Alttoalternative to
Convert a PDF Tools
Free · No sign-up · Runs in your browser

Turn a locked PDF into an editable Word document.

Drop in a PDF and Altto rebuilds its text as a real .docx file you can edit in Word, Google Docs, or Pages — without ever sending the file to a server.

.PDF
.DOCX
Not uploaded — nobody sees it Works offline once loaded No file size games No watermark, ever No subscription or account Independent, made in Britain
Also free on Altto: New: AI tools Office suite Word Counter QR Code Generator Compress PDF HEIC to JPG +75 more tools →
Your PDF is never uploaded — it’s read right here in this browser tab, on your device. It never reaches a server, so we never see it, copy it or keep it. Don’t just take our word for it: once this page has loaded, turn off your Wi-Fi and convert a PDF. It still works.

Best with PDFs made from documents. Scanned pages go through OCR, so results depend on the scan; very complex layouts may need a little tidying in Word, and very large files can take a while. Tested on 200 public test PDFs: see the benchmark.

Open Word files without Word →Altto Write opens, edits and saves .docx in your browser. Open Publisher files without Publisher →Altto Layout opens your old .pub files now Publisher is retired.
On-device AI

AI tools that never see your files

Summarise, translate, transcribe and enhance — with AI that runs right here in your browser. Your documents, recordings and photos are never uploaded, not even to us.

Summarise PDFKey points from any PDF or Word file. Translate Document27 languages, downloads as Word. Speech to TextRecordings and videos into text or subtitles. AI Image UpscalerEnlarge photos 2× or 4× with sharper detail. Background RemoverCut out any photo’s background.
Nothing uploadedFree, no sign-upWorks offline once loadedBest on a recent computer
How it works

Three steps, no waiting on a server

Altto does the parsing and file-building right in your browser tab, so there's no upload queue and no "processing your file" spinner tied to someone else's servers. Want other options too? See how to turn a PDF into a Word document — six free ways, step by step.

  1. 01

    Add your PDF

    Drag it into the drop zone or pick it from your files. Altto checks it's a readable PDF before doing anything else.

  2. 02

    Text is extracted, page by page

    A PDF-reading engine loaded into the page walks each page and pulls out its text and layout in order.

  3. 03

    Save the .docx

    Altto rebuilds the text as a Word file and hands it to you to save — open it in Word, Docs, or Pages right away.

A real example

A sample report we made for testing, before and after converting it with this page. Nothing was touched up afterwards.

The sample PDF: a one-page community garden report with a green title, two headings, a bulleted list and a four-row table with a dark green header row.
Before: the PDF
The Word file Altto made from it: the same title, headings, bold and italic words, bullets and table, with the header row and striped rows kept.
After: the .docx Altto made, opened in a word processor (LibreOffice Writer). The text, list and table are all editable.

Simple documents like this one usually come through almost exactly. Busy layouts and scans can need some tidying: see how Altto scores on 200 public test PDFs.

Why this runs in your browser, not on a server

Most free converters ask you to upload a file to a server, wait, then download the result — and your document sits on someone else's disk in the meantime. Altto skips that step completely: there's no server for your file to go to, so there's nothing for anyone to see or store.

  • Nothing is uploaded, everThe PDF is opened and converted using code that runs in this browser tab, because there’s no server on the other end. That also means we can’t see it, copy it or keep it.
  • No account, no email wallConvert as many files as you like without signing up or handing over an email address.
  • Text-based, not a scan guesserAltto reads the real text layer in your PDF, so headings, paragraphs, and word order come through cleanly. See how it scores on 200 public test PDFs in our PDF to Word accuracy benchmark.
  • Independent and made in BritainAltto is a small, independent site run in the UK — not a big tech company. It’s written in British English and includes tools for UK rules, such as Making Tax Digital and UK passport photos. Who runs Altto.
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files stored on our servers. Your file never reaches a server — the conversion library is loaded once, then everything happens locally, right here in your browser.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The practical details on formats, limits, and what Altto can and can't do. New to this? Start with how to turn a PDF into a Word document, or browse all our guides.

Will my formatting and images come through?
Usually kept: text, paragraphs, headings, bold and italics, links, tables (including merged cells, cell colours and pictures in cells), pictures, charts, fonts and font sizes, colours, alignment, page size and margins, page numbers, contents pages and filled-in forms.

May vary by document: two- and three-column layouts and text wrapped round pictures usually come through, but check long or busy pages. Heavily designed pages such as flyers and posters keep their look by going in as a background picture with the text on top, still editable. Maths equations come through as pictures of the equation, and scanned pages depend on the quality of the scan. See our guide on keeping formatting intact for tips.
Does it work on scanned PDFs?
Yes. If the scan already has a text layer (for example, one your scanner or Adobe Acrobat has run OCR on), Altto reads it directly. If it doesn't, Altto automatically detects the missing text and runs its own built-in OCR in your browser before converting. It works out the language by itself, so scans in French, German, Polish, Welsh, Russian, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and dozens more come out as editable text too.
Is there a file size or page limit?
Altto is comfortable with everyday documents — contracts, essays, reports, resumes. Very large files (dozens of MB or many hundreds of pages) can be slow because everything runs on your device's own processor rather than a server farm.
What is the best free PDF to Word converter in the UK?
Altto is a free PDF to Word converter made in the UK. There is no sign-up and no per-file fee, and it converts in your browser so the PDF is never uploaded. Drop in the PDF, wait a moment, and download an editable .docx for Word, Google Docs or Pages. The accuracy results against 14 other converters are published, and they are Altto's own tests. See the PDF to Word benchmark.
How do I convert a PDF to a Word document?
  1. Open Altto in your browser (this page).
  2. Drop in the PDF, or click to choose it.
  3. Wait a few seconds while it converts on your device.
  4. Click Download and open the .docx in Word.
It is free with no sign-up, and the PDF is never uploaded. Scanned PDFs are pictures of text, so they need OCR first; see the full guide.
How do I copy a PDF into a Word document for free?
Open Altto in your browser, drop in the PDF and download the editable .docx, which you can open in Word and copy from or keep. It is free with no sign-up, and the PDF is never uploaded. If you only need a few paragraphs, converting the whole file first usually keeps headings, tables and pictures better than copying and pasting from the PDF. More in how to turn a PDF into a Word document.
Is this really free?
Yes. Altto is supported by advertising rather than subscriptions or per-file fees, and there's no limit on how many PDFs you convert.
Do you keep a copy of my document?
No — your document never reaches a server, so there's nothing to keep. See the Privacy Policy for details on the limited, non-document data (like basic analytics or ad cookies) this site may use.
Can I convert a password-protected PDF to Word?
Yes, if you know the password. Altto asks for it in your browser and uses it only on your own device to open the file, so neither the file nor the password is uploaded. See how to convert a password-protected PDF to Word.
Can I convert a PDF to Word on my phone?
Yes. Altto runs in Safari or Chrome on iPhone and Android, with no app to install. Pick the PDF from your files and download the .docx. Step by step: PDF to Word on iPhone or Android.
How do I know a PDF converter isn't uploading my file?
Most free converters send your file to a server. Altto does the conversion on your own device, so you can check by switching off your internet connection once the page has loaded and converting a text-based PDF anyway. More in converting PDF to Word without uploading your file.