Category: FAQs

Everybody is using PDF documents to transfer their files these days.

If you have ever downloaded a document from the web, it is likely to have been in PDF format, from tax filing to graphic design. This is because they are great at preserving the original document’s look and feel and are perfect for reading.

But what happens when you need to edit a PDF document?

If you have ever wondered how to edit a PDF document, this short comprehensive guide is for you. Have a look and discover the best and free ways to open and edit a PDF.

What is a PDF document?

One of the most common file types you will encounter today is the PDF. PDF stands for portable document format. They are easy to share and view as they look the same on every device.

Adobe invented the PDF back in the 1990s to help graphic designers share files across devices but ensure that everyone sees the file as originally intended.

Most browsers can be used as PDF readers and many word processing software applications, like Word or Google docs, now support them natively. However, they work as readers and require extra steps to be able to edit the files.

There are going to be times when you want to open and edit a PDF document. Perhaps to sign it or make some changes before sending it on. To do that, you will need to make the document editable.

How to Make a PDF Editable

Because of their very locked-down nature, lots of people spend a lot of time investigating how to edit a PDF document. They can not be edited natively in most reading software, like Adobe Reader.

However, many applications will make it possible to edit a PDF document and then resave it as a new PDF.

The best-known of all of these applications is Adobe Document Cloud or Adobe DC. As the original PDF creators, Adobe has had software for reading and editing this document type for decades.

You have to pay for a license to use this software. There is a seven-day free trial to try it out, and it is a powerful and useful tool. You can edit PDFs on mobile, PC, and Mac, and it is super simple to use.

How to Edit a PDF with Adobe DC

1. Open Adobe DC on your device

2. Choose Edit PDF from the right-hand side pane

3. Use the editing tools to change text, images, annotate, or add a watermark

4. Save the document

That’s all there is to it. It is easy to do but will come at a cost. Adobe Pro DC costs $22 a month and requires an annual commitment to the license.

How to Edit a PDF for Free

The great news is that you are not limited to only using Adobe software to read, open and edit PDF files. There are many other options on the market, some of which allow you to do the same for free.

Not all software is made the same, however. Be careful of applications that offer a limited free trial where they lock down some of the app’s functionality.

Here are a couple of good free software options for editing a PDF.

Smallpdf (PC and Mac OSX)

This is a handy, easy-to-use application that allows you to convert PDF files into easy to edit Word documents. It also has options for merging pdfs, e-signing documents as well as compressing and converting files.

Smallpdf has a freemium option that allows you to work on two documents per day whilst giving you access to most of their tools. It also works on their mobile app as well.

If you require more volume, then you will need to upgrade to one of their paid solutions.

PDFescape Online

This editing application is available as a PC download at a cost and has an online version that you can use for free.

The online version of PDFescape is quite limited but will allow you to create and fill forms, edit PDF files and share them. There are many more powerful options available in the downloadable option, but this comes at a monthly cost.

One limitation is that you can not upload PDFs greater than the 10MB file size limit. This will not be a problem for most documents, but if you are editing large, novel-length files, you will encounter issues.

Editing a PDF in Microsoft Word

Yes, you read that right. You can now edit a PDF directly in MS Word.

But, and it is quite a big but, you will lose some formatting. Obviously, once you take PDF documents out of their container, everything the PDF was doing to preserve formatting is lost in translation.

Word can deal with this much better these days than in previous iterations. However, if you convert a document from PDF to MS Word, you will encounter formatting hiccups.

If you are just looking for a way to access the text or make some minor changes, this is a great quick option.

Here’s how to edit a PDF in MS Word.

1. Open Microsoft Word

2. Select File > Open and browse to your PDF document

Once you select the file, you will receive a dialog box that warns you the file will be converted from a PDF to Word, and some formatting may be lost.

3. Select OK. It may take a while for your file to load if it is large.

Now your document is open in MS Word, and you can edit it as you would any other Word Document. Once finished, print the document and save it as a PDF.

Editing a PDF on a Mac

Apple has also made editing PDFs a little bit easier, more recently with a Quick Look feature included in the Mojave update of 2018. It is primarily designed to make form-filling easier and not more complex edits.

PDFs should open as standard in this tool as it is the default PDF reader software in the Mac OS. However, once open, you can also edit text and complete form fields.

Click the pencil icon at the top of the screen to move Quick Look from reader to the editor, and you should be able to make changes within the application. Then save once you have finished and your edits are preserved.

Editing a PDF is Simple

Hopefully, this guide has given you some ideas for how to edit a PDF and just how simple it is to do so these days. Don’t be fooled by the big software price tags. There are good freemium solutions available.

If you are looking for a quick online solution for converting your files, then take a look at our many free online conversion tools and find the right converter for you.

Whether you’re a company or a home user, there is likely large amounts of data on your electronic devices you do not need.

Data hoarding, the collection and storing of data out of habit and compulsion, is something of a hidden but significant bugbear for many modern computer users.

Data hoarding doesn’t just cause your storage devices to balloon full either. It can be a major issue, especially if it’s companies who collect the data of clients. Join us today as we discuss the nature of this phenomenon and the ways it may hurt you (and those you serve).

Why Has Data Hoarding Become an Issue?

While some view data hoarding as a mixed blessing, the reality is that it does more harm than good. It fills storage devices, can cloud up everyday use, and even can attract hackers.

The only real grey area is in regards to people who consider themselves data archivists. If a user intends to collect and save huge volumes of the internet, for instance, is that data hoarding? 

