encrypt a pdf

Why and How to Encrypt a PDF: Your Guide

Portable Document Format or PDF is a popular universal file format used since 1993. It’s a user-friendly, downloadable, and printable file format that works in all systems. However, PDF files are not safe from theft, plagiarism, and copyright.

This is when you should encrypt your files and add PDF protection. Encrypting your PDF files will help you protect your content and limit access. In this guide, we’ll explain why you should try encryption and how to encrypt a PDF.

Why Should You Encrypt A PDF?

Encryption is a great way to protect your files and data from foreign and unwanted visitors. When you encrypt a PDF, you place a PDF password to add security measures.

Here are some reasons why having PDF protection can benefit you!

Control Who Sees It

In some cases, you have to share a PDF for work or school purposes. When you share PDF files, everyone can see and access the content of your PDF. Encrypting the PDF means you limit who has access to the file and the data.

The encryption will ensure that only those with the password can open the files. However, passwords can get compromised if the people you share them with are not trustworthy. You should only give the password to the people you trust or your partners.

Stop Unwanted Sharing and Editing

When you password protect PDF files, you limit how people interact with your file. You can stop people from copy and pasting the content of your file. No one else will have the power to change or share your file unless they have access.

Adding a watermark is another smart way to avoid unwanted sharing. However, many people have the skills to remove or change the watermark to make it their own. Encrypting your PDFs is the best way to decrease public file interaction and improve security.

Maintain Content Integrity

Locking up your PDF document is a great way to preserve the integrity and uniqueness of your content. If they do not have permission, no one can look, embed, or copy-paste your data. When you lock your PDF, no one can access your file when they embed it without permission.

Lessens Your Worries

PDF protection benefits many businesses, especially those in the medical, financial, and government sectors. PDF files are the best medium to share documents containing internal processes and trade secrets. A password will prevent that info and data from getting leaked and taken advantage of.

Secure Remote Offices

With many businesses going remote during the pandemic, sending files back and forth is the best way to get information. With many sensitive data passing back and forth, encryption is your best solution. You can fight against accidental loss of data or theft with encrypted PDF files.

Tax accountants and other service organizations need to be careful with their files. The encrypted files encourage users to have backups and controlled devices. Strong key management is another strategy that you should do along with encryption.

How to Encrypt A PDF

Increase the security of your PDF files by learning how to encrypt a PDF. There are three ways you can encrypt: using Acrobat, Microsoft Word, and the Preview app.

Learn the step-by-step guide to encrypt a PDF with the three methods.

Use Adobe Acrobat

Adobe is one of the most trustworthy companies, making software for the publication and creation of content. Did you know that about 250 million people open PDFs using Adobe products? 

Start by signing up with your Adobe Creative Cloud if you haven’t already. Once you’ve opened Adobe, go over to the upper-left corner and click on the File menu. Select Open and choose the PDF file that you want to encrypt.

Click on the File menu again and click on Protect Using Password. The dialogue box will appear, asking for you to choose a password for Viewing or Editing. Choose between the two, then write down your desired password.

If you want to add security for editing and printing, then click on the Tools tab. Scroll down until you find security and select the advanced options. Head over to the drop-down menu and pick Encrypt with Password.

When the Password Security windows appear, check the box next to Restrict Editing and Printing on the Document. Under the Permissions area, pick the types of editing and printing allowed. For the final step, select your encryption and compatibility setting and click OK.

Use Microsoft Word

Open the Microsoft document that you would like to encrypt as a PDF. Go to the File menu, click on the Info tab and select Protect Document. Choose Encrypt with Password, enter the password twice and click OK and you’re done.

Another way to encrypt with Microsoft is by clicking on Save As on the Microsoft document. Save the file as a PDF, then select More options underneath the file format area. Select Options, opening a pop-up box where you can click the Encrypt the Document with A Password.

Use the macOS Preview App

Right-click on the file you want to encrypt and choose Open With, then select Preview. Open the PDF file and select the File menu, then click on Export from the drop-down choices. The Export pop-up box will appear, where you can type in a name and select a designation.

Check the box next to Encrypt, making the window bigger for you to put a password. Enter it twice and click on the Save button to complete the process. Once the encryption finish processing, a password prompt to check if the password works.

Your Guide to PDF Encryption

When you encrypt a PDF, you save your rights to the content and protect it from intruders. Keep all your data locked up with strong passwords containing symbols, numbers, and letters.

Are you having trouble converting your other files into PDFs? We have a free online file conversion available for your disposal. You can convert your PDFs to PNG, DOCX, and even EPUB formats!

