Google Docs is a popular cloud-based document editing suite that allows you to create, edit, store, and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more online. While Google Docs works best with its own native file formats, it also allows you to open, view, and edit PDF files.
However, users sometimes encounter issues when trying to open PDFs in Google Docs. Here’s a guide on how to properly open PDFs in Google Docs and troubleshoot common problems.
Opening a PDF in Google Docs is easy. Here are the basic steps:
The PDF will then open as an editable Google Docs document.
Note: You must have the PDF file stored in Google Drive in order to open it with Google Docs.
While Google Docs does a decent job at importing and converting PDF files, you may run into the following common issues:
Since PDF files are meant mainly for printing and preserving formatting, Google Docs can sometimes fail to properly import images, tables, columns, and other formatting elements when converting the PDF to an editable Docs file.
The text might become misaligned, overlapped, or skewed. Images also sometimes fail to load properly.
In some cases, Google Docs is unable to correctly identify text elements in a PDF file, which results in a Docs file where part or all of the text cannot be edited. The text appears locked or greyed out.
Files can sometimes get stuck indefinitely in the loading/importing phase when you try opening them in Google Docs. This is usually caused by a poor Internet connection, a large file size, or a corrupted PDF file.
Improperly formatted or low-quality PDF files may appear distorted, blurry, pixelated or simply unreadable when opened in Google Docs.
If you encounter any of the above issues when opening PDFs in Google Docs, try these troubleshooting tips:
If images failed to load, the text is misaligned, or the file gets stuck during loading, try deleting the problematic PDF from Google Drive and upload a fresh copy. Then attempt to reopen the PDF with Google Docs again.
For better results, you can open the PDF file in any desktop PDF reader, use the Print to PDF option to create a new PDF version, then upload and open this new PDF file with Google Docs.
If the text from a PDF file appears locked and uneditable when opened in Google Docs, you can manually copy-paste all the text into a new Google Docs document. This is tedious but allows you to retrieve and edit the text at least.
Google Drive suggests some PDF editing apps like Adobe Acrobat and Nitro Pro that usually do a better job at handling PDF files. You can open your PDF files with one of those apps instead for editing.
An unstable Internet connection can cause files to get stuck in the loading phase. Make sure you have a steady, high-speed Internet connection when trying to open PDFs in Google Docs.
Other online PDF editors like Smallpdf and PDFBuddy can also convert PDF files to Word documents quite well. You can upload your PDF file to any of these tools to convert and download it as a .doc file, which will open better in Google Docs.
Here are some additional tips when handling PDF files in Google Docs:
So in summary, Google Docs can be handy for opening, viewing and lightly editing PDF files. But for more complex workflows involving PDF documents, you’ll need to use the appropriate specialized tools and apps depending on the specific task you want to accomplish.
Vegadocs Staff is comprised with experts in Microsoft Word and Google Docs. With years of experience, their articles offer practical tips for enhanced productivity in digital documentation.
