How to turn plain text into a PDF
Sometimes you just need text in a fixed, printable form — a letter, a log excerpt, meeting notes, a signed statement — without opening a word processor.
Full options and FAQs on the Text to PDF page.
When a PDF beats a text file
- The layout must look identical on every device and printer.
- The recipient asked for a PDF, as portals and legal processes usually do.
- You want page breaks and pagination rather than one endless scroll.
- The content should not be casually edited in transit.
Formatting that survives
Plain text carries no styling, so line breaks and spacing do the work. Keep paragraphs short, use blank lines between sections, and choose a page size that matches where it will be printed — A4 outside North America, Letter inside it.
Good candidates for a quick text PDF
- A short letter or written statement that needs to be attached to an email.
- Log output or an error report to send to a support team in fixed form.
- Meeting notes distributed straight after the meeting.
- A packing list, agenda or checklist that will be printed and ticked off.
Page size and font size
Choose A4 outside North America and Letter within it; a mismatch produces margins that shift when the document is printed. For font size, 11 or 12 point suits body text, while 9 or 10 point fits more log output on a page at the cost of comfort.
Check the preview for page breaks that split a paragraph awkwardly, and add a blank line to push the break somewhere sensible.
Step by step
- 1Paste or type your text into the tool.
- 2Choose the page size and font size.
- 3Check the preview for awkward page breaks.
- 4Generate the PDF and download it.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I add bold or headings?
- Not in plain text mode. Use blank lines and capitalised headings for structure, or produce the document in a word processor and export it.
- Is there a length limit?
- No fixed cap. Very long documents take longer to generate because everything is rendered on your own device.