Posted in PDF
twitter images

Tailoring Twitter Images: How to Format Your Images for Twitter

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:

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!

midi to mp3

Convert MIDI to MP3: Your Guide

Audio files are among the trickier file types that you would encounter. Finding out how to make them run and play the sound or music recorded in it is often a challenge. 

This is because each file format differs from the others. Especially when the file that you have does not run on your music player.

This tends to be the case for MIDI files when you want others to hear what is in them. In such a situation, you would convert the MIDI to MP3. 

What is the difference between the two and why should you do it? Today, that is what we will answer for you as we look at these file types and how you can make them sound off.

The Difference Between MIDI and MP3

Knowing the difference between MIDI and MP3 can help you when dealing with similar audio files. You need to pay attention to these file types and where they can work. 

This is an important factor if your goal is to have something that you can play on your phone or music player. Let us look at what each file type has and where they work.

MIDI Files

First, we start with MIDI files. The term stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. These file types allow computers and synthesizers to communicate and share information.

These work along with musical instruments, especially keyboard synthesizers. Mostly seen in music production, these files act as sheet music as the files indicate which notes from which musical instruments sound off. These bits of data would sound off as if it was a song but it is still in its raw format.

In order to listen to what it contains; you need a codec to translate the data into sound. Otherwise, you would need to convert this into a different file type. One way to know that you have a MIDI file is when you see the .mid file extension.

MP3 Files

Next, let us look at MP3 files. These are the most popular variants that play music due to how flexible and compatible they are. You see these in use among numerous devices such as mobile phones and portable music players.

Bearing the .mp3 file extension, these audio files use a compression algorithm. This setup reduces its file size. 

This results in a lossy audio file. This means that it would have missing data due to the compression process. This compression setup allows for a small file size for devices, but with some missing data.

Even so, converting a MIDI file into an MP3 file should work well for you. This is a good format to allow others to hear what the MIDI file sounds like.

Converting MIDI to MP3

Knowing that a MIDI would be better off as a converted file, let us look at how to convert MIDI to MP3. For this, you have three ways to approach this. 

Each of these methods offers varying advantages that would suit your situation. This depends on which one you have access to. This breaks it down into three approaches.

Using Online File Converters

One of the easier and more accessible options is through the use of online file converters. Through this, you can access the converter anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. 

To use this, go to the site for the online converter and upload the MIDI file. Make sure to select the MIDI to MP3 option and then let the converter do its work. You will receive the converted version after it processes, downloading it to your computer.

You can also use file converters that you can download and install on your computer. The process follows the same setup, where you can put the .mid file and then have it converted as a .mp3 file.

Using Quicktime and Audacity

You can use other software to open and convert the files. For instance, having the MIDI file opened using Quicktime and having it exported as a .aiff file would be a good starting point.

Once you have it converted as such, open it using Audacity and then export it as an MP3 file. After which, the MIDI file is now in MP3 form.

Using iTunes

If you have iTunes installed on your machine, try to open the MIDI file there. With iTunes open, drag the MIDI file and drop it into iTunes. Make sure to have the MP3 encoder ready.

From that point, set up the iTunes settings and you should be able to convert the file. What’s great is that Apple provides detailed instructions to help you convert to MP3 with ease.

Other Recommended File Formats for Audio

By converting MIDI to MP3, you can now listen to the audio through accessible means. You can listen to the song on a lot of devices where the MP3 file format is the preferred audio file type. 

There is one caveat to this. MP3 is a rather lossy audio format that there would be missing components when listening to it.

In case you prefer to capture the full fidelity of the audio without losing data and compromising quality, you can use lossless audio formats. For this, choosing to convert the audio into WAV files is the better option. Otherwise, the MP3 file format would be a good choice.

Convert Your MIDI to MP3 Files for Everyone to Hear

Converting your MIDI to MP3 can help others hear the sound saved in those files. If you’re working on a song project, a composition, or an arrangement, you need a format that lets other people enjoy in their preferred player of choice. This is why the conversion aspect is important.

File conversions allow for file format versatility to suit the situation. For your file conversion needs, you can check out our available converter systems to let you change your documents to the file format that you need. 

convert zip to pdf

How to Convert ZIP Files to PDFs: Your Complete Guide

Whether it’s for school, personal life, or business, file conversion is a tactic used to help ease sending files. The file types such as DOC, DOCX, JPEG, PDF, and GIF allow us to view documents and images differently.

However, there are times when we get an uncommon file type like a ZIP file that sends us in a loop. It’s unlike the other file types but can help protect your files like a PDF.