The answer to that question may not be clear-cut but it’s also an edge case. Few users are making a genuine effort to archive data, hoping to save it for posterity. For that reason, it’s a question that doesn’t need an answer for the majority of data hoarding to be looked at as an issue.

A Lack of Proficiency Can Lead to Headaches

While it’s getting rarer, many older and otherwise less proficient users tend to be seriously inefficient when using computers. You may have even seen how this can result in data hoarding without realizing it.

If you’ve ever seen a computer user whose desktop is an unorganized mess of different files, you’ve seen data be hoarded. This inefficiency is often caused more by a lack of proficiency and basic computer discipline than any active intent.

Helping these users learn to organize and delete files can often be enough to resolve the issue.

Capturing Moments and Getting to It Tomorrow

The average home user, with at least moderate computer proficiency, can data hoard too. This type of hoarding tends to come down to two major issues: a viewing of files not unlike photographs and just downright laziness.

There is some merit to the first point. Some files may be important to you, like original fiction you’ve written or art you’ve made.

Most, however, you will never look at again and would forget you deleted a few days after doing so. You shouldn’t feel obligated to keep files past their use, even if they were once important to you in some way.

Perhaps a more prevalent issue is when users keep files around they will “get to tomorrow.” Whether that means they’ll finish them up or just delete them “later,” some files sit years on PCs doing nothing.

Chances are you have a project you never intend to finish sitting on your computer. Delete it! It will free up space and, if it has important information on it, reduce the risk you’ll be under if you’re ever hacked.

Big Data Has Poisoned Us

There are some who argue corporate data hoarding can often be blamed on Big Data. There has been a big push to view data as valuable (and it often is) but many companies jump into that mentality without knowing how to differentiate.

These data hoarding security risks stand to often lose the most of any of the types of hoarders we’ve noted so far.

Data hoarding can choke organizations with useless information obfuscating other data that may be needed. In some cases, it may even lead to the corruption and loss of data that would have been useful.

The solution to this issue is a set of clear rules for data management, coupled with organization. If every user of a company PC knows where files go, and which pieces of data can be deleted, operations will run much more smoothly.

This is ignoring that the hoarding of client data means leaks and breaches become much worse. Protecting client data is serious enough business without it coming out you gathered more data than you needed and kept it for no other reason than to have it.

In the worst cases, this could expose you to a lawsuit.

Common Solutions

The number one way to solve data hoarding of all kinds is organization. If you cannot find a file again, or recognize what a file is, then it may sit forevermore in its place. Develop a system, either for yourself or your company, that is easy to understand and gives the files you’re working with clear places to be on your network.

You can further help some aspects of data hoarding with things like file compressors. For example, compressing PDFs may help you save space. If you need many of a similar type of file, compressing can allow for much more data to be stored.

Learning when to just delete files is another must when it comes to avoiding hoarding behavior. Most new data on your computer won’t be useful a month down the line. If you develop the discipline to delete things you won’t need, your system will be much better for it. 

The ability to send documents securely also can help prevent data hoarding. If you don’t need to double up key files between multiple computers, it can prevent a growing sea of unneeded and rarely needed data. It won’t always be an option, but remember that you don’t always need every file to be shared between every company (and relevant client) PC. 

A Little Effort Can Help You Avoid Data Hoarding

Data hoarding is a common issue but it’s also one moderate discipline will solve. If your computers are full of files that go unused, especially files that contain sensitive data, it’s time to organize what you have and clear out what’s not needed.

For the files you have left, we also have dozens of converters to help make sure they’re in the file type you actually want. That’s even putting aside the fact that, like was said earlier, our compressors will be able to save you even more space!

Believe it or not, there’re more than 330 million active users on Twitter every month. With so many social media users logging in to platforms like Twitter, you might be wondering how to make your page stand out from the crowd.

Ready to start researching how to “format image for Twitter?”

If you are looking to make your latest photos go viral on Twitter, then check out our complete guide to formatting Twitter images today!

The Most Helpful Twitter Header Image Size

In case you didn’t know, the most imaginative image side for the header photo on your Twitter profile is approximately 1500 pixels by 500 pixels. However, it’s important to remember that every header photo will display much differently depending on which device your viewer is looking at it on.

In addition to this, slightly cropping both the bottom and top of your header photo might erase any information on the edges, so be sure to keep that information near the center of your header image.

Besides this, keep in mind that part of your header will be blocked by your profile photo in the lower left-hand corner. So be sure to avoid putting any visuals in that particular area.

Also, it’s crucial to know that Twitter only supports the following types of images:

• JPEG file formats
• GIF file formats
• PNG file formats

Lastly, make sure that your browser is as recent as possible to prevent any errors from occurring during the upload process!

The Perfect Twitter Profile Image Size

Sick of searching how to “format image Twitter” online?

If that’s the case, we are here to help you out!

First of all, it might be helpful to know that the perfect Twitter profile image size is somewhere around 400 pixels by 400 pixels. Even though you’re profile photo will originally be uploaded as a square shape, it’s usually displayed as a circle shape on the site.

That’s why it’s so essential to make sure that your profile photo will still keep its integrity when it’s cropped into a circle shape. However, losing key details during the cropping process means that you should probably choose a different photo. Similar to your header photo format, Twitter can also support JPEG, GIF, or PNG file formats as a profile image.

Need a little help with your Twitter profile customization project?

Don’t hesitate to do the following in case you get stuck:

• Read Twitter’s tips for building up your profile
• Take a look at troubleshooting forums for uploading your profile image
• Explore more detailed suggestions from Twitter’s help page

It’s as simple as that!

