users resort to hopping onto a Windows PC to solve the problem.

If you look up this issue online, you’ll normally see third party software is the only solution, but many of the tools recommended for the job are very expensive. Infix PDF Editor is actually a very good tool to get around the problem, and it’s affordable enough to be worth the investment.

Word For Mac Free

Fixing PDF Hyperlinks in Word for Mac

Word For Mac And Word Editors

Hyperlinks are incredibly useful in PDF documents. Every table of contents, every linked image, every bookmark: they all depend on the hyperlink to function, and the usability of a PDF is greatly affected when the links don’t work.

If you work on a Mac often, and you create PDFs often, you need an alternative way to create documents with working hyperlinks. We recommend ditching Word for Mac altogether and using the Pro version of Infix PDF Editor on your Mac instead.

So how do you deal with those links? In Infix, you can search your document for keywords with certain types of formatting applied. Using Infix’s Find dialog, you can quickly locate a link, replace it and re-save your document.

Infix PDF Editor offers Mac users a range of other features that are not available in Word for Mac:

• Users can add advanced features, such as article linking through a document, industry-standard password protection or the creation of layers.
• There’s more control over the way the document is saved (so recipients of PDFs could benefit from better quality and smaller file sizes).
• Users can output PDF content to a range of alternative formats, such as JPEG, right from Infix PDF Editor.

Word For Mac Autorecover

• The software can acquire written content from a scanned image and convert it to editable text.

Microsoft Word For Mac And Pc

Year on year, the price of Word for Mac is actually increasing. Save yourself the trouble and make the move to Infix PDF Editor for Mac.