ZIP files can be converted to other file types with the right software. Let’s take a look at how we can convert ZIP to PDF and continue protecting our files.

What Is a ZIP File?

A ZIP file is like a “super folder.” Typically, when we want to organize our documents, we put them in a folder and then move them to a preferred location. 

The problem with folders is that we can’t email them if we need to because the contents may be too big. ZIP files ease this burden. The files inside the zip archive are compressed into a smaller size, and now you’ll be able to send them with no problems.

How Do I Make a Zip File?

If you want to send multiple large documents, you should create a ZIP file. To do this:

  • You highlight the files you want to send, right-click, and scroll down to “Compressed (zipped) Folder”
  • You’ll see a folder with a zip on it which will have your compressed files
  • Rename the folder and send your documents 

It’s a straightforward process, and you’ll be able to send documents more efficiently.

If you want extra protection for your ZIP archive, you can also encrypt them with a password. It will help protect your files from any potential threats in case they get lost on the internet.

What Do I Do With a Zip File?

When you receive a zip file, you may be wondering what to do with it. Well, you unzip it. To do that, you’ll need software that specializes in unzipping files.

There are a few different types of software such as:

  • WinZip
  • 7-Zip
  • WinRAR
  • PeaZip

Some of these programs will require you to pay for the full features to unzip your files, while others are open source. Depending on how often you work with ZIP files, make sure that you choose wisely.

The software will extract all the files in the ZIP archive and create a new folder inside. Now you have all of your necessary documents.

Convert ZIP to PDF

File conversion is used in most of our computer duties, and it makes it easier to open up different types of files. The most common file conversions would be:

  • DOC to DOCX
  • DOC/DOCX to PDF
  • JPG to PDF
  • PDF to DOCX
  • PPTX to PDF

These have become essential for computer users to transfer crucial files in their required formats. Although it may not be as common as the other file types, it is possible to convert ZIP files to PDF.

Converting a ZIP archive to a PDF is different than converting another file type like DOCX because the converted documents can be merged into one single PDF once you unzip them.

DOCX files are unzipped individually, and then you’ll have to put them together manually. So converting your ZIP files to PDF format can be helpful.

There are free file conversion tools and different software that can help you convert your files. Here’s how you go about unzipping your files and converting them:

  • Right-click on your ZIP archive and select “Convert to PDF”
    • This will create PDF files for all of the documents
  • You can also right-click on your ZIP archive and choose “Combine to one PDF”
    • Doing this will combine all your PDF files into a document making it easier to view

And that’s it. That’s how simple it is to convert your ZIP archive into PDF files. It’s also good to remember that you can choose the location you want your files to go to, so you’re not searching for them.

Is ZIP Better Than PDF?

Both ZIP archives and PDF files are excellent for their respective uses. As I mentioned before, ZIP archives can compress large files that you’re sending. ZIP archives also make it easier to find all the files once they are unzipped.

However, there are times when using ZIP files that the contents may become corrupt. This happens because altering the files to compress and then expand them alters the data inside.

Some scams have been associated with using ZIP files. Scammers choose to use ZIP archives to gain valuable information from potential citizens. So you’ll have to be careful when using ZIP files at times.

Although they can’t compress files like ZIP archives, PDF files give options to secure files and make them easier to present. PDF files are the most common file used for sending important documents without altering their contents.

You can also alter PDF files if they need to be edited, making them a great option. ZIP files cannot be modified. What is in the ZIP file is already compressed. Editing will have to come after decompressing the files and making changes then.

Time To Convert Your Files

We know that file conversion is essential to our everyday lives, and now we know the different types that there are. You’ve also learned that you can convert ZIP to PDF to make it easier to view your compressed files.

If this post was helpful and you want to learn more about file conversion, be sure to check our other blog posts.

Posted in PDF
PPT to Google Slides

How to Convert PPT to Google Slides

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.

png files

5 Benefits of Using PNG Files

The PNG image file format is used by 78.5% of all websites for a reason.

PNG is a popular raster image format that became the successor of GIFs. With its ability to hide transparent areas and its 24-bit color palette, web designers use PNGs on millions of sites.

This article examines the top benefits of PNG files and how you can use them in your business or personal projects.

Read on to learn the differences between PNG image files and JPEGs. Discover how PNGs offer smaller image file sizes. And how the open standard allows you to convert PNGs to other image file formats.

What are PNG Files?

The Portable Graphics Format or PNG was first released in 1995.

The CompuServe GIF image format was popular at the time because it allowed image backgrounds to become transparent. However, it was limited to an 8-bit color palette which meant images looked unnatural at times.

