Quick answer: open altto.co.uk in Safari or Chrome on your phone, tap the box to choose your PDF, then tap Convert to Word (.docx). The Word file downloads a few seconds later. It all runs in the browser, so there's no app to install and the PDF never leaves your phone. It works the same on an iPad or a Samsung phone.
On iPhone the file goes to the Files app, in the Downloads folder. On Android it goes to Downloads. Open it from there in Word, Google Docs or Pages.
Why your phone can view a PDF but not edit it
Both iPhone and Android open PDFs perfectly well — tap one in Mail, Files or a downloads folder and it renders fine. What neither does natively is let you edit the text. Viewing a PDF just means drawing fixed pages on screen; turning one into an editable Word document means pulling the text and layout back out and rebuilding it as a structured .docx file, which is a different job entirely.
Search the App Store or Play Store for “PDF to Word” and you'll find plenty of apps, but many want a subscription after a trial, ask for broad access to your files or photos, or upload your document to their servers to convert it. None of that is necessary.
How to convert a PDF to Word on iPhone (Safari)
- Open altto.co.uk in Safari.
- Tap the box that says “Drop PDFs here, or click to browse” and choose your PDF from Files — Recents, iCloud Drive, On My iPhone, or wherever it's saved. If it's an email attachment, open it, tap the Share button and choose Save to Files first.
- Tap Convert to Word (.docx). The work happens in the tab itself — you'll see a progress bar rather than an “uploading” message. If the PDF has a password, a box will ask for it.
- Save the result. The .docx downloads automatically; if Safari asks, tap Download. Find it in the Files app under Downloads, and tap it to open it in Word, Pages or Google Docs.
How to convert a PDF to Word on Android (Chrome)
- Open altto.co.uk in Chrome.
- Tap the box and choose the PDF from Downloads, Google Drive or wherever it's stored. For a Gmail attachment, tap the download icon on the attachment first.
- Tap Convert to Word (.docx) and wait for the progress bar to finish.
- Open the file. It lands in your Downloads folder — tap the notification, or find it in your Files app — ready to open in Word, Google Docs or any other editor on the phone.
The steps are close to identical on both platforms, because it's the same browser-based tool either way — there's no separate mobile version to learn. You can also pick several PDFs at once and use Download all as .zip; both the iPhone Files app and Files by Google on Android can open a zip.
Converting scans and photos of documents
If a PDF is really a picture of a page — a scanned letter or form — Altto notices there's no text layer and runs its built-in OCR in your phone's browser before converting. It takes longer than an ordinary PDF, because your phone is reading each page as an image, so keep the page open until it finishes. Clear, flat, well-lit scans work best.
If you only have a photo of the document, make it a PDF first: the Files app on iPhone can scan documents straight to PDF (More button → Scan Documents), and Android has scanning apps too. Or turn an existing photo into a PDF with Image to PDF — see how to convert a JPG to PDF.
Other ways to convert a PDF to Word on a phone
| Option | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Altto in Safari or Chrome | Free | No install or account; the PDF stays on your phone |
| Microsoft Word app | Free app; some features need Microsoft 365 | Newer versions can offer to convert a PDF you open in Word, but it depends on your version and account |
| Google Docs or Drive app | Free | Can open a PDF as a Google Doc, but the result is a Google Doc rather than .docx, and it works best on a computer; check formatting |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader app | Free to view; conversion is paid | Good for reading, commenting and signing |
| Dedicated converter apps | Often a subscription after a trial | Many upload your file — check the privacy policy |
Where mobile conversion hits its limits
- Big files take longer. A phone's processor is doing the work instead of a data centre, so a PDF running to hundreds of pages will take noticeably longer than a two-page letter. Files can be up to 40 MB each.
- Keep the tab open. Phones pause pages you're not looking at, so stay on the page until the download starts, especially for long documents or scans.
- Fine-tuning is easier on a bigger screen. The conversion is the same, but if the result needs tidying — see how to keep formatting when converting — that's quicker on a laptop.
If the PDF is also password-protected, the same on-device approach works — the password never leaves your phone either.
Common questions
Can I convert a PDF to Word on my iPhone for free?
How do I convert a PDF to Word on an iPad?
How do I convert a PDF to Word on a Samsung phone?
Will the Word document be editable?
Why can't I convert a PDF to Word on my phone?
Do I need to install an app to convert a PDF to Word on my phone?
Is it safe to convert a PDF on my phone's browser instead of an app?
Where does the converted Word file go on my phone?
Can I convert a scanned PDF to Word on my phone?
Can I use Google Docs to convert a PDF to Word on my phone?
Why does my phone's Files or Photos app let me view a PDF but not edit it?
Try it on your phone
Open the converter in your phone’s browser and pick a PDF — no app, no account, nothing to install.
Sources
Where the iPhone facts in this guide come from:
- Apple Support — How to scan documents on your iPhone or iPad (scanning a document and saving it as a PDF on iPhone)