The Most Ideal Twitter In-Stream Image Size

Frustrated with fruitless “format image post Twitter” findings?

If yes, we’ve got you covered!

First off, you should know that working with in-stream images means that they’ll be displayed at 600 pixels by 335 pixels. Using a 16:9 ratio as your guide, you can even expand your in-stream image to up to 1200 pixels by 675 pixels.

The best part about this? That you’ll easily be able to upload all sorts of different shapes of photos, including:

• Square photos
• Vertical photos
• Horizontal photos

On the flip side, we highly recommend that you avoid making your in-stream image bigger than 5 megabytes. Just like the header and profile photos we’ve mentioned above, you can upload your in-stream images in popular formats like JPEG, GIF, or PNG.

Pro tip: Be sure to choose GIFs that loop for in-stream image uploads. Otherwise, it may only display as a “static image!”

The Most Terrific Twitter Ad Image Size

In terms of tweeting out the most terrific Twitter ads, you should make sure that your images are about 600 pixels in width. Even better, choosing something around 1200 pixels should do the trick as well. Plus, you can use any height image to satisfy Twitter’s 1:1 ratio requirement.

If you’re using the Twitter website on your desktop, though, any image is acceptable as long as it lies between Twitter’s 2:1 and 1:1 ratio. Additionally, the images are shown at the standard 16:9 ratio on mobile platforms. Also, posting four photos max in one tweet is another fun feature to play around with when working with Twitter ads.

Just like posting in-stream images, JPEG, GIF, or PNG file formats are preferred for Twitter ad image sizes. As mentioned above, keeping your image below 5 megabytes might save you a headache later on too.

FYI: You won’t be able to insert animated GIFs into tweets with more than one image!

Tweak Your Twitter Images Today

Still having a hard time learning how to tweak your Twitter images?

Thankfully for you, we’re practically experts on mastering the perfect Twitter image size.

From header photos and profile photos to in-stream and ad images, we’ve got everything you need to succeed on Twitter. Not only will your banners and posts stand apart from the rest, but following the proper dimensions will also ensure that no key details will be cut off of your post.

What should you do if you’re unable to figure it out on your own?

On top of checking out our handy guide, be sure to read Twitter’s tips for building up your profile, take a look at troubleshooting forums for uploading your profile image, and explore more detailed suggestions from Twitter’s help page. If all else fails, it doesn’t hurt to get in touch with an expert either!

Need a hand in the Twitter image format department?

Take a look at the rest of our blog right now!

Move over PowerPoint. There is a new slide master in town.

Google Slides is free, built for online collaboration, and available anywhere via the cloud. Many people are starting to consider whether it is time to make the switch to the newer model.

If you are wondering how to convert your PPT to Google Slides, then take a look at our handy guide. It will take you through the two best methods to convert your presentations to Google slides.

Why Convert a PowerPoint to Google Slides?

While Microsoft Powerpoint remains the most popular presentation software on the market, Google Slides is closing the gap.

One great advantage of Google Slides is that it is entirely free. It lacks the more technical functionality that MS PowerPoint provides, but they are on par in terms of basic features.

MS PowerPoint requires an annual license subscription to Office 365, and then you can install and use the software on your PC. There is also a cloud version available for subscribers to the Office Live service.

Google Slides, on the other hand, is entirely based in the cloud. This means there is no software to install. It offers unlimited automatic saves and history revision which is great if you want to go back to old versions of a file.

Many users are making the jump from MS PowerPoint to Google Slides. However, in doing so, they are finding that they want to convert their PPT files as well.

A straight conversion of PPT to Google slides is not going to be perfect. There will be issues with conversion as some of the PowerPoint functionality is not available in Google Slides. Especially in terms of animations and transitions.

That said, there are a couple of ways you can do it, and they are both quite easy to do.

Uploading a PowerPoint to Google Slides

The first method is to upload your whole PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides. There are a few ways to do this, but this method is the easiest in terms of finding your file after upload.

Let’s talk it through step by step.

First of all, you need to open your Google Drive folder. This is the central storage space where you keep all of your Google Documents, including Slides, Sheets, and Forms.

Within Google Drive, navigate to the folder where you want to export your PPT to Google Slides. It is best to start in the folder where you want to do the conversion. This also avoids clogging up your root drive.

Right-click within your Google drive folder to bring up a context menu. Select Upload Files and navigate to your PPT file on your hard drive. Select this file and click Open.

Alternatively, you can drag and drop it directly into the folder from your file storage on your hard drive. This will also add the file to the directory.

The file is now in Google Drive but not converted from PPT to Google Slides. Notice that the file format is still PPTX or PPT for older PowerPoint files. The file icon will also be different from other Google Slide files.

Again, with the right-click, select the file and choose Open With from the context menu that appears. There should be an option to open the file in Google Slides.

Once the file is open, you will notice the file type icon at the top of the screen. It sits just after the document title and is a yellow PPTX symbol. This indicates that the file has not yet been changed from PPT to Google Slides.

There will also be a warning box across the top of the screen letting you know if there are any compatibility issues. Clicking on this will let you know what will be lost in the conversion.

The final step is to save the file as a Google Slides file. Open the File menu and choose Save as Google Slides. This will create a Google Slides version of the file.

The PPTX icon will now have disappeared. You should find two copies of the file in the folder, the original PPT and the Google Slides version.

You might want to delete the original PPT file as not to mix them up or, alternatively, store the original PPT in a separate folder. You can move it easily by right-clicking on the file in the folder and choosing Move To.

