Skip to main content

Convert Email Messages or Word Documents to PDF Online using Google Docs

Here's a very simple way to create PDF files online without buying expensive PDF tools or installing any virtual PDF printer drivers. The output PDF file will look exactly like your source document preserving all the text formatting, hyperlinks, tables and even embedded images.

We'll use a feature in the just introduced Google Docs & Spreadsheets Suite that lets you create new online documents by emailing them directly to a secret email address. The documents can be sent as an email attachment or even as a rich text email.

Here's a step by step approach to creating PDF file from your rich-text email messages or a Word document using Google Docs [support for spreadsheets is expected soon]

Step 1: Assuming you already have a Google Account, get your unique email address here where you'll be sending the documents. [under Email-In Your Documents or Files]


Step 2: Using GMail, Outlook or any other email service, compose a new email message. Either attach your Word document or create a rich-text email message. Send this email to the address you copied in step 1.


Step 3: You will soon receive an email message back from Google Writely containing a link to your document on the Google Docs server. Open the document inside Google Docs.

You can also edit the document inside Google Docs in either HTML mode or the Rich-text mode itself. Don't forget to save your changes.

Step 4: This is the last step - click the Google Docs File menu and choose Save as PDF. Select any folder on the hard drive and your PDF is ready.

The whole process takes less than a minute.

Quick Tip: You can also use the Google Docs email-in feature to upload more than one document in a single email message.

Related: Convert PDF, Excel Spreadsheets or Word Documents to HTML

Popular posts from this blog

How to Download Contacts from Facebook To Outlook Address Book

Facebook users are not too pleased with the "walled garden" approach of Facebook. The reason is simple - while you can easily import your Outlook address book and GMail contacts into Facebook, the reverse path is closed. There's no "official" way to export your Facebook friends email addresses or contact phone numbers out as a CSV file so that you can sync the contacts data with Outlook, GMail or your BlackBerry. Some third-party Facebook hacks like "Facebook Sync" (for Mac) and "Facebook Downloader" (for Windows) did allow you to download your Facebook friends' names, emails, mobile phone number and profile photo to the desktop but they were quickly removed for violation of Facebook Terms of Use. How to Download Contacts from Facebook There are still some options to take Friends data outside the walls of Facebook wall. Facebook offers the Takeout option allowing you to download all Facebook data locally to the disk (include...

Firefox Keyboard Shortcuts for Power Users

All features in Mozilla Firefox browser are accessible through the use of the keyboard. You can use shortcut keys to view and save Web pages, search the web, open new webpages, work with bookmarks, or find text on the current webpage. Some of the most common keyboard shortcuts in Mozilla Firefox are Ctrl+N (to open a new Firefox window), Ctrl+T (to open a new tab), Ctrl+F4 (to close the current tab) and Ctrl+S to save the current webpage. Mozilla Firefox supports many more powerful keyboard shortcuts. For instance, by pressing a simple key combination, you can manually delete autocomplete entries from the Firefox location bar or Web forms. I am sharing a list of my favorite Mozilla Firefox Keyboard Shortcuts that make web browsing with Firefox even more fun . And you also save your precious time as navigating through several layers of Firefox Toolbar menus is no longer necessary. 1. Web Search Ctrl+K moves the cursor to the Search Bar. You can then type in the terms you wish to fin...

Digital Inspiration

Digital Inspiration is a popular tech blog by  Amit Agarwal . Our popular Google Scripts include  Gmail Mail Merge  (send personalized emails with Gmail ),  Document Studio (generate PDFs from Google Forms ) and   File Upload Forms ( receive files  in Google Drive). Also see  Reverse Image Mobile Search , Online Speech Recognition and Website Screenshots , the most useful websites on the Internet.