PNG improved on these deficiencies and all while remaining license-free. Yet, it also offers other great advantages that serve web designers even today.

Here are the five top benefits of using PNG files.

1. Better File Compression

One of the biggest advantages PNG image files have over other transparency formats is their size.

The improved compression algorithm can produce smaller image file sizes compared to a GIF. It offers lossless compression, which means images don’t lose their clarity when saved as a PNG.

However, compared to the popular JPEG format, PNGs produce very large file sizes.

The reason for this is the transparency factor. Transparent areas still require the image to retain data even though they’re empty. As .jpg files don’t offer transparency, they produce smaller files.

2. Improved Image Reproduction

PNG files support 24-bit RGB colors, just like JPEGs. That means they can reproduce high-definition photographs using their 16 million color palette.

They also use 32-bit RGBA color spaces, including grayscale. RGBA includes the Alpha or transparency option, which we’ll cover shortly. Other image formats like .bmp or .jpg don’t support it, but PNGs do.

PNGs are especially good at reproducing blocks of color, unlike JPEGs.

Many website icons use the .png file extension because they’re small in size and can overlap with other elements on the screen. Combining different layers to create a PNG is also a great way to convert them into a PDF later.

3. Full Alpha Transparency

PNGs rise above other image formats because they integrate gradient alpha transparency. But what does that mean?

Imagine a side-scrolling computer game.

Sprites on the screen overlap backdrops like skyscrapers. Bullets or lasers fly from the hero sprite to destroy an enemy. The enemy explodes into a ball of flames until the dust settles.

The hero image shows a person with two arms, head, torso, and legs. However, if you save this graphic as a JPEG, you’ll retain the colored background. That takes away the illusion as the hero looks like a blocky graphic.

PNGs make the hero’s background invisible.

The format also allows you to choose a transparency range between 0 and 255. This gradient alpha figure means you can blend images together — like the smoke in the destroyed enemy sprite.

The end result is that you can overlap and group PNGs together to fit any scenario you can think of.

4. Metadata Inclusion

Metadata is hidden information that’s stored within a file. This data is useful because it describes what the image is or who created it, or its geolocation.

PNG includes a TextualData format that uses tags to store metadata. In terms of images like photographs, metadata often includes:

  • Author name
  • Collection information
  • Copyright license
  • Make and model of the camera used
  • Description

Tools like ExifTool allow you to add and modify these metadata tags with relative ease.

5. Free and Open Image Files Standard

PNG is patent-free, which means you won’t be charged for using the file format.

The W3C Internet standards body promotes the use of PNGs in websites. PNG became an ISO standard in 2003, and it has its own MIME type: image/png.

Visit the official Portable Graphics Network website for more information about the open license. It demonstrates all of the format’s capabilities, including the newer APNG for animated files.

When to Use PNG Image Files

Although PNG files offer great advantages like transparency, that doesn’t mean you should always use the format.

For example, should you use PNG when saving hi-res images?

The answer is probably not. High-resolution PNGs often produce large file sizes. Instead, convert them to JPEGs.

JPEGs were designed to save an image’s quality. You can choose the compression level — like a PNG — but file sizes remain optimized.

What about transparent GIFs?

In most cases, the PNG format produces clearer results than a .gif file. There’s a greater color depth, and you can choose the transparency level. However, check the file size between these two formats before committing.

WebP Image Format

One final image format to investigate before using PNGs is the new Google WebP file type.

WebP is a lossless image format that produces smaller file sizes compared to PNGs. You can reduce your files by up to 26% without losing any quality.

The format also replaces JPEGs as it works with photos as well as graphics.

However, not all web browsers support WebP, including Apple’s Safari. Saving multiple versions by converting them with Offdrive will always produce the best results.

Convert Multiple Image File Formats With Offdrive

PNG files provide a wealth of benefits, including transparency, smaller image file sizes, and metadata. They work on all modern web browsers, and you can add them to your Word documents and PowerPoint slides.

But what if you need to convert your PNGs to different image file formats?

Offdrive offers an online image conversion service for free on our website.

Convert PNG to GIF or bitmaps, or JPEGs. You can also transform your PNGs into the Portable Document Format (PDF). We can even convert your files into the new Google WebP format.

Visit our homepage and click on the menu at the top. Our servers also offer a reverse conversion service so that you can change your PDF into PNGs.

Posted in PNG
pages vs word

Pages vs Word: Which Should You Use?

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.

free file conversions

Where To Find the Best Free File Conversions

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.

free file conversion

7 Ways to Determine if a Free File Conversion Site Is Legit

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!

file is too large

What to Do if Your File is Too Large to Send

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.