Your export from PPT to Google Slides is complete. You can now continue working on the Google Slides file within the application.

Importing a PowerPoint into Google Slides

As well as uploading the entire presentation to Google Slides, you can also import slides directly into a presentation. You can do this with either an existing presentation or a blank new one.

Open a new Google Slides file (or an existing one) from inside your Google Drive. From the File drop-down menu, you will want to choose Import Slides.

This will open a file selection window where you can select a file from your device. Click the button (or drag it from File Explorer) and select the PPT presentation your wish to convert.

The upload will take a few moments, depending on the size and complexity of the chosen file.

Next, you will be asked which slides you wish to convert from PPT to Google Slides. You can select All or just individual slides. Make sure you check the Keep Original Theme checkbox to keep the formatting settings.

The theme converter will try and mimic your PowerPoint slides theme as much as it is able. Some styles may be lost due to the differences in functionality between the two applications.

Once you click Import Slides, your slides will be added to the new Google Slides doc. If it is a new document, you will be left with a blank slide at the top of the slides selector. You need to delete this.

And that is it. Your PowerPoint slides have been converted to Google Slides. You can now continue editing in Google Slides as before.

Change PPT to Google Slides

As the Google option is free, changing from PPT to Google Slides may seem like the smart choice. Much of the standard functionality is available in the online software, and there are a wealth of templates available.

Convert your PPT files today and see how easy it is to work online with Google Slides.

If you found this article useful and would like to know more about other useful file conversion tricks, please check out our blog.

Have you made the switch to a Mac? If so, you’re likely stuck with the dilemma of which word processor to use.

Do you stick to Microsoft Word which you’ve always used on your PC? Or do you now try Apple Pages for creating documents?

Both are great choices but for the sake of convenience, you’ll have to pick one to regularly use.

So which is the winner between Pages vs Word?

Here are the pros and cons of each for you to decide:

Cost

On Macs, Apple Pages is now completely free to use. The software comes installed on newer Macs — previously it was part of the ‘iWork’ package that you had to buy separately.

For Microsoft Word, you’ll have to pay a subscription fee each year to use the software.

At the lowest price, you can expect to pay $99.99 per year. If you stop paying the subscription fee, you won’t be able to create new documents.

Both applications will offer upgrades at no additional charge. If you’re on a tight budget, then Apple Pages is the clear winner.

Pages or Word for Access?

The major disadvantage of Apple Pages is that it only works on Macs and other Apple devices. With Microsoft Word, you can use them on Macs and PCs as well as various smartphone operating systems.

You have to consider how often you’ll need to produce documents. If you write on occasion, your best bet might be Pages.

If you always need to access your documents, then you’ve got to stick to Microsoft Word. 

You also have to consider whether you have a need for collaboration.

For example, if you’ve written a book you’ll need to send it to your editor. Does your editor use Pages or Word? Chances are, they’ll use the latter.

For greater access, Word is the winner. You should opt for Pages if you are the only person who needs to access a document.

Ease of Use

We’ve all grown up with Microsoft Word so you’ll likely find it much easier to use. While you might have to learn tweaks to master the software, a basic knowledge of Word will often be sufficient.

With Pages, there’s a greater learning curve for some users. For example, you will have to understand how to create text boxes for writing. At times, you’ll have difficulty formatting your documents.

The biggest challenge with Pages is to create a Doc or Docx file. This is often where the formatting gets ruined. You might create a neat document with Pages, and then it’ll look untidy and poorly formatted in Word.

In fact, your best bet might be to use a conversion tool. If you use Pages, you might have to create a PDF document and then convert it to Docx.

In this category, there’s no clear winner. If you’re a creative type, you might find it easy to adapt to Pages. For the average user, Microsoft Word might be simpler.

Do You Need to Design?

If you need to design documents then you’ll find more flexibility with Pages. For example, you can create brochures, flyers, movie posters, and much more. 

The Pages software has pre-designed templates for creating different types of documents. You can also create your own templates for future use.

Pages often get used for creating online magazines and newsletters. It’s a much better option for creatives than Microsoft Word.

For working beyond standard written documents, Pages is the clear winner. 

Saving Your Work

It’s crucial that you find a way to backup your documents whenever anything goes wrong. Both Word and Pages have an autosave option and have worked to reduce the loss of work.

As of this publication, Microsoft Word saves your document every two minutes. Apple Pages saves it every few seconds. Microsoft Word gives you a small disclaimer at the bottom that it’s saving. Apple Pages doesn’t do this.

On balance, Pages is the better software since it saves every few seconds. The one caveat is that it’s not as easy to recover a previous version of your document.

For example, if you close your document and you re-open it you might not get to ‘undo’ any changes you don’t like.

Pages also work seamlessly with iCloud. If you connect the software to your iCloud, it will automatically backup all documents to your iCloud. If you delete your Pages documents from your Mac, you can recover them from your iCloud.

For Self-Publishing

One of the main uses of word processors is to self-publish your content. This can include essays, white papers, and ebooks among other types of content.

As such, the type of content you wish to produce depends on what word processor works best for you.

Let’s start with publishing essays and blog posts. It’s always easier to write them in Microsoft Word. You can then upload them to a cloud drive and share them with your audience.

If you use a Content Management System (CMS) to publish blog posts, it’s easier to import from Word than from Pages.

White papers work with both word processors. A white paper will get saved as a PDF and will often contain media. This works well with both word processors, however, Pages makes it easier to create a template and add graphics. 

If you publish ebooks you’ll have to consider your publishing platform first. If you publish and sell ebooks on your own, either word processor works.

