I recently posted about Foxit Reader, a free program capable of viewing PDF files, and I briefly touched on some of the advantages of using this type of file.

PDF stands for Portable Document Format, meaning that files saved as PDF documents are “portable” in that they can be safely transferred from one computer to another (and across different operating systems) and keep a consistent look. In other words, if you’re on a PC, you can send a file to a friend who uses a Mac without the need to worry about how the document will be displayed.

This is what makes PDF different from other file formats; Microsoft Word (.doc) and Excel (.xls) files may be opened on other machines and operating systems, but their look depends largely on what fonts that system has, what software it’s using to open the files, and more. PDFs, on the other hand, look just about the same anywhere.

Therefore, PDF files can be quite useful for business documents, reports, or e-books, as they help ensure that the file is secure and that everyone who opens the file is seeing the same thing.

But how can Windows users make PDF files?

Well, you could pay anywhere between $100 and $500 for a program (i.e. the $99 NitroPDF, which happens to be quite inexpensive when compared to Adobe Acrobat) that creates them for you, but that’s not necessary for most of us.

A great alternative, however, is to use a free program called PrimoPDF to essentially print to a PDF document from almost any file type. It’s quick and easy, giving you the benefit of being able to utilize PDF technology, but without the learning curve and—perhaps most importantly—without the price tag.

Using PrimoPDF

1. First, download PrimoPDF and install the software.
2. Open the file (or create a file) that you would like to convert to a PDF document in whatever program you used to create it (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc.).
3. Go to the File menu and click Print (or simply press Ctrl + P).
4. Select “PrimoPDF” instead of a printer in the print dialog. Click print.
5. A window will pop up allowing you to tinker with some options, if you’d like. You can change these or just keep the default settings.
6. When you are ready, click “Create PDF.” Your PDF file will then be saved.

Drag and Drop PDF Creation:

An even easier way to convert many files to PDF documents is to simply drag their icon over your PrimoPDF shortcut (placed on the desktop by default) and drop them there. They will automatically be converted to PDF files.

Possibly Related Posts:

1. Foxit PDF Reader is Free & Fast