However, if you want to publish ebooks on Kindle then Microsoft Word works while Pages doesn’t work at all! Amazon will also require Microsoft Word documents to publish paperback copies of your book.

Pages vs Word: Who Wins?

In the battle of Pages vs Word, there’s no clear winner as you can see! You have to prioritize what works best for your needs.

Do you value ease of use? Are you willing to learn the software to create well-designed documents?

You also have to consider what types of documents you’ll need to create. You also want to know what word processor works well with your devices, CMS, and collaborators.

It’s also crucial that you know whether to create your documents in Doc/Docx or PDF versions. Check out our take on the matter.

Are you looking to convert one file type to another? Anyone who has tried to do this knows it’s easier said than done!

It’s often strenuous to convert our files without compromising on quality. One audio file can get converted and lose sound quality. A PDF can get converted to Word and lose its formatting.

You want to find good quality file conversion tools. You also want to look for free file conversions.

There’s no sense in splurging on low-quality conversion tools. Here are the best free file conversions we recommend:

OffDrive

We run a native free file conversions tool on our website. Our tool offers conversions for the following:

• Archived/Compressed folders
• Images
• Spreadsheets
• Documents

These conversions will include converting ZIP files to TAR files and vice-versa. You can create the most popular types of image files such as JPG and PNG.

You can also create spreadsheet files for Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. We also offer CSV conversions which are great for exporting to other devices.

Our document conversions allow for Doc, Docx, HTML, and PDF formats. All you have to do is upload your file to our conversion tool. Within a few seconds, we’ll convert the file for you to download.

The best feature of our online file converter is that we have the same input and output formats.

This means that if you can convert to a file format, you can also convert from the same file format.

Our online file converter has handled millions of conversions on a daily basis. As such, you don’t have to worry about crashing or lagging. You don’t have to worry about registering to use our service.

For your security, your files are also deleted as soon as they convert. We never save your files and we never display them on our website.

We’re also experts on file conversions and often blog about the subject. As such, we’re always committed to improving our online file converter.

It’s fast and convenient and will be your best choice for many file formats. If you need to convert files often, you can bookmark our tool for quick access.

Zamzar

If your focus is on media conversions, this is a great choice that offers a diversity of choices.

You can convert your documents, spreadsheets, audio files, and presentations to a variety of formats.

For documents, this includes DOC, HTML, and PDF. Audio files can get converted to MP3.

Presentations can get converted to PPT. You can convert spreadsheets to XLSX and CSV formats.

You can also convert to less-common file types such as XML, TXT, CSV, and TIF.

While it allows many input formats, there aren’t as many output formats. 

Zamzar is a great online file converter if you need to convert on occasion. The free version only allows 2 conversions per day.

It’s based on the web and works with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.

If you aren’t in a rush and need to convert your work documents and spreadsheets, this is one of your best choices.

FileZigZag

This is a great choice if your focus is on converting documents. It’s another simple option to convert files free online and you don’t have large files.

As an unregistered user, you can upload files up to 50 MB. As a registered user, the file size limit is 150 MB.

You are limited to 10 conversions per day. Conversions on FileZigZag are slower so it’s not best when you’re in a rush.

You have a variety of input formats to work from. These include:

• DOC/DOCX/RTF/PDF
• TXT/HTML/XHTML/HTM
• PPT AND PPTX

There are many other input formats but these are the most popular. The most popular output formats are:

• DOC/PDF
• HTML/XHTML
• XLS/CSV

This works through a web browser on any operating system. You want to make sure you have a high-speed internet connection since the conversion tool is much slower.

Doxillion

This is an offline software that works for Windows and Mac operating systems. 

This application focuses on file conversions solely for documents. Your input formats include all Microsoft Word formats (Doc, Docx, etc.), HTM/HTML, as well as image files such as JPG and PNG.

You also get less-common file formats to work with. These will include EPUB and MOBI which are used for ebooks. For documents, you can also work with RTF and PAGES.

For images, you can also use BMP and TIF files. With output formats, your choices are limited.

You can convert your files to DOC, DOCX, HTML, ODT, PDF, RTF, TXT, and XML. It’s also great for converting multiple files at once.

This is a great option if you need to convert files offline. If you need to take your laptop on the go, you might want to download Doxillion. 

Convertio

This is another online option that can integrate with your Dropbox and Google Drive accounts. After your conversion, you can save these files back to your cloud storage.

The main focus of Convertio is converting archival media. You can convert files to ZIP, TAR, RAR, ARJ, and 7Z formats.

These formats compress your files and make them easier to share online. With this online file converter, you can upload up to 100 MB at a time without having to make an account.

You can also convert multiple files at once. In addition to archival files, there are also options for converting different types of media. These include documents, images, and audio files.

It works on any modern web browser and on all major operating systems. This online file converter also works well on mobile devices as well as desktop devices.

Get Your Free File Conversions

Now that you know the best options for free file conversions, you can choose which options work best for you.

Make sure you consider what types of media you need to convert often. Our tool is perfect for different file types and we have the greatest flexibility for input and output.

We also work fast and can have your conversions within a few seconds. You should also check out our guide on converting different file formats.

Do you think your file converter is not legit?

In many organizations and government sectors, it’s a common practice to improve their efficiency by utilizing technology in conjunction with resourcefulness. PDF has made this possible and has improved the document management of many businesses. 

This is why it’s common to convert to PDF, so people can accommodate this versatile file format. However, the problem comes when looking for conversion tools. Most opt for free file conversion solutions because they’re sensible and dedicated software isn’t much of a good investment for a small task. 

Is free file conversion legit, though? Because they’re free, most file conversion solutions raise a lot of red flags. To see if your chosen conversion solution is trustworthy, read what’s below.

1. Check the Website Connection Type

When determining if free file conversion is safe, check the website tag. If the website tag has HTTPS on it, then it means the website is secure. This means that you can relax and trust what the website has to offer. 

This is because HTTPS websites have a specific security protocol that encrypts any information sent by the user and the admin. This means you should have no worries about sharing your data on the website. No one will be able to see it without being directly affiliated with the website.

2. Check the Website Security Status

Aside from the HTTPS tag, check if the website security status is secure. Every time you open a website, you can see the security status located in the address bar along with the HTTPS tag. The status should say secure while accompanied by a green padlock.

If it displays a green padlock icon, that would mean it’s safe and secure. This is because the encryption of the website is in full and not partial. When the padlock icon has a red color, that would mean it’s using partial encryption.

Partial encryption in the security would mean it’s vulnerable to eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attack. Also, it does not prevent this kind of attack making it easy to get your information or plant a virus. 

The next time you visit a free online converter check the website security status. Click the padlock icon to check the encryption to make sure that it prioritizes your security.

3. How’s the Quality of Conversion?

The quality of the conversion is something that’s often overlooked by most users. It’s important to know whether the conversion results in files that come out as clean as you would expect them to be. With free converters, it’s often a hit or miss when it comes to their quality. 

Poor conversions can cause your files to have a multitude of errors. There may even be elements that end up getting broken or distorted. This can set your progress back and cause you to exert more effort to make up for the lost time.

Avoid this by testing the quality of their conversion. Check if it meets the standard you need to help you save time and frustration.

4. What are Their Privacy Policies?

You will encounter file converters that boast a high level of security. They come with promises of securing your file and deletes them after the conversion. While these may all sound great, it’s still best to learn about their privacy policy.

Through their policies, you can find out if they save your files after the conversion or delete them outright. You can also find out if they even invest in policies to protect users at all.

It’s important that you read through every last detail. Especially if you’re working with private designs. This is to avoid the spread of files outside your work.

Doing this also helps you know the limits of the protection they can provide. They can promise to protect you from most attacks but can argue that they didn’t promise to protect you against specific ones if your data gets stolen. If you see that their policies are vague and generalized, it’s best you don’t opt for their services.

5. What are the Features They Offer?

Where to convert files online for free? You can find some with a quick search on the Internet. Often, with free conversion solutions, you can only rely on one type of conversion.

This is because they’re a free service, after all. Specializing in one type of conversion is common, and is often a sign of legitimacy in these services.

If you see a conversion service that offers multiple types of conversion, it’s best to be wary. To determine the legitimacy of these services, test out each of their conversions once.

While doing so, use test documents so you won’t give company info over in case. If it passes your checks, then you can rely on these services. It’s important that you find one like this as it allows you to convert from common file types to others like SVG files and such.

6. Confirm the Website Consistency

This includes any website grammar, missing words, and awkward phrasings. It might seem like a small detail, but you shouldn’t ignore them if you see them. It shows the level of professionalism that the service provider has.

7. Check the Website Reviews

Checking online reviews is another way of knowing if they’re reputable. You use the past experiences of other customers by reading their reviews. These are often the unfiltered truths of each customer, so they’re a gold mine of information.

Check if their experience with the website was pleasant or not. Positive reviews should give you confidence in the service. You have to make sure that the positive comments are legitimate themselves, though.

Make sure these are legitimate by looking at the other reviews of the reviewer. You should be able to tell by their language if they’re faking their reviews or not. 

Improve What You Know About Free File Conversion Today!

Where to find free file conversion that you can trust? With the help of our guide, you can find legitimate conversion sites that you can trust! Check your favored website and see if they’re legit today!

Do you want to convert your files? Our free online software can help you get things done! Check them out and convert your files to the right format today!

The Radicati Group predicts that in 2021 the total number of emails sent globally will round out to about 319.6 billion. With people regularly sending spreadsheets to their coworkers, turning in assignments for school, and trying to keep in touch with loved ones, this number isn’t that surprising. 

However, there’s nothing more frustrating than when you try to add an attachment to your email, and it won’t send because the file is too large. Many providers these days have set a 10 megabyte limit on file sizes. So what do you do when you need to send a document or photo that takes up a lot of space? 

Keep on reading to learn about how you can work around this problem and get those attachments sent to where they need to go. 

1. Google Drive

With Google Drive, you can send your document using the platform interface. Opening files is easier for the recipient, as they do not have to download anything onto their computer or worry about file conversions. 

At the top right corner of every Google Drive document is a “Share” button, which allows you to add as many email accounts as you would like. The person you are sending it to does not need to have a Gmail account to access the document. 

If you are working on a project with other people and don’t want to keep sending it back and forth to one another, this might be a better option for you. The platform allows you to see the changes your peer has made to the document in real-time. 

Uploading to Drive

Say, for example, you created the document in Word. Google will allow you to upload it into Drive and share it the same way you would a Google Doc. 

To do so, click the “New” button located on the left side of your screen, just below the Drive logo. When you click on it, a list of options should pop up. You can choose between the “File Upload” and the “Folder Upload” buttons, depending on how many documents you would like to share. 

The document should appear on your Drive home screen under the “Files” section (a folder would appear under the “Folders” section). When you click on it, you’ll see that it stays in Microsoft Word format after it’s uploaded. Click that “Share” button, add the recipient’s address, and send it off. 

If you want to send an entire folder, click on it. Double-check to see that all your documents are in there.

Afterwards, click on the name of the folder, and a drop-down menu will appear. Click the “Share” option and follow the steps previously mentioned.

Creating a Sharable Link When File Is Too Large

When you need to send an email with additional information alongside a document, use a sharable link. When you click the “Share” button, you’ll notice another option located below the box where you input a recipient’s email address. 

This box says “Get Link” at the top. There’s also a URL with a “Copy Link” option next to it. To ensure that the recipient(s) can access the document through the link, click on the “Restricted” button.

You should see an option below it that says, “Anyone with a link.” Click it and decide how much control the recipient will have over the document. You can make them a viewer, commentator, or editor. 

Finally, copy the link and paste it into your email. The person receiving the email should have no problem viewing the document. 

2. Reduce File Size

There are numerous ways to make a file smaller, but one of the easiest ways is to create a ZIP file. All you need to do is go into your files and find the folder or document you wish to compress. 

Once you’ve found it, right-click the title so that a drop-down menu appears. Look for the “New” option. When your cursor hovers over it, locate the “Compressed (zipped) folder” button and click on it. 

A new ZIP folder should appear in your files. You can drag and drop it into your email if you already have one prepared.

If not, right-click the ZIP file and choose “Send To” then “Mail Recipient.” Your computer should open an email with the folder already attached. 

3. Convert File

Sometimes those PDFs or Excel spreadsheets won’t trim down. Another way to reduce file size is to use a free online file converter. 

Find your document’s current file format and decide how you wish to convert it. Usually, converting your spreadsheets, documents, and presentations into a PDF is the best way to create a smaller file. 

After you decide on the file format type, click the button. The site will take you to another page where you’ll upload your document. Then, the software program will conduct the file conversion.  

Once completed, it will download onto your computer. You can check the file size in your “Downloads” folder.

If you find that it meets size requirements, attach it to your email and send it off. Otherwise, try converting it to a different file type to see if it works better. 

No More Struggling With Sending Files

There’s no need to waste time figuring out how to get that email attachment to send. With these simple solutions, you won’t see an annoying pop-up that says that your file is too large again. 

If you’re looking for some tips and tricks on how to convert one file type to another, check out the rest of Offdrive’s blog. We provide step-by-step guides that will help you become an expert at sending file attachments.

Is your hard drive almost full? Do you need to save space on your computer without losing precious data?

The best way to do this is by compressing your files. Compressed files have smaller file sizes and take up less space on your machine. Furthermore, they are easier to share and quicker to upload to Google Drive or DropBox.

Compression is a useful tool for people who frequently work with videos, music, graphics, and other data-heavy files. But what’s the best way to compress files and which compression formats should you use?

Keep reading to find out how to handle your compressed files.

What Is File Compression?

A compressed file is also called an archive file. The archive contains several files inside which have been reduced in size.

A compressed file is smaller than the original, meaning it is easier to transfer and takes up less space on your computer.

Using a regular computer you can compress and uncompress files easily. When you uncompress a file, it returns to its regular state without losing any data.

Compressing Files

On Windows, it only requires a few clicks to compress (zip) a file. First, create a folder on your computer with the files you want to compress inside. Then, right-click on the folder and select “Compress (zip)”.

Alternatively, you can use third-party software such as 7zip to compress your files.

If you own a Mac, zipping files is also super easy. Mac computers come with an inbuilt Archive Utility that allows you to zip and unzip files in no time.

To zip on a mac simply right-click on the file you want to compress and select “Compress”. To zip multiple files at once, shift-click to select them, then right-click one of them and select “Compress”.

How Does File Compression Work?

When it comes to file compression, there are two main types – referred to as lossless and lossy compression. 

Lossless

Lossless compression reduces a file’s size without causing it to lose any important data. Rather, the file size is reduced by removing redundant information.

Redundancy refers to the same piece of data being stored in several places. By removing redundancy, you are left with a single copy of each piece of data.

In other words, the file contains the exact same information, but in a simplified form.

Lossy

Unlike lossless compression, lossy compression results in the permanent loss of certain data points.

The type of compression is commonly used for media files like videos, images, or music tracks. In most cases, it’s impossible to notice any difference between the compressed and uncompressed versions.

However, if you compress the same file multiple times, the quality will begin to degrade.

Why Compress Your Files?

If you work with large files every day, then you’ll know the importance of file compression. Large files can strain your bandwidth and fill up your computer’s storage space.

Uses Less Space on Your Hard Drive

Your computer has a finite amount of storage space on its hard drive and hoarding files can fill it up pretty fast. In fact, holding on to large files is impractical and might slow down your computer.

One way to deal with this issue is to compress your files using Zip or another compression facility. 

Why not put all your unused files into a single archive folder? Or zip up your movie collection?

More Efficient File Transfers

Another benefit of compressing your files is quicker and more efficient file transfers.

For example, uploading large files to Google Drive or DropBox can take a long time. Compressing your files can make the process a whole lot easier. Whoever receives the file can extract it on their end and they’ll have everything they need.

File Compression Formats

There are several different popular file compression formats. Here are some of the most commonly used ones.

ZIP Files

Zip is one of the first and most popular file compression formats. Most Zip compression software uses an algorithm called DEFLATE. This algorithm is lossless so no data is lost during the compression process.

Zip compression allows users to compress large amounts of files into a single archive. The compression process is also fast and efficient. All the popular operating systems support Zip files, including Windows and Linux.

7z Files

The 7z file compression format is open-source and uses an algorithm called LZMA. This algorithm is powerful and assures 100% lossless compression.

In fact, when compared to RAR and Zip, 7z offers the most powerful file compression capabilities.

Due to its open-source nature, you can download 7z software and use it as much as you like. The 7z compression process is effective and efficient. In fact, 7z is the most powerful compression type on this list.

RAR

Developed by a Russian software engineer, the RAR compression format is another effective way to compress files.

RAR is known for its unlimited trial period. Although it’s only supposed to last for 30 days, the service does not stop and can be used indefinitely.

The RAR format works especially well with audio files as it doesn’t distort the sound or quality of the track. RAR is also more efficient than Zip.

Convert Your Compressed Files Today

Compressed files take up less space on your computer and they’re easier to transfer over the internet.

File compression can either be lossy or lossless. Lossy compression removes some of the file’s data in order to reduce its size, while lossless compression removes redundancy but retains all of the original data.

Have you got a certain type of archive file that you need to convert? Maybe you want to turn your 7z file into a RAR file? Use Offdrive to convert all of your files for free! 

Looking for an easier way to write your webpage?

HTML is the easiest programming language to learn used across most webpages. If you’re a beginner programmer creating a website, HTML is the best way to go. It’s also the most accessible language as you don’t need a special program or app to use it.

All you need is a text document, and you’re good to go. Want to know how to convert Doc to HTML? Read on to find out more!

1. Use Microsoft Word

It’s the most obvious method of converting a Word document to HTML. It’s easy to understand since it’s simple enough. First, open your desired document in this application.

After that, go to the File menu located at the top-left corner of Word. Click on the Save As option. You’ll see a list of locations where you can save the document.

These locations include any folder on your computer or cloud storage online. Put your desired file name and select the appropriate file type. You can find this field below the file name as a dropdown menu.

Select the Web Page option from the “Save as type” menu. It will allow you to save it as an HTML file using its built-in features. The HTML code is bulkier, but it’s a quick conversion perfect for simple web projects.

Do you want a simpler file? If so, click the “Web Page, Filtered” option. It keeps the style, instructions, and content and strips the more complex codes for the layout.

Not familiar with Microsoft Word? Check out this guide to the common Word functions that help make your document better.

Limitations of Converting Word Documents to HTML

The convenience Microsoft Word gives when converting pages is invaluable. It’s great when you’re looking to upload pages on your website quickly. However, this may not be the best app for long-term online publishing solutions.

When used as a web page editor, Word has some non-standard practices. It puts strange styles and tags to the resulting HTML code. These tags can affect the code’s cleanliness, mobile responsiveness, and loading speed.

2. Use a Web Editor to Convert to HTML

Lots of web editors come with features used for converting Word documents to HTML files. The example we’ll use in this guide is Adobe Dreamweaver. It’s better than Microsoft Word since it gets rid of the weird styles and HTML codes added by the application.

When you use this web editor to convert Doc files, your pages won’t appear as documents. Instead, they look like real web pages.

Start by opening Dreamweaver and pressing the File menu. Select the Import option and Word Document. Pick the choice that says “Previously Saved File” and click the Enter button.

Dreamweaver imports the Word file’s contents into an HTML file. You can view it using the Design view of the application. In the Code window, you’ll see the content in between paragraph tags.

After that, save the HTML file to your computer.

3. Use Google Drive

Google Drive is an online platform that lets you store various files and do other tasks. One of these is converting files. It’s a convenient and trustworthy platform that only requires a free Google account.

To start, use a web browser to go to the Google Drive website. Sign in using your Google (Gmail) account to access its features. Once you’re on the main interface, click the +New button located at the top-left corner.

Select File Upload from the resulting dropdown menu. It’s the second option below the Folder. Pick your Word document from the list and click the Open button to upload your document to the Drive.

Once the document is on Google Drive, right-click to make a context menu appear. In the choices, click the “Open With” option to expand it further. Click Google Docs to open your Word document on this application.

On Google Docs, click the File menu and select Download. On the options, click “Web page” since it’s what converts your document to its HTML version. When prompted, click either Save or OK to green-light the download.

4. Use OffDrive

One of the easiest ways on how to convert Doc to HTML files is using our online converter. It’s free and only requires an internet connection and a browser. Start by going to our homepage, where you’ll see lots of conversion options.

Under the “Convert Documents” section, you can select the DOCX to HTML or DOC to HTML options. It depends on the format of your chosen file. You can also do this when using our navigation bar.

Once clicked, it will take you to our conversion page. Press the green Browse button to look for your desired document. After that, complete a simple CAPTCHA test to let us know you’re human.

Once done, a green button that says “Convert to DOCX to HTML” will appear. Click it to start the conversion process. It only takes a few seconds, depending on the size of your document.

Select the green Download Now button to download the converted file to your computer. If you want to convert another document, click the Convert More Files button. It will take you back to our homepage.

Conversion Problems?

Did your conversion produce undesirable results? If so, it’s better to convert your Word document file to PDF first. Do this using our converter with the abovementioned steps.

Use our DOCX to PDF and PDF to HTML converters. In most cases, it will help fix the problem. Otherwise, it might be due to compatibility issues.

Convert Doc to HTML Today Using Our Converter

These are some of the methods used to convert Doc to HTML files. It’s better to work on a dedicated application if you want a more serious web page. However, if it’s simple projects, using Word is decent.

Need to convert your files fast? You can start converting your Doc to HTML